Our Vision Statement
As Saint John's Church in Sharon, we welcome God's call to us
to be the Body of Christ in this time and place. In answer to that call
we take seriously the Biblical pattern of
- Worshiping (Leitourgia): continuing in the
apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the
prayers,
- Loving (Koinonia): living the full life of
God's family as we share God's unconditional, faithful love in our
active love for each other--both as Christians in this community and as
a community in fellowship with Christian communities around the world,
- Witnessing (Kerygma): proclaiming by word and
example the Story of God's unconditional love in Christ--re-interpreting
and re-incarnating that Story day by day, year by year, and
- Serving (Diakonia): seeking and serving Christ
in all persons, striving for justice and peace among all people,
respecting the dignity of every human being--calling out and empowering
one another to ministries of service to, with, and among our brothers
and sisters for the sake of the life of the world.
As we live this life in Christ, we will
- Care for and sustain one another in times of concord and in
times of conflict: ours is a corporate ministry of great diversity
and we will be faithful in our support of one another, blessing not
cursing, saying yes instead of no, offering our good will--not demanding
explanations,
- Accept and believe that God wants us to thrive, not just
survive: we can remember times of strength and times of weakness,
but our future is open and full of hope, and only our own fears and
false humilities can keep God from leading us into even greater paths of
life and service, and
- Actively welcome all who come to us seeking life in the Body of
Christ: we will maintain a variety of doorways into our Christian
family, nurturing and cherishing all who offer their gifts to Christ's
ministry.
The anchor-point of our life together is and will remain the
Sunday Eucharist: the breaking of bread and the prayers.
