ATONEMENT’S MISSION, VISION & VALUES

MISSION:  REACH TOGETHER FOR JESUS

Vision: That Atonement be a church under the leadership of Jesus Christ (Matthew 4:18-19) where:

All are welcome (Mark 10:13-16).  Anyone who comes to Atonement, regardless of background or spiritual maturity, will find hospitality, safety to let down one’s “guard,” and freedom from shaming words or behaviors.  We will have adequate traffic flow, sufficient parking spaces, and capacity in worship and Christian education for anyone who wishes to come to Atonement.  Guests of Atonement will be greeted naturally, and their visit noted with appropriate follow-up.

Hurts are healed (Luke 4:31-41).  People suffering from chronic or acute illnesses will find public and private prayer support, which may include physical healing as well as a heightened sense of God’s presence during difficult times.  Those suffering from mental illnesses and/or emotional pain will find companionship and the life that comes from placing one’s hope in Jesus.  Wounded or broken spirits will be given new life through coming to know the extent to which God is willing to go to claim them for Himself.  Those who are finding themselves “in between” things that provide identity (job, relationship, social network) will be encouraged, and led to locate their primary identity in Jesus Christ.

Gifts are released (1 Corinthians 12).  Everyone at Atonement will learn how God has put them together spiritually by being guided through a process that reveals their spiritual gifts.  All ministries at Atonement will be identified by the spiritual gifts that they call for, and opportunities given to match one’s own gifts to the ministries that take place at and through Atonement.  We will support new ministries that call forth the gifts of our people, whether or not they fit into existing structures.  We will commit ourselves to helping our people connect to appropriate ministries, so that everyone will be able to serve in at least one ministry at or through Atonement, for the sake of the whole church and for the spiritual well-being of each of our people.

Prayer is constant (1 Thessalonians 5:16-19).  We expect that God hears and answers prayer.  We pray constantly so as to remain in contact with the mind of God.  Gatherings of people from Atonement, whether spiritual, social, or task-oriented, include prayer.  We intercede on behalf of those in need both close to us and far away.  We seek to discern God’s will through prayer, and to embody God’s will in our decision-making.  We pray for the faithfulness of all of our leaders.

Worship is genuine (Psalm 150).  We praise God as our creator, as our savior, and as the one through whom we are sustained in faith.  In worship, we are transformed by the presence of God, by encounters with God, and by relationships with one another.  Worship forms include the familiar for the sake of memory, and the very new for the sake of freshness.  We draw from any resources and media that can authentically communicate God’s presence and word to us.  Children are naturally incorporated into worship leadership, and expected to be part of our worshiping community.  Anyone worshiping at Atonement for the first time will feel both safe and able to participate as much as they wish.

Resources are shared (2 Corinthians 8-9).  We acknowledge God as the source of all that we have been given, and seek to honor God through the management of our resources.  We challenge ourselves to reject the false promises of consumerism, that meaning and satisfaction can be found through things.  Rather, we respond to God’s generosity in kind, by sharing generously of what God has given to us, and by teaching our young people to do likewise.  We strive to grow in our financial giving to ministries of the church, to the Biblical guideline of at least 10% of our income.  We generously support with money, gifts in kind, and hands-on service ministries of the larger church beyond Atonement.

Growth is expected (Acts 2:40-47).  Faith is a process that occupies our whole lives.  Whether a very young child or a mature adult, spiritual development is never fully completed.  We seek to grow closer to God and to God’s plans for us, through worship, prayer, Bible study, hands-on-service, sharing resources, and telling others about Jesus.  We seek to be people whose faith is as visible Monday through Saturday as it is on Sunday.  As much as possible, we grow closer to God in genuine community with others in small groups.  Following Jesus’ commandment to make disciples of all nations, we expect that Atonement will continue to attract others who are seeking to either begin or deepen a relationship to Jesus Christ.  We commit to provide physical and social space for all who come to Atonement.

Hope prevails (Romans 5:1-8).  We claim the promises of Jesus Christ, who has overcome the powers of sin, evil, and death, and extends to us life forever with Him.  It is safe to acknowledge the hard times in our lives here, because we trust that the future is in God’s hands and that we are a part of it.  We are bearers of hope to the world around us, working with other churches and agencies to enhance the lives of those who are hurting.  We partner with churches and missionaries around the world to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who do not know Him.  Atonement is a church with a positive spirit, with its energy directed toward who and what God would yet have us be.   

VALUES:  Our values define “how” we realize our mission and vision.  We hold these to be so important, and so integrally a part of who God is forming us to be, that it would not be possible to realize our mission and vision without also living these values in everything we say and do.

Grace (Acts 2:38)  At the heart of our values is God’s move toward us in and through Jesus.  By his life, death, and resurrection, God has demonstrated his love for us.  Grace is being loved precisely at the moment we least deserve it (see Romans 5:8).  As followers of Jesus, we also are committed to embodying and living in grace toward others.

Faith (Hebrews 11:1)  The Holy Spirit works within us to respond to God’s grace by trusting Him.  Sometimes this trust is whole-hearted; at other times, it is constrained by doubts and difficulties.  Yet faith even in small measure helps bring the power of God to the world (see Luke 17:5-6).

Gratitude (Philippians 1:3-5)  By God’s initiative, we have been given life now and forever.  When we feel the fullness of this gift, we thank God.  We also take nothing for granted in our interactions with each other, and freely offer thanks to one another.

Passion (Acts 4:1-4, 18-22)  Just as nothing stands between Jesus and his love for us, nothing may legitimately stand in the way of our telling others about him, of our ministering in his name, of our taking chances for the sake of the kingdom of God.

Integrity (Acts 5:40-42)  As God’s forgiven people, we are free to tell the truth about ourselves, even when the truth is not what we’d like it to be.  At the same time, integrity drives us to be who God calls us to be and who we profess to be, even when, or especially when, it is costly or inconvenient.

Generosity (Acts 2:45)  We want to be generous.  God’s generosity sparks shifts in our own lives from “what do I have” to “what is needed,” from “how much do I give” to “how much do I keep,” from “what should I do” to “how can I help?”

Community (Acts 2:44-47)  The ultimate expression of community is God, in the three persons of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  We, too, are inextricably bound to one another through Jesus Christ.  Our celebrations are greater, and our losses less burdensome, for sharing them together.  “What will serve the whole?” takes priority over “what do I want?”

Joy ( Philippians 4:4-7)  We gather around the greatest news the world has ever known, that Jesus Christ has defeated the powers of sin, evil, and death, and invited us into eternal relationship with Him.  What then is to keep us from being the most visibly joy-filled and celebratory people around?