St. Andrew’s Aurora Transition Team
Sunday November 19 2017
Our Reason Why
This is why we as a community of believers in Jesus Christ exist in this place and time. It is our purpose, cause, or belief. It is not How we live out that purpose.
The primary need we have identified is the basic human need to be in relationship with one another, to feel cared for, and to belong.
Our society is often impersonal and full of people longing for a connection. People, who, regardless of their socio-economic status, feel increasingly isolated and alone.
Therefore, the reason why people come to St. Andrew’s Aurora is:
- to be in relationship (with God and with one another),
- to feel cared for and connected,
- to belong,
- to participate with others to serve a larger purpose.
How We Do Our Reason Why
This is how we go about accomplishing our reason why. It is how we go about being in relationship, feeling cared for and connected, feeling like we belong, and participating with others to serve a larger purpose.
We are in relationship with God (vertical relationship) by participating regularly in:
- Sunday worship expecting to encounter Christ.
- spiritual disciplines like prayer and Bible studies, whether personal or in small groups.
We are in relationship with others (horizontal relationships) when:
- confession is freely offered and forgiveness is freely granted.
- small groups of people meet often and regularly to study the Bible and where a diversity of opinions and views are respected and valued.
- people work together for a common purpose.
We feel cared for and connected when:
- we receive pastoral care in the form of a call, card, visit, by clergy, elders, and / or members.
- we take time to pray for each other.
- we are held accountable for our words/actions and encouraged to do better.
We feel like we belong when:
- We know each other’s names and we sit with different people at coffee hour.
- behavioural covenants that serve to guide the church in the way people want to be with one another are established and upheld by each member, each elder, each staff person, and each minister.
- our gifts and talents are valued and received with gratitude.
We participate with others to serve a larger purpose when:
- in everything we do, we do it for the right reasons, i.e., not because we’ve always done it and not to keep ourselves busy, but to serve our “why” (the church’s purpose).
- we set aside our personal agendas.
- our gifts and talents are unleashed to support and fulfill our “why” (the church’s purpose).
What We Create When We Live True to Our Why
This is the outcome(s) of how we accomplish our why. We can think of this as a type of ministry or program
When we live true to our why, i.e., when we will feel like we are in relationship (with God and with each other), we are cared for and connected, we belong, we are participating to serve a larger purpose, this is what can happen.
- People reflect God’s love and look more like Jesus
- Church filled with joyful people who are inspired to share their gifts
- People feel more grateful and hopeful
- People experience the risen Christ in the church because they feel safe and do not feel they have to tip-toe leading to transformation.
- New leaders are inspired to lead and people are inspired to follow
- Forming of new relationships and deepening of existing relationships
- Clear and renewed sense of purpose and mission
- Renewed sense of responsibility of the church to ensure that our children and youth are nurtured in faith and loved by each member.
- More people want to belong; families join and baptisms occur
- The body of the church is healthier and more resilient as each person is more accountable (or held to account by others) for their words and actions.
- People express their views or concerns directly with an elder or minister resulting in less gossip, less muttering, less negativity.
- Martha’s table and aurora community cafe flourish.
- Partnering with another congregation that shares our values and purpose, e.g., ecumenical shared ministry, amalgamation, etc.
- Satellite food bank, clothing drive, homework club, in from the cold.