Our Vision and Values

Our Vision

As Everybody's Church we commit ourselves to serving Christ by cultivating mission, inclusion and community.

Our Inclusion Statement

As Everybody’s Church, we strive to be a faithful, open and inclusive community. We welcome the participation of all people of any ability, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or any other life circumstance.

Our Statement of Discipleship

As disciples of Jesus Christ, we live and grow in God’s Word as peacemakers, faithful stewards, and compassionate neighbors.

Our Core Values

Jesus Christ

Our first core value centers on the person and work of Jesus the Christ.  Our vision statement makes it clear that all that we do, we do to serve Christ.  We do this because in Jesus of Nazareth, the one who was, and is, and is to come, we discover who God is toward us (love) and who we are to be (those who love God and neighbor). (Read Complete Statement)

Reaching Out

The second core value which we as First Presbyterian Church proclaim is that we commit to  "reaching out." We see this core value as emerging from mission and community.  We are to reach out in love to the world in order to build God's world-wide community. (Read Complete Statement)

Welcoming

Our third core value of welcoming is lived out when we "cultivate inclusion."  Our inclusion statement says: "As Everybody's church we strive to be a faithful and inclusive community.  We welcome the participation of all people of any ability, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or any other life circumstance." (Read Complete Statement)

Celebrating

Celebration is our fourth core value.  Though we do not use this exact word in our vision statement it sums up the essence of two of our most important activities: worship and music.  We believe that it is in worship and through music that we orient ourselves to Christ in order that we can cultivate mission, inclusion and community. (Read Complete Statement)

Connecting

Connecting is our fifth core value. Our vision statement helps us to connect by cultivating community. From the very beginning of the church men, women and children bonded together as brothers and sisters in Christ.  They were connected in community by the work of the Spirit. (Read Complete Statement)

Growing

The sixth of our core values is that of growth; through deepening our knowledge and love of God. This core value is captured by the word "cultivate."  Mission, inclusion and community only become possble as we grow in our knowledge of and relationship with Christ. (Read Complete Statement)

Serving

Our seventh and final core value is serving. Our vision statement makes clear that mission is at the heart of our community. It is a reminder that First Church has a long history of being involved in serving the community and world around us.  (Read Complete Statement)

Strategic Priority Statement About Community

We strive to be a faithful, open and inclusive community. Intentional and authentic relationships sustain the deep spiritual bonds we experience with one another through Christ. We share a genuine life of worship, prayer, fellowship and service. The quality of our common life is such that all feel welcomed, included and fully engaged in the sharing of time, talent and treasure.
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Authentic connection in community will invite us to know and to be known. We will be open to the possibility of new relationships; non-judgmental and empathetic in our extension of care; genuine in the sharing of our joys and concerns; accessible to one another in spreading the faith; vulnerable in our expressions of need; spontaneous in our welcoming of the other; accepting of our need for help; and responsible for the mutual well-being of our community.
To this end, we will create and sustain a culture in which:

• All who claim First Presbyterian Church as their faith home experience nurturing and authentic friendship with at least three others in our community.
• Diversity of all kinds is invited, embraced and engaged.
• Mission is a primary vehicle through which relationships are fostered and community connections are formed.