Vision Statement
Mashpee Congregational Church
United
By
James S. Scovil, Organizing Pastor
November 16, 2008
Offered to the newly gathering New Mashpee Congregational Church, United Church of Christ as a study/working document and a focal point for theological, biblical and general discussion.
As God gathers a new United Church of Christ congregation in the Town of Mashpee, Massachusetts there is a clear calling to “do a new thing” (Isa. 44:19). In covenantal relationship with UCC churches whose roots go back to the 17th century, we celebrate the call to become the first new congregation of our tradition on
We are a Still Speaking congregation with extravagant welcome and evangelical courage in this 50th anniversary year of the denomination.
We understand ourselves to be responding to the repeated calls of our General Synods that we be a people committed to inclusion, justice, and care for creation in the name of Christ.
Guided by the Spirit and with the hope of spreading the love of God and the Good News of the gospel of Jesus Christ, we announce our vision for this new church:
We will support one another in loving and compassionate ways as we journey together through life and faith. We may be in different places spiritually and emotionally but through both times of joy and sorrow we will care for one another in the spirit of Christian understanding and compassion. We will walk in the way with one another.
We will make important congregational decisions through the spiritual discernment process used by our Congregational forebears. As we continue to grow as a community and a body of Christ, there will be times when issues of major importance must be addressed. Rather than employ a decision-making process that results in winners and losers, we will seek to come to a common ground through prayerful sharing and reflection.
We will live as a safe place in which people are accepted no matter who they are or where they are on life’s journey. (Eph. 2:19) We will seek to help people encounter the holy and to be transformed by God’s redeeming love in Jesus Christ and through the Holy Spirit. We encourage questions of faith and hope to help all find their own answers. We take the Bible seriously but not literally knowing that there is “yet more light and truth to break forth from God’s Holy Word.” We will seek to help our children and our grandchildren build a foundational Christian basis for their daily lives.
As an Open and Affirming congregation (Col. 3:11) we seek to provide a place for all people that will help them move deeper into relationship with God and others, living together with care, forgiveness, reconciliation and joy. (Col. 3:12-17) With God's grace, we seek to be a congregation that includes all persons, embracing differences of religious upbringing, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental and physical ability, as well as racial, ethnic, or socio-economic background. We welcome all to share in the life and leadership, ministry and fellowship, worship, sacraments, responsibilities and blessings of participation in our congregation.
We will live as a community concerned for the environment. We commit to being a “Green” church as we make all and any decisions around the development of a future site with special consideration of the fragile ecosystem of
We will reach out to people in our local mission field and beyond.Our relationship with the Boys and Girls Club of Cape Cod and the growth of our Prayer Shawl Ministry demonstrate our desire to connect with people locally. Our relationship with the New Horizons United Church of Christ in
We will support the greater church. We affirm the declaration: “Our Church’s Wider Mission: It’s who we are.” We intend to commit to OCWM and to be a congregation that speaks freely and openly of both church and personal stewardship. (Gen. 9:9; 28:22) We will also support the special offerings of the United Church of Christ, making us a “Five for Five” congregation. We affirm and celebrate our partnership with the churches of the Barnstable Association.
God is still speaking and as a new congregation in the 21st century of Christianity, we intend through worship, fellowship, outreach and education to listen to that voice. We love our rich heritage and joyfully embrace it. But the world is changing quickly and the time for bridge building is now. If we want to leave our children and grandchildren a sustainable world, then the opportunities for reconciliation, peacemaking and a relevant Christian faith must not escape us. (Micah 6:8)
Glossary of Terms
General Synod XXV-we gather as a national church every two years. General Synod XXV occurred in June of 2005 and the minutes of all the plenary sessions may be reviewed at www.ucc.org/synod.
Open and Affirming-the Open and Affirming (ONA) process began on the national level of the church in 1985. For more information, go to www.UCC.org
“God hath yet more light and truth to break forth from God’s Holy Word.”- John Robinson, pastor to the Pilgrims who set sail from
“Green”- “Green or sustainable building is the practice of creating healthier and more resource-efficient models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance, and demolition. Research and experience increasingly demonstrate that when buildings are designed and operated with their lifecycle impacts in mind, they can provide great environmental, economic, and social benefits.” (www.epa.gov/greenbuilding)
Carbon Footprint- “A Carbon Footprint is a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of green house gases produced, measured in units of carbon dioxide.” (www.carbonfootprint.com)
