Vision:

We are followers of Jesus known by our actions.

"Proclaim the gospel and as a last resort, use words." St. Francis of Assisi

Mission:

Our new church exists to facilitate a spiritual awakening in all people and to encourage our growth into all God intends.

Values:

The methods of SML are unique and of value to transforming the world so we will see ourselves as growing very large and toward that end will create conditions so we communicate

The Value of Church:

We will value our connection to God by designing our church to be culturally relevant and aware of consumer mentality.

We will value our connection to God by designing worship to draw us to the deep places our soul. Worship may range from interactive conversation to meaningful entertainment with a very specific way of inviting differing people into an encounter with God. No "one size fits all." Designed especially for the visitor.

We will value our connection to God by making our church one of high demand when it comes to growth and commitment - we will design ourselves to expect growth and discourage complacency.

We will value our connection to God by regarding discipleship is a change agent.

Unlike stuff, our church can truly engage us, comfort us, nourish us, redirect us and bring us through all difficulties of living.

We will value our connection to God by being clear on the benefits of membership?

Can no longer park in visitor parking
Expect you to be present
Expect you to tithe
Expect you to be active in a ministry.

You can buy all the SUV's, gated homes, designer clothes you want but when your life falls apart they will give you no comfort. Your church will.

The Value of Community

We will value individuals as whole people by recognizing a person does not need to be married to be visible.

We will value families raising children by offering an assortment of classes to strengthen relationships - PREP communication, Parenting classes, after school learning, counseling, premarital classes, and mediation in divorce.

We will value the development of children by prioritizing children's ministries in our design.

Children in ministry, children receiving ministry.
Children are not the church of the future, but part of the church of today.

We will value the teens between childhood and adulthood by prioritizing the development of young people in our design.

Teaching, mentoring to be counter cultural .. body image, self-esteem, ownership
Creative arts as a means of mentoring and reaching - music, drama, dance, art.

We will value people until the day they die by prioritizing senior adult ministries.

Elders in ministry, elders receiving ministry without being put out to pasture.
Elders are not the church of yesterday but part of the church of today.

Perhaps there can be a connection between the teens and the seniors.

We will value the undiscovered gifts people bring through commitment to leadership development - not assuming anyone can do any job

Also laying a foundation of faith development from which persons act.

We will value the power we have to hold and build up each other by focusing on a congregational care model - members caring for members

Membership means we take care of our own.

We will value and welcome and include all people as creations of God and will trust God to do the work in others as God sees fit. We will not take over the job of God.

We will value the opportunity to minister to each other by being specific (specialists) in ministry - not generalists - cradle to grave, very specific to each group.

No "one size fits all."

The Value of Reaching Out

We will reach out especially to the downtrodden, deaf, blind, and challenged.

We will reach out to the injured and ill with compassion and presence.

We will reach out through hands-on mission by focusing on what each person is called and gifted to do, playing on strengths and not the need of the institution.

We will reach out by designing a mission oriented budget

We will reach out by upholding our commitment to justice while applying band-aids

We will reach out by designing ourselves to be a teaching church - teaching new pastors to be authentic and relevant in the time in which we live

We will reach out by being ready to partner with other organizations working complimentary to our values. TUSD, PCC, Pima County Attorney's Office.