Friends,

A new day is dawning in the life of the church. New generations are drawn to the hope, joy, peace, and integrity of the Gospel. Jesus’ message of radical inclusion is transforming the hearts and minds of long standing disciples. We are moved by the rediscovery of ancient traditions and innovative ways bringing praise to God.

We affirm what God has done and look forward to how we will serve God in this new day. As I have met with you and learned your stories, you have shared what is important to you in this community of faith, and have shared your vision of who we are now meant to be. These ideas have been compiled with great skill and artistry by Liz Smilor. This is our vision for the future:

I See a New Church

Our church —Community United Methodist Church in Huntington Beach — is built on a foundation of love, family, faith and service. Our “new church” will build upon this foundation to continue to serve God, one another, our community and our world.

“Three things will last forever — faith, hope, and love — and the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)

We believe in God’s unconditional love for all. We are and will continue to be a church welcoming all people to serve God in all ways — regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation. We are a family connected by faith and we endeavor to connect others to God through loving, learning, singing and serving.

“Do all the good you can …” (John Wesley)

              Our Community translates love into action. We are the “outreach” church. We serve our local area through many services for the poor and homeless, neighborhood events such as Messy Church, and interfaith connections. We serve the world through our notable support of missionaries and other organizations. Service is a vital part of our mission that connects us and attracts others to our church.

This is not the final draft. We want to hear your responses and suggestions before we adopt a finished draft at our Church Conference on November 12. Please read through this statement a few times. Consider what changes you might make. Then send those comments and suggestions to me at pastorGeorge@CUMCHB.org.

Yours in the service of Christ,

George Hooper