Church vision

Yesterday we held an information session for our current PCC which ended by outlining the current vision for St John's Seven Kings.

It is our vision to grow together as a community of God's people, filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus Christ's example and teaching.

We believe God has called us to be a:

• Worshipping Community - committed to prayer, study of the Bible, sharing of Holy Communion, praising God and listening to God as central to our lives and life together.
• Loving Community - committed to welcoming, accepting and caring for one another and all whom God brings to us.
• Inclusive Community - of many races and cultures, committed to learning together and growing together in unity and love.
• Growing Community - committed to seeking God's grace to grow in understanding, maturity of faith and love, and in numbers.
• Serving Community - committed to the people of the Seven Kings area, to use our God-given resources to meet needs as and when possible.
• Witnessing Community - committed joyfully and humbly to sharing the wonderful good news of God's love for all people.
• Healing Community - committed to seeking to grow in wholeness through care and prayer for one another and for those who seek God's healing in their lives.
• Prophetic Community - committed to seeking and speaking out for justice and peace in our community, nation and world.

Initially in my time at St John's we have focused on the renewal of the community/outward facing aspects of this vision – serving /prophetic/witnessing leading to growing. We have worked with the kingdom model of mission - God>World>Church - which starts with action and partnerships in the community, for the sake of the kingdom. Church is then for those who respond to the call to share in God’s transforming mission. Our texts for the year also reflected this approach - “Watch for the new thing I am going to do. It is happening already - you can see it now!” (Isaiah 43:19a) and “All of creation waits with eager longing for God to reveal his children” (Romans 8.19).

Among the action we have taken as a result have been:

• Promoting and developing the St John’s Centre as a centre for the community: 20+ community groups/activities and 100s of users;
• Community engagement – Take Action for Seven Kings / Seven Kings & Newbury Park Resident's Association / Living Streets campaigns for improved community facilities;
• Community Garden – a visible sign that we are here and we are for the community.
  

Next is to be renewal of the internal Church focus: worshipping/loving/ inclusive/healing leading to growing. Our text for 2010 reflects this focus: "Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be brave, be strong. Do all your work in love." (1 Corinthians 16 v 13-14). Among the actions which we expect to develop as a result of this focus are: planning our future deployment for ministry; holding a Vocations Day; and exploring the possibility of a Ministry Leadership Team.

Our prayer is: Lord, we are communities in communion with you, our rainbow-loving, promise-keeping Creating Father God. Bring us together in trust and hope, remembering the marginalised we must represent, the needy for whom we can speak, the poor with whom we are included. Amen.

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Van Morrison - In The Garden.