We had a great planning meeting last night. Thanks to all of you who attended. We are well on our way.
Our top priority has been to construct and define the DNA of Echo. After weeks of praying, editing, thinking, and re-editing, we have crafted our official Mission Statement. It is in the column directly to your right.
Also, we have four primary vision statements. These are our barometers for success and failure. This is what we see when we look at the future of this church:
A church that equips her people to live as Jesus calls us to live.
Our weekend gatherings are not merely services meant to attract or entertain. The purpose of the weekend gathering is to open our eyes to the way that we were created to live and to challenge us to respond to that call.
A church of Missional communities.
These are not simply small groups. These are small communities that exist in homes that seek to offer hope, renewal, and celebration not only to those who attend, but also to any who may cross our paths.
A church that serves and offers herself to the communities in which she exists.
We want our friends and neighbors to be glad that we are here and long for us to stay. We believe that when Jesus moves into the neighborhood, things should get better.
A church that offers hope and healing to the most marginalized and oppressed people around the world.
Also, we have defined our six core values:
The Grand Narrative
We believe in and affirm everything that the Bible affirms. We believe that the Bible is inspired and that it is instructive for those who seek to live out the way of Jesus.
Wholeness
We believe that Jesus wants to save every part of us and to restore us from the inside out. We will always seek to be put back together in a holistic way.
Community
We believe that we were meant to live a life that is deeply connected with others. We will always seek to be a church that honors community.
Serving
We were meant to offer ourselves in service to God and to others. We are never more like Jesus than when we are serving for the benefit of other people.
Celebration
We were meant to celebrate the divine in the daily and to be a voice of hope in our world.
Forward-Motion
We believe that we were meant to live with an awareness of a culture that is constantly shifting and changing. We will always be mindful of these trends and changes and adjust accordingly.
The first six weeks of our Sunday gathering will be a series that unpacks these values and helps us to see what it would look like to be a church that embodies them.
Thanks for checking in. Have a great weekend!
-Rob
