The world around us is hurting. Communities large and small suffer the traumas that come from white supremacy, misogyny, violence, and spiritual abuse. Too often, leaders who identify as Christians push a story of the faith that works against healing and restoration and deceives their followers into living in fear and shame.

 

We believe there is a better picture of God than the one many of us were shown growing up. The good news is the God we most deeply want is the God we actually have, and the god we fear is, in fact, the partial god we’ve settled for. Father Greg Boyle, Director of the largest gang intervention program in the world and the author of three bestselling books, writes, “If our God makes us feel unworthy or in debt, wrong God. If God frightens us, wrong God. If God is endlessly disappointed in us, wrong God."

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We believe God is love, and Jesus came to show us who God really is. We welcome questions, skeptics, doubters, agnostics, atheists, Christians and people of other faith backgrounds to come and explore, study, walk with us and find rest here. We are here for anyone seeking peace, hope, and freedom. We want to offer resources, friendship, and encouragement. 

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We exist to bring healing and hope to our world by embracing diversity,

engaging Christ-centered values, and growing our impact locally and globally. 

 

Embracing Diversity | We are better together
We celebrate our differences rather than allow them to divide us. We long to reflect the dynamic diversity of our city, and affirm the image of God in persons of every race, ability, class, gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation. 

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We believe we can disagree and still work together. We welcome questions, skeptics, doubters, and people from all faith backgrounds (or no faith background at all). Believing isn’t a prerequisite to belonging. 

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Our church strives to become what the entire world is to be one day: A beloved, diverse, peace-filled community. Loving our perceived enemies, linking arms to pursue peace with those that hold different beliefs, and learning to see God through the eyes of the marginalized and oppressed are some of our essential practices, believing we make up a small part of the beautiful mosaic we want the world to see of God’s love for everyone.

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Our Welcome Statement:
We are a Christ-centered, welcoming, and inclusive church community committed to peace and justice. We acknowledge and affirm the image of God in persons of every race, ability, class, gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation. We celebrate an open communion in which all who seek a closer journey with God are welcome to participate. Everyone is invited to join in the full life of the congregation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Engaging Christ-Centered Values | We are made better by Jesus

Peace is the path we walk. Richard Rohr writes, “There is no path to peace, but peace itself is the path.” Like Jesus, we strive to practice nonviolence in any form (physical, verbal, emotional, spiritual), engaging in peacemaking practices that bring us closer to a beloved community. (Matt. 5:9, 38-42, John 14:27)

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Justice is what love looks like in public, writes Cornel West. We aim to mirror the message and ministry of Jesus, who came to break the chains of the oppressed, free the prisoner, and preach good news to the poor. (Luke 4:18-19)

Discernment happens best in a community. We believe circles are better than rows, that God speaks to all of us (not just those in authority), the Spirit empowers us, and that everyone has a voice. Through our committees, teams, Council and small groups, everyone is invited into full participation in the life of our community. (Matt. 16:18-19, Matt. 19:14, Mark 10:42-43, Luke 10:38-42, I Corinthians 12, Ephesians 3:20)

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Everyone has infinite worth and is worthy of compassionate care. We are friends and neighbors working together toward a more beloved community. Like Jesus modeled and taught, we aim to provide spiritual, tangible care for one another. (Matt. 22:34-40)

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Radical hospitality creates a culture of inclusion. We strive to embody the same posture as Jesus in all our interactions with others: loving, understanding and empathetic. We long to widen the circle of compassion and dismantle the barriers for entry. (Matt. 9:20-22, Luke 10:25-37, John 13:34-35)

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Simplifying our lives amplifies our impact. Jesus’ simple, others-centered life inspires us to narrow our focus on what matters most: people. This looks different for everyone, but we all have a similar goal: a beloved, diverse community where everyone belongs. (Matthew 6)

 

Growing our impact locally and globally | We build a better world
We serve and share our resources on a local, national and global level in order to bring healing and hope to our world, inching it closer to what God had in mind for it. Through sharing a meal with our homeless neighbors, housing refugees, providing shelter for the unhoused, marching during pride month, or driving policy change that will bring about racial, economic and climate justice, we are committed to building a more beloved community. 

 

Locally, we work with Interfaith Housing Network, Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement Program, Sanctuary Coalition, Community Meal, Ten Thousand Villages, People Working Cooperatively, Immigrant Dignity Coalition and more. On a national level, we partner with The Poor People’s Campaign, MC USA, The Supportive Communities Network, and more. 

 

Globally, we partner with NGOs and churches to provide aid for families affected by war, and to provide school supplies for children living in poverty (through our partnerships with Mennonite Central Committee and Mennonite Disaster Services). 

 

We believe our faith community is a part of the larger mission God has for this world, and we are not only grateful to be invited into the story, but we believe we play an integral role in building a healthy, vibrant, beloved community where everyone belongs. We hope you’ll join us. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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