As the church, we are called by God to live as a witness to Christ's love by sharing with others the gift of life that we have been given. Therefore, it is our mission to bring people into a living relationship with God, through Jesus Christ that they, too, will come to know the love and grace of God. It is here in the church, when we live as disciples of Christ, that we learn to see ourselves and the world through the lens of Christ's life, death and resurrection, and , here as well, that we learn to love the world as God loves the world.
As the body of Christ, we will seek to be open to all, and reconciled to one another and to God. As a reconciling congregation, we will continue to welcome all persons into full, participation in the life of our congregation regardless of age, sex racial or ethnic background, sexual orientation, marital status, or physical or mental condition. We will acknowledge and respect differing viewpoints within our congregation and look to find our unity in Christ, for only through him can we be truly reconciled, and become the church that we are called to be.
We will believe in, and see, the power of the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts, and lead us into ministry and service. What we cannot do alone, we can do as God leads us. Therefore, we will focus our energies on spiritual growth and discipleship, through prayer, worship, small groups, Christian education and other activities that will lead us to experience the presence of God. Here we will learn of the great power of Christ to transform us, and make all things new.
We will have in place a system that welcomes people into the church. Visitors and newcomers will find us warm and welcoming. The building and grounds will be attractive and it will be easy to find one's way around. We will have friendly and knowledgeable greeters, hosts, ushers and staff that will be well informed and helpful. We will have an effective system of communication that will keep newcomers and members informed about what is going on in the church.
We will bring people into the congregation through a discovery class which introduces them to the church, gets them involved in the fellowship of a small group, facilitates their spiritual growth and helps them find ways that they can begin to use their gifts and talents in the church. These discovery small groups will be so popular that individuals already in the church will want to become involved in the class or in one of the many types of small groups that we offer. These small groups, ministry teams, discipleship groups and support groups will be important to help equip and empower people to use and discover their gifts and talents for ministry in the church and in the world.
As we come to understand that we are all called to be ministers, more of us will become involved in servanthood ministries, and we will give a greater portion of our budget to mission and outreach. Many of us in the congregation will be called forth and trained to meet human needs. We will feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, love the unloved, and offer comfort to the bereaved in cooperation with other agencies and religious bodies in the community. We will serve others beyond the boundaries of our country through annual Volunteer in Mission projects. We will be a church intent on sharing our gifts, time and resources, and the love of Christ, with a needy world.
Our church will be a place for people to come together to meet others of similar age and circumstance, to find support, guidance, and connection. We will have various kinds of fellowship and support groups to choose from. We will also provide meeting space for many community groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous.
Our congregational care system will address the needs of individuals in the congregation through such ministries as Shepherd Groups, a telephone / e-mail network, Volunteer Interfaith Caregivers, regular contact with the homebound, worship tapes, and flowers and cards. We will notice who is missing from worship, and contact them to see if we can be of help.
As worship is a most important part of the church, we will have multiple worship services which accommodate differing tastes in music and style of worship. Our worship and preaching will be centered upon God, Spirit-filled and grounded in our Biblical faith. It will be a time of prayer, praise, community, remembrance, learning, healing and transformation as we experience the living presence of God with us. Music will be an important part of the service, and we will use art, drama, dance and technology as well. Worship will be flexible and open to change, while remaining connected to the deep traditions of the church. Worship will be designed to include something for all ages.
We will have a high quality, vibrant music program that will attract people from outside the church, including multiple vocal and bell choirs for different ages and styles of music. We will have other musical groups and soloists as well. As part of evangelism and outreach, we will share our music with the community, through activities such as visits to care centers, Advent programs, and concerts on the front lawn.
Programs and education for children and families will be a significant part of our ministry focus. We recognize that many young adults come or return to church because of their children, and we need to have a church that will welcome and support them. Our children's teachers and caregivers will be well trained, and motivated to nurture children in the Christian faith. The nursery will be a cheerful, comfortable and secure place for infants and toddlers, and our classrooms will be well designed and appointed, so as to make them useful for a variety of teaching styles and activities. We will provide our children with a strong Christian foundation on which to build.
Our youth program will include athletic and music programs, studies of the Bible and current issues, and opportunities for fellowship, leadership, service and outreach. There will be strong, visible adult leadership from non-parents, and the youth program will be in a welcoming space that is dedicated to the youth. The youth program will be a magnet to the youth in the community and will be recognized as "the place to be," welcoming seekers as well as those already committed to Christian discipleship.
In our ministry to those in higher education in Corvallis, we will engage in partnerships with and through the University, by which we will seek to nurture and support a new generation of Christian leaders. For students, we will provide dynamic and meaningful worship experiences, times of fellowship and study which relate the Christian faith to issues of campus life, and challenging opportunities to express discipleship through mission and service.
Demographic Information about FUMC
Working Documents from Planning Retreat of October 13, 2003
Demographic Information for Corvallis community