Being Church

What does it mean to be a church?

In 2017, we at River East Church embarked on a journey together to answer that question. Through prayer, discernment, and conversation, we worked to name three values that encapsulate how God has been shaping our church community—three things that we uniquely embody, that define us as this church in our here and now.

In February, 2018, we discerned the following core values God is growing among us:

Wisdom — We seek God’s way through mutual discernment, holding paradox, in the midst of complexity.

Prophecy — We speak what we understand to be true; do justice; heed God’s call to hear and act for the least, the lost and the left out.

Compassion — We bring a casserole, listen to each other’s stories, laugh with those who laugh, and weep with those who weep.

For the next few weeks, we’ll be engaging in a series simply called ‘Being Church.’ This is a time for us to explore not only what it means to be a faithful church in 2019 and beyond… but also a time to explore what it means for this church, River East Church, to follow where God has already been leading us—into Christ’s Wisdom, Prophecy, and Compassion.

During this series, we will be practicing these values in two particular ways:

• First, we will once again work toward the goal of filling 100 relief buckets in partnership with MCC’s ‘Buckets of Thanks’ initiative. $55 will provide essential hygiene items for a family of four, which will then be shipped internationally to those in need.
• Second, in the background of this series is our church-wide conversation around inclusion, specifically of LGBTQ congregants. Please take note of the calendar so you can best engage in the discussion!