I hope that in our community:

we reject all tools of manipulation, guilt, shame, or abuse
and seek to do no harm,
so our lives may be instruments of peace

there is space for everyone to experience
the stillness and silence that are the ground
in which authentic human relationships can grow

we live as a non-anxious presence,
even in the midst of the change, uneasiness,
and friction that are an inevitable part of life

we support all people in recovering
the fullness of life that is our birthright
as beings created in the image of God

our lives are increasingly characterized by
the compassion, love, and service
that are signs of the Spirit of Jesus at work in our midst

Despite all appearances to the contrary, the church is primarily committed to life. We exist to support the mission of Jesus who described his ministry saying,

I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)

We aim to support all people in experience life “abundantly.”

We are committed to being a place of openness, beauty and truth in which all people find support to grow into the fullness of that love which is our birthright as children created in the image of God. We seek to enable all people to thrive and find their true identity. We hope to support the prospering of all dimensions of creation.

We trust God’s Spirit at work in all of  life. Our call is to honour the presence of God’s Spirit and to encourage one another to be conscious of and live in harmony with that presence that is the meaning and purpose of life.

We seek to support one another in finding that strong steady place of freedom within from which we are able to live in tune with the creative force that is the source of all existence.

We intend to avoid living as victims of the changeableness and uncertainty that are inherent in this material time-bound physical realm. While cherishing the goodness of life on this horizontal plane, we affirm that this is not the realm in which resides our ultimate identity. We are able to live beyond anxiety and fear because we ground our lives in confidence in a love that is stronger than death and a goodness that is greater than all harm.

The theme song for the church in this uncertain time needs to be “How Can I Keep From Singing?”:

My life goes on in endless song
Above earth’s lamentations,
I hear the real, though far-off hymn
That hails a new creation.

Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear its music ringing,
It sounds an echo in my soul.
How can I keep from singing?

While though the tempest loudly roars,
I hear the truth, it liveth.
And though the darkness ’round me close,
Songs in the night it giveth.

No storm can shake my inmost calm,
While to that rock I’m clinging.
Since love is lord of heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?

When tyrants tremble sick with fear
And hear their death knell ringing,
When friends rejoice both far and near
How can I keep from singing?

No storm can shake my inmost calm,
While to that rock I’m clinging.
Since love is Lord of heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing?

My life goes on in endless song
Above earth’s lamentations,
I hear the real, though far-off hymn
How can I keep from singing?

We are not shaken by the “tumult and the strife” because we cling to “that rock” that enables us to live grounded in the truth that “love is Lord of heaven and earth.” We experience an “inmost calm” that exists “Above earth’s lamentations,” because we hear the “far-off hymn” that is the divine harmony sustaining all of life.

The world today needs steadiness, faithfulness, calm, and compassion. These are the qualities the reside in the depths of every human being. The church exists to bear witness to the light that shines in the darkness and to support all people in learning to trust this strong steady stream of love that make it possible for us to keep on singing.