The Church

The church is not a physical building or an institution.  It is not organized around a particular cause, political party, or program.  It is not bound by the typical divisions of race, class, nationality, or gender. 

The church is the Called and Gathered.
The church is the Body of Christ.
The church is the Bride of Christ.
The church is the Flock of the Good Shepherd.
The church is the Family of God.
The church is the Temple of God.

The church consists of those who have responded to the gracious invitation of the risen Jesus to become a disciple, a learner and follower of the Way.  The doors are open wide but the way is narrow.  The heart of this way is love: for God and neighbor.  It is love with both the heart and the hands. As the church gathers to encounter Christ in Word and Table, we are transformed by God's love and sent out in mission, empowered by the Spirit of God to heal and bless our world.