Vision
At Creekside we are creating a community that connects faith in Jesus Christ with the realities of everyday life. Our vision is to be a reflection of Jesus in our community and in the world through Authentic Life, Abundant Love and Generous Faith.
Authentic Life.
We desire to be a community where we can be real: with the good, the bad and the ugly. We want small groups to be authentic places of deep community, sermons and worship to be relevant and life-applicable, and each of us living a life full of purpose and passion. We believe Jesus when he said, "I came so that they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of." (Jesus quoted from John 10:10, The Message)
Abundant Love.
This has so many dimensions. God loves each one of us so deeply that His love in us not only overflows back to Him, but also spills over onto everyone around us. "No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." 1 John 4:12
Generous Faith.
Everything we have is God's and for His great purposes. We want to be a church that is more concerned about what we give away than what we have. This generosity includes our whole lives. As the apostle Paul says, "We were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well..." I Thessalonians 2:8
Who We Are
Each of us is on a journey. Creekside is a community for everyone on the journey, no matter where you are. If you are longing to begin or go further in your faith, Creekside is a place where you will find others just like you. We want to be a place where it is safe to ask some hard questions. In fact, we encourage them. Creekside is a place for you to find and know God.
We want to be a place where people of all ages are...
Welcome and safe, finding friendship and encouragement.
Astonished at the wonder of God's deep love for us.
Invited into a life-changing relationship with Jesus.
Not spectators. We want to use our time, talent and resources to serve God and others.
Becoming increasingly effective representatives of Jesus Christ in our homes, workplaces and neighborhoods.
Looking for ways to serve God in our local community and around the world.
What We Believe
Creekside is a part of the Evangelical Covenant Church. As a part of the Covenant we affirm these core beliefs:
We believe that the central message of Christianity lies in a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ. God longs to be in an intimate relationship with each one of us. This relationship begins through experiencing a spiritual birth, transforming our lives through the forgiveness of sins. New life in Christ is for all who commit their lives to Him.
We believe in The Bible. The Scriptures are God's message of truth, and the only perfect authority to teach us what to believe and how to live. We desire our lives to be shaped by the powerful and living Word of God.
We believe in a conscious dependence on the Holy Spirit. Christ lives within us through His Spirit, who enables our obedience to Christ and conforms us to his image; who guides us to continue Christ's mission in the world, and equips us as individuals and binds us together as Christ's body.
We believe in the Church as a community of believers, that is, we all share in the ministry of the church. The church is not an institution, organization, or building. It is a grace-filled fellowship of believers who participate in the life and mission of Jesus Christ. It is a family of equals.
We believe in the whole mission of the Church. We come together to carry out God's mission, both near and far, including evangelism, Christian formation, and ministries of compassion, mercy, and justice. We follow Christ's two central calls. The Great Commandment calls us to love the Lord our God and our neighbors as ourselves. The Great Commission sends us out into all the world to make disciples.
We believe in the reality of freedom in Christ. We recognize that differences of opinion exist concerning theological issues, worship styles and the way we live out the Christian faith. But we believe that these differences are overcome through sharing a common life in Jesus. We believe that each person is unique and so is their experience in Christ.t
In essentials - agreement
In the non-essentials - freedom
And in all - love.
For a more detailed explanation of these affirmations, check the ECC Web Site.
What We Care About
These are the "Core Values" that lie at the heart of Creekside:
We Care About You and Your Life
You are significant as an individual and as a part of the Creekside community. We promise to listen to you and to provide resources that meet you where you're at and help you get to where God's calling you to go. We prayerfully endeavor to be authentic, supportive, compassionate and full of grace and mercy as we explore and apply our faith in Jesus Christ together. Small groups play a large role here to help us experience life together in relevant, genuine and practical ways.
We Care About the Next Generation
Leaving a legacy of faith is one of the highest priorities at Creekside. United together with families, we commit to provide challenging, encouraging and relevant opportunities for children and teens in the community to learn, discover, explore and test their faith.
We Care About the Bible
We want to work at living a life that is based on belief rather than opinion. We seek to integrate our faith with every aspect of our daily lives. Our messages are Biblically based with a life-application emphasis.
We Care About the World
Going "Glocal". It's our funny little way of saying that we want our faith to have global and local impact. As followers of Christ, we each have a unique call to be a part of bringing God's hopes, dreams and visions to this earth!
