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Vision 2017

VISION 2017

Purpose

To help St. John the Apostle grow, both in spirit and in size, by finding balance between the two focal points of the mission statement:

a community of grace - Growth will occur through focus on church community life.

committed to making disciples – Growth will occur through focus on turning outward from the church community with an increasing mission and disciple-making emphasis in ministry.

Vision 2017 centers in 3 key areas of ministry…

1) Community building that centers on the congregation’s love for relationships and family dynamic. Efforts will be made to strengthen quality of life within the existing church family.

a. Work to provide opportunities to get the entire church family together in one setting for events that build community.

b. Allow time and space for people to be in community with each other, even if worship times are different.

c. Encourage each individual to invest time in Bible study, and/or small group involvement.

d. Make Christian education a priority for all ages and stages.

e. Make hospitality a priority in the planning of events and ministries for all ages.

f. Make intentional efforts to reduce the stress factor with limited facilities on our campus and scheduling of events in limited facilities.

2) A greater outward focus on mission ministry. As we balance SJA church community needs, we also ensure that outreach is expanded.

a. We invite each individual from the SJA faith community to expand themselves by being involved with some aspect of mission in their regular routines. These individual mission expressions may be through SJA mission expressions, or may be individual’s personal mission expression beyond and independent of SJA. Worship time shall be used on occasion for individuals to showcase creative expressions of ministry.

b. The SJA community will also expand church-based mission outreach through ministries such as: Upward Sports, Restoration Church, SJA Preschool, and the Pumpkin Patch in addition to the many other mission expressions SJA is involved in, and known for. The church shall be open to additional mission expressions as opportunities come our way.

3) A revision of the SJA church campus that meets the needs of present and future ministry to:

a. Allow the church to better sustain the ministries currently in place. Church-wide events, dinners, concerts, drama productions, hospitality, and relational ministry will all be enhanced by having facilities that allow the entire church family to assemble together.

b. Provide a fully accessible campus.

c. Allow for new outreach opportunities to occur through youth, preschool, drama, music, and other areas. For example, our youth ministry could host mission trips on our campus, allowing the focus of the mission work to be directed to our community.

d. Provide adequate space for a weekday preschool program with rooms and group space designed to meet needs and state-required standards.

Summary

The experience of improving the campus will invite our congregation to grow deeper in their spiritual walk through the challenge of funding, constructing, and learning to be stewards of diversity in opinion. The congregation/disciples of St. John the Apostle will mature through the struggles and victories of the building experience.