“The mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.” - The Book of Common Prayer
Inclusivity is the cornerstone of the Episcopal Church’s mission. The way a particular church embraces this focus and transforms it into action reveals a great deal about its values and its congregation. Here at Ascension, our tagline “Love Lives Here” helps convey who we are and what we stand for. It is often paired with three keywords that help underscore our values: “Faith. Outreach. Inclusion.” Last weekend the vestry and committee chairs gathered for a strategic visioning session led by Canon Mary MacGregor (retired), Diocese of Texas. At the core of our work was recognizing that we are at a critical juncture as we transition to a post-pandemic season. We agreed that an evolving faith is one that accepts and even embraces change. We asked the question, “What do we need to let go of to allow for new growth?” Together we read scripture, we prayed, and we reflected on who we are as a church. We also created a short vision statement that can follow our mission to delineate our values and our subsequent goals. It reads: We strive to be a radically inclusive community with diverse and vibrant worship, intentionally focused on children and youth, caring for each other, and being the hands and feet of Christ in all that we do. The group went further, writing specific goals that will help us implement this vision for our community. More of the specifics will be shared in the weeks ahead, and some of our goals will be revealed in new offerings over the summer and into fall. Please join us in praying for this vision to be realized in the year ahead. Blessings,
Comments