The Challenge:
“We believe that we are the church, that is, we are a community of God’s people called and set apart for witness to the good news of Jesus Christ. We are blessed to be a blessing. As the Father has sent Christ, so Christ sends us. Jesus Christ has defined us as his witnesses where we are. We believe therefore that the Holy Spirit not only calls us but also enables us and gifts us for that mission. Our task is to determine the particular focus and direction of our mission. We are to identify the charisms (gifts) given us by the Spirit for mission. We have the responsibility and the capacity, through the Holy Spirit, to shape ourselves for faithful witness. Our purpose defines our organizational structures-- which means that our mission challenges us to re-form our structures so that we can be faithful in our witness.”