Dear First Pres,
On Tuesday night, the Session (our church’s leadership board), was excited to take its first look at the information and feedback given by the congregation at our annual meeting. We are so grateful for Linda Ellenberger; she compiled all the data you provided, and synthesized it into primary categories and themes. Thanks Linda! And, thank you, First Pres, for your work at the annual meeting; it was very helpful for the Session to take time to reflect on the FPC core values you've experienced, and consider your longings for our church.
The Session has been working on identifying our core values since last spring. There was a group of FPC folks who worked a few years ago to create a list of core values. We (the Session) started with their work – grappling with the definitions of important words, considering them against our own experiences, and forming some ownership around their main ideas. The congregation’s work in January was an important step in the process, because it is helping us hear from more voices than just our own.
So, where are we now? We’ll be finalizing the core values in the next few months. Then we’ll begin work to finalize our church’s purpose statement. My goal is to keep you, the congregation, informed and involved in this process since it happens mostly behind the scenes. I'll be sharing more about this in the weeks to come.
Some of you might be thinking, “Why do we care about core values and purpose? And, how could it possibly take this long to create?” Identifying and articulating our core values is critical to leveraging our church identity and strengths for the advancement of God’s Kingdom. God has made FPC Fresno a distinctive expression of His Church. We have distinctive history, distinctive passions, distinctive watersheds, and distinctive stories that make us who we are as a congregation. We share a common mission with every Christ-honoring church in Fresno, but we have our own patterns, styles, and emphases in conveying that mission to our community. Understanding and owning those core values positions us to launch into our future with solidarity and focus. There’s just one problem, it takes a while to build understanding and ownership. But I can hardly think of a better investment for our future than making sure we understand who we are and who Christ is calling us to be.
If you feel like we’re moving too slow, remember that God is still actively at work among us, even in the midst of this process. If you feel like we’re moving too fast, remember that the Session cares deeply about getting this right. Finally, beloved, no matter how we’re feeling, may we all remember the promise of God to His people who wondered about their future: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). Praise Him; we’re in His hands.
Blessings,
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