We are excited to share some thoughts regarding the vision for our next season of life together as a church. The mission statement of our church is:
Learning together to live like Christ, while reaching out in His name.
Our vision for any given season involves identifying the primary obstacles or threats to our mission and overcoming them in the power of the Holy Spirit. In light of this, after much prayer and discussion, we have identified “ONENESS and WITNESS” as the vision for our next season of life together that will inform and direct everything we do as a church. This vision will drive us in fulfilling the “together” and “reaching out” portions of our mission. According to Jesus, our ONENESS in many respects is our WITNESS.
“I pray…that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:21)
The world will believe that Jesus was sent from God when we, His followers, are ONE with God and each other. Disunity disrupts our witness. Therefore, we need “ONENESS and WITNESS.”
Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing some significant changes this vision will produce. We believe this will be a powerful season of experiencing the presence of God together and reaching people in His name. Continue
The first initiative this vision is directing is our limited reopening plan. Everything we are doing is to promote “ONENESS and WITNESS.”
For example, there are varying opinions both inside and outside the church related to the question of wearing masks to control the spread of the virus. Our biblical mandate is to pursue the unity of our church body and be witnesses to our surrounding communities. Therefore, we will be requiring all our paid staff to wear masks and will be providing at least one service where all attendees will be required to wear masks. For all other services, we are asking each person to use their own discretion in determining whether or not to wear a mask. We will be recommending and providing masks to anyone who wants them. As always, we want to love our neighbors as ourselves, do what we can to protect the health and wellbeing of others, and not be a stumbling block (see Romans 14:13-23). We each have a personal responsibility in this, and we continue to encourage you to prayerfully consider how to act in faith and love as God leads you.
We can’t wait to see what God is going to do through our church as we pursue “ONENESS and WITNESS” together (John 17:21). If you have not yet registered to attend one of our services in person over the next couple of weeks, please do so as the Lord leads you. You can register online or by calling the church office.
Here is the number for the church office: (503)663-5050
We are still not providing in-person Good Shepherd Kids gatherings at this stage of our reopening. Feel free to bring your kids with you or continue to worship with us from home. We will continue working to provide a great at-home experience for anyone choosing to worship from home for now.
“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:23-25)
In His grace,
Your Executive Pastors,
Steve Keels, Paul Norquist & Greg Cahalan
