Where are we heading?

Dear Minooka UMC Found Family,

This is the third entry in this series of letters white-boarding our congregation’s purpose, mission, and vision. Read part 1 on purpose here and part 2 on mission here. 

While there are multiple ways to define those terms, as I understand them, our purpose is our “why.” Our mission is our “what we do.” Our vision is “who we are called to be.” That what I have in mind each Sunday during our Welcoming time when I remind us of our congregation’s purpose, mission, and vision:

Our Purpose is Loving God with our whole selves and loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Our Mission is forming disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, beginning with us.

Our Vision for who we are called to be is an inclusive gathering of found family learning to be more like Jesus and serving the community. 

Our vision honors the past by including elements from a previous statement. Simultaneously, our vision looks toward the future. The statement is meant to help people see what our congregation is pursuing. It is meant to speak to where we are and where we hope to be in the future. Thus, our vision statement is meant to be both aspirational and inspirational.

Our vision grows out of who we are as a congregation. I discovered in my very first few days here at Minooka UMC that our congregation was already living as welcoming, affirming, inclusive people. We just needed to give voice to that loving approach!

What do we mean when we declare “all are welcome” and that we are “an inclusive gathering”? Plenty of churches make those claims without specificity. That’s why we explicit say at Minooka UMC, we passionately affirm the inherent worth of all our neighbors as children of God. We extend a wholehearted invitation for full participation in our church’s life and ministry, regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, documentation status, ethnicity, or even any doubts and questions about faith and religion.

Our vision also points to our values: including, learning, serving. We are forever striving to bring those values to life. (I intentionally use that verb ‘striving’ because we are all works in progress.) As far as I can tell, Minooka UMC is the only church in the Minooka/Channahon area that is openly welcoming and affirming of all our neighbors.

There is still so much more that could be said about our purpose, mission, and vision. But now I want to hear from you: In what ways do you find our statements inspiring and/or challenging? What questions do any of our statements raise for you? Contact me with your responses!

Plotting Goodness,
Pastor Dave