Our vision statement:
The Episcopal Church is a welcoming community that knows that God loves all people, 'no exceptions'. We celebrate our diversity of languages, cultures, and nations. Worshipping together, we rejoice in reaching out to the world and becoming One in Christ.
Our life in the Anglican/Episcopal way of following Jesus has a cycle with four recurring phases – a cycle that we are called to renew continuously; as Christians and in the life of our church. Our Vision for the next five years is to focus on each one and all four t, so as to become more faithful disciples of Jesus Christ, and a stronger, more effective community of faith that proclaims the Good News.
I. COMMUNITY AND IDENTITY
Who we are: called to be transformed into the image of Jesus Christ. Each of us has an ongoing and changing relationship with Jesus Christ “by grace through faith” unique for every person. At the same time, we share the one Faith and live that Faith in community. Individually we are a facet of the image of Christ; together we make up Christ’s image (Ephesians 2: 4-10, 19-22).
Three concrete visible signs of who we are will be:
- Fostering greater awareness and understanding of the organic wholeness of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe as our congregations, individually and together, become One in Christ.
- Increasing empowerment of the laity.
- Planting new mission congregations based on a strategic plan and nurturing existing ones.
II. LIFELONG FORMATION, LIFELONG TRANSFORMATION
All our life is learning to appropriate the transforming event that is Baptism. We are not only to love God with all our hearts and souls but also with our minds (cf. Matthew 22: 34-40; Mark 12: 28-34; Luke 10: 25-28). Formation makes for transformation – growing in love for God, others, and self through prayer, study, and action.
Three concrete visible signs of Lifelong Christian Formation will be:
- Having a plan for Lifelong Christian Formation in every church and mission.
- Exploring our baptismal covenant together.
- Mindful of our diversity of languages, cultures, and nations, developing resources for better understanding of the Holy Scriptures and the Book of Common Prayer as central to our life and worship.
III. BEYOND OUR DOORS: SHARING THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER
As Christians, we must go beyond church walls and ourselves into our neighborhoods, communities and “away to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). This grows out of God’s endeavor in our lives, recruiting us to serve the divine mission in Creation.
Three concrete visible signs of God’s mission with us will be:
- Sharing of ideas, resources and existing programs throughout and beyond the Convocation.
- Going beyond the borders of our cities and nations, while not forgetting those at our doorstep
- Reaching out to other communities of faith.
IV. MANAGING GOD’S ASSETS: PEOPLE AND OTHER RESOURCES
Proclaiming the faith, being formed and transformed in the Faith, reaching out in love; all these require people, planning, tools for mission and money (cf. Luke 14:28). Of all the resources God gives us, the gift of people is the most important. Stewardship is the responsibility of all the baptized, all year round, and it concerns all of God’s assets including stewardship of the earth and its resources.
Three concrete visible signs of our stewardship will be:
- Gracious giving – sharing God’s gifts to us
- Learning how to use and develop our people’s time and talents effectively
- Using our treasure responsibly and growing toward financial autonomy.