Our Mission, Vision, and Core Values
We are a community of Christ;
gathering in love,
growing by grace,
going forth to serve.
Our Vision
Here is our vision for what we entrust God to do in our midst, based on our mission statement.
We gather in love
Rich with diversity, people gather here from all parts of our city and neighborhood because every time they enter our doors they find it to be a warm and welcoming faith community, a place where we as ordinary sinners abundantly experience God's extraordinary grace. The campus buzzes with activity throughout each week. There are a variety of interesting and effective ways for people to gather, learn, and serve one another, sharing in our common joys and struggles, and appreciating our differences. Youth, college students, and young adults thrive in this church because they find energy, opportunities to serve and indigenous worship spoken in their own language. Singles and families feel at home here. Our elderly are cared for and integrated into our body life. Our campus is thoroughly remodeled into a well-equipped, flexible facility that fully supports all the ways we need to gather, grow, and go forth. Worship is dynamic, spontaneous, creative, and as diverse as our church body. There is evidence everywhere of the Holy Spirit at work in our midst. One can sense an energy and winsome enthusiasm among us that is not conjured up by our own frantic activity; the source is God's power.We grow by grace
This is a place that provides a deepening faith experience for all who participate, from the youngest to the oldest. Every person is drawn to know Christ more deeply. We constantly grow in our knowledge and application of scripture. We allow God to turn our knowledge into understanding and wisdom. We analyze our culture and world through the lens of God's truth. We instinctively surround every decision, thought, and activity with prayer, learning how to listen and communicate with God. We care for and nurture our wounded and hurting. We help fulfill God's desire to address the needs of the whole person. Every individual is helped to identify their gifts, then equipped to develop and exercise those gifts both within our church body, as well as in our community and world. Small groups organically sprout and grow throughout our congregation, meeting in homes, welcoming new members, wrestling together with scripture, serving and loving each other in close-knit relationships. Together we help each other follow Jesus. As a learning community, we make the most of communication, technology, hands-on experiences, and every opportunity to help us see the world through the eyes of Jesus. The joy of finding daily life and purpose in Christ is freely shared with others and we use a variety of means to invite others to discover Christ with us.We go forth to serve
Understanding ourselves to be a people sent, and with Jesus as our partner and model, we strive to live out God's call to us in our daily lives. Refreshed and strengthened by gathering and growing together, our energies are directed outward to serve our community, nation, and world. We learn to live sacrificially and work diligently to serve the poor, feed the hungry, and bring justice for the oppressed. Aware that we live in a world of broken people, institutions, and relationships, we actively work and support efforts towards reconciliation. Our ministries are fully funded and we are good stewards of all that God has entrusted to us. We find that God blesses and rewards our whole-life stewardship of the abundant resources we have been given. Rather than duplicate efforts, we collaborate in creative mission partnerships with other organizations and churches focused on strategic, targeted areas of need in Madison and beyond.
Our Core Values
WE VALUE GOD, therefore we are ...
Committed to Worship. We desire to acknowledge the supreme goodness and holiness of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in our individual and corporate worship.
Committed to Seeking God and Finding Fullness of Life in Jesus Christ: We desire to learn more of the Christian faith, experience the transforming power of Christ’s love through spiritual disciplines (prayer, Scripture reading, worship, meditation), and discern God’s purpose and unique call to each of us to live out whom God has created us to be.
Committed to Knowing the Scriptures. We believe Christian people and congregations grow in faith when they are firmly grounded in the knowledge and use of the Scriptures.
Committed to Grace, Reconciliation, and Justice. As God in Jesus Christ has shown unconditional love, justice and mercy to us, so we believe in showing unconditional love and mercy in our relationships and common ministry, and will work for justice in the human community.
WE VALUE COMMUNITY, therefore we are...
Committed to the Great Commandment. We understand love of God and love of neighbor to be our common and central calling in life.
Committed to Community. We are a living, serving, and worshipping family on a spiritual journey together who are committed to know and be known by each other for God’s purposes. We accept diversity, giving freedom to grow in different faith styles, and work to help people identify, develop, and use their gifts for the good of all.
Committed to Practicing Faith in Daily Life. We seek to hear God’s call to serve Him with the totality of our lives, both in building up the Church and serving the world through our vocations. We value a supportive environment in which we can actively explore our gifts with freedom and affirmation.
Committed to Youth/Children. We believe our children and youth are integral to our being a church community and we will serve to help them grow in their understanding and living of the Christian faith as they encounter age-specific issues.
WE VALUE THE WORLD, therefore we are...
Committed to Stewardship. We will help guide and equip every member into ministry. We recognize ourselves to be caretakers, not owners, of our lives and all the abundant resources God has shared with us and seek to fully fund our mission as generous disciples.
Committed to Evangelism. In word and action, we endeavor to live out the good news of God’s love for the world, inviting others into the church, and seeking to help our neighbors take one step closer to God in Christ.
Committed to Mission. We are engaged in supporting local, national, and international mission and ministries of justice with our finances, prayers and hands-on involvement.