our values
compassion & heart
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Our compassionate community opens doors to a diverse congregation, made up of people from many nations, backgrounds, and origins, united by our journey to seek God, do justice, and share the richness of life. We welcome all, and strive to include, respect and affirm each individual with love and understanding.
spirit of hope
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We are passionate about standing up for human rights, and offer hope to our members and the community. At the core of our identity is Jesus Christ, who was bold in speaking prophetically against injustice, and compassionate in walking alongside the marginalized. We help each other discover and exercise our God-given gifts to the fullest.
social justice for all
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Heeding God's call, we seek social justice for all. We discern anything that represents injustice in our midst. We stand together to work with those who seek justice, inclusion, and reconciliation.
solidarity with immigrants
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We stand together in our faith that everyone, regardless of national origin, has basic common rights, including but not limited to:
1) livelihood
2) family unity
3) physical and emotional safety.
Therefore, we covenant to take a public, moral stand for immigrants' rights and protect immigrants against hate, workplace discrimination, and unjust deportation.
truth set us free
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As others stretch us into new ways of being engaged by God's Word, the truth sets all of us free. Our life is grounded in God's Living Word as we experience it in worship and express it through our work.
healthy relationships
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Our actions emerge from healthy relationships that both celebrate and face the challenges of our diversity. The experiences, perspectives and voices of each generation are essential to the vitality to our community.
creativity & inspiration
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We savor an environment where everybody's creativity and inspiration can flourish. We encourage creativity, risk, and experimentation. We delight in the resulting expressions of beauty and newness.
safe place
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our commitment is to be a true urban sanctuary for the nurturing and protection of all of God's children. As with every church in the city, we remain mindful of the safety and wellbeing of the most vulnerable people in our community. Our Safe Church Policy calls for this by: Maintaining a safe and supportive church environment.
Providing for the training and screening of staff and ministry participants.
Educating the congregation on topics such as sexual, elder and physical abuse and discrimination.Working to create a church campus that is accessible to everyone.
inclusive language
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"The language of worship and theology can be a powerful force in shaping our conception and experiences of God and of ourselves." Historically, church language has presented God and humanity in predominantly masculine images. We now recognize that only referring to God in masculine terms limits our understanding of God and of ourselves. We seek to broaden our
conceptions of God and ourselves by
including other terms and images for God in our worship experience. In employing a wider variety of images for God we draw on our rich traditions and the wealth of the Biblical witness as well as the new revelations of contemporary experience.