Our Vision

“As living witnesses of God’s new creation in Christ Jesus,
ecclesia is a community of faith, love and hope.
We are:
Called to faith in the gospel of Jesus
Gathered in love as the community of Jesus, and
Sent with hope on the mission of Jesus”

This vision statement outlines our core values and mission.

We are called to faith in the gospel of Jesus.
We believe in the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ and that our faith in him is the foundation of our spiritual journey. We believe that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one can come to the Father except through him.

We are gathered in love as the community of Jesus.
We believe that the church is not just a place to which go on Sundays but a family to which we belong. We strive to build authentic relationships with one another based on love, acceptance, and mutual support. We believe that we are stronger together than we are apart and that we can accomplish great things when we work together.

We are sent with hope on the mission of Jesus.
We believe we are called to be ambassadors of Christ, sharing the good news of his love and grace with those around us. We seek to positively impact our community and beyond by serving others and sharing our hope in Christ.

Our Beliefs

We affirm the classic creeds of the Christian faith, particularly the Apostles' Creed. We believe that the Bible is the inspired and authoritative Word of God and that it contains all that is necessary for salvation and living a godly life.

In addition, as a nondenominational, nonsectarian, and nonpartisan church family, we also embrace the following 17th-century credo:

"In essentials, unity;
in non-essentials, liberty;
 in all things, charity."

Unity in essential things means we hold fast to the core beliefs of Christian faith.
These include a commitment to the inspiration and authority of Scripture, to the incarnation and bodily resurrection of Jesus, and to salvation by grace through faith. These basic beliefs address three fundamental questions which form the bedrock of the Christian faith:

  • What is our source of truth? God’s Word

  • What do we believe about Jesus? God in the flesh, crucified and raised from the dead

  • What is the basis of our salvation? By grace through faith, not works

We affirm liberty in nonessential things.
We allow for diversity of interpretation on certain matters which, while important, are not central to Christian faith — and about which equally devoted Christians may disagree. These include such things as the return of Jesus Christ, the gifts of the Spirit, the connection between God’s sovereignty and human freedom, and the manner and mode of baptism. On these issues, we allow for freedom of conscience for all and respect for those who disagree with us.

Above all, we practice charity in all things.

Offering grace and love to everyone, regardless of their background or beliefs. Rather than arguing with our brothers and sisters in Christ, we’re eager to join hands with anyone who shares our basic beliefs and wants to help us bring the good news about Jesus to our community. After all, Jesus said, “By this shall all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35).

In summary, then, as living witnesses of God’s new creation in Christ Jesus, ecclesia is a community of faith, love and hope.

We are called to faith in the gospel of Jesus, gathered in love as the community of Jesus, and sent into the world with a life-changing message of hope: that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come!”

(2 Corinthians 5:17)