Mission & Values

Welcoming is inclusive. It denotes warmth. It is friendliness. It is building relationships. It is all-embracing, and it is a haven. All who come through our doors are important and necessary to our church. Our welcoming attitude guides our internal conduct as well as our relationship with the external world. We welcome all and open our hearts, minds, and arms to a stranger who makes it to our doorstep. As God welcomes us, we welcome you.

We nurture each other in our spiritual growth through our worship, our Christian education, and our communal fellowship. We support each other’s calling and missional work. We witness to each other’s journey. We are a community of faith, a family in love of, and with, Christ. We nurture others outside MSUMC, near and far, through our missional work and generous stewardship. But most importantly, we nurture our brothers and sisters when we simply acknowledge that they are our brothers and sisters. We bear witness to the truth that they are neither invisible nor  worthless but are, in fact, the beloved children of God. We are nurtured when we nurture. To be more like Christ, we must act more like Christ. 

Jesus calls his disciples to disciple. “Transformed by the Holy Spirit, united in trust, we will proclaim Christ boldly to the world” – our conference mission statement, but also part of what it means to disciple. God’s call transforms us, and we desire that transformation in others. Discipling is hearing and responding to God’s call in a real, genuine, authentic way. Our church provides the means and supports to help people hear, recognize, and answer God’s call in our lives. We commit ourselves to studying the scriptures, discerning the will of God, stepping out on the journey of faith, and then sharing that journey with others. Discipling is the work of remembering, growing in, journeying with, and teaching the truth of Emmanuel – God with us. 

We find ways we can serve that are unique to each of us because together, we can do amazing things that none of us could do alone. Serving isn’t about us – it’s about who we’re serving and their needs. Jesus said true greatness comes from serving others. Serving is doing God’s work in the world. It is action – big or small – in daily life. It involves everyone from the youngest to the oldest. And it is best done humbly without expectation of reward or accolade. Jesus’ entire ministry was filled with acts of service – feeding the hungry, healing the sick, comforting the grieving, and advocating for the weak, the poor, and the oppressed. We strive to identify new ways and places where God is calling us to serve.