Emmanuel is a community of Christ-followers who meet together weekly to worship God and to seek God’s will for our lives, both as individuals and as a family. The heartbeat of this community is our common worship and relationship with the God revealed in scripture – Father, Son, and Spirit. As we gather together, over time, our desire is that we might become more and more of who we are intended to be: God’s own people, with a unique part to play in God’s mission of reconciling and restoring the world. We are constantly working out this identity and this calling in our life together.
Through a process of prayerful discernment and conversation, Emmanuel’s Leadership Team has established the following guiding statements of our vision, mission, and values as a community:
OUR VISION
Our vision is to lead each member of our family to better understand and participate in the realization of the kingdom of God.
OUR MISSION
Emmanuel strives to mature in faith as a family of believers by building each other up through nurturing each of our diverse strengths so that we may function together as the imitation of Christ.
Emmanuel’s Kingdom-of-God Values (how we seek to live-out our vision & mission):
>Learning the Christian Story through teaching, worship, and discipleship
We need to know and live the story we’re part of – both its history and also its future destination. We exist in part to provide a space for worship, connection, and education about God and the content of the Christian faith.
>Pursuing racial justice and reconciliation between all peoples
The coming Kingdom looks like all tribes, tongues, and nations gathered around the throne of God, demonstrating unity in the midst of diversity. We exist in part to model that vision of a reconciled humanity.
>Seeking the life, healing, and wholeness of all people (with particular care for the poor and the marginalized)
In the life of Jesus, as well as throughout scripture, God’s concern is evident for all people, yet is also consistently directed in a focused way toward those who have been crushed or left-out. We exist in part to demonstrate God’s care for the poor & marginalized.
>Grounding all our efforts in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ above all other authorities
Jesus himself represents the fullness of a kingdom-oriented life, and we are called to obey and enact all that he taught. Therefore, whatever actions we choose to engage in will be consistent with the witness and commands of Christ.
