Untitled Document

DRAFT MISSION STATEMENT
(Revised by the Coordinating Council 6/18/04)

The Maine Conference of the United Church of Christ is associations and congregations who covenant together to live out God’s unconditional love for the world by carrying out the teaching, healing, liberating and reconciling ministry of Jesus Christ.

To fulfill this mission under the guidance of the Holy Spirit we endeavor to:
· Equip lay and ordained leaders for faithful and effective ministry and stewardship of resources
· Guide congregations when they search for new pastoral leadership
· Provide pastoral resources and support to congregations and clergy in crisis
· Listen to the concerns of congregations and the world so that we can respond pastorally and prophetically
· Support the national setting of the United Church of Christ and communicate to the churches its ministries, activities, and resources
· Work collegially with ecumenical and interfaith communities and institutions
· Encourage community among congregations and associations
· Provide youth and children’s ministries to nurture future generations of Christians
· Support and nurture congregations, especially small churches
· Reach out to the unchurched and establish new congregations
· Teach respect for the global environment and promote its well-being
· Challenge one another with the prophetic implications of God’s unconditional love
· Undertake ministries of healing, compassion, and service within Maine and the world

A Suggested Process for Discussion of the Proposed Maine Conference Mission Statement.
q Allow for 45-60 Minutes for discussion depending on the size of the group.
q Make sure that those who are going to be discussing the statement have it in advance.
q Ask someone to be the recorder.
q Begin with prayer.
q Have someone read aloud the mission statement and the objectives.
q Luke 4: 16-22 is often referred to as Jesus Mission Statement. Have someone read the passage and discuss question 1.
q Ask them to circle the words that come off the page for them? What spoke to you and why?
q Discuss the remaining questions. Have a recorder note the major points of the discussion to be returned to the Maine Conference office.
q If there is time at the end, divide into groups of 3-4 and discuss what they envision it would take for the conference to do well the ones they identified as the most important.
q Close the discussion with another reading of Luke 4:16-22 and with prayer for the Maine Conference.

q During the year encourage your pastor to preach on some aspect of the mission statement.
q Once a month ask the congregation to say it together. Read Luke 4:16-22. at the beginning of the discussion and as a wrap up.

Discussion Questions

1. Given your understanding of Jesus Christ, are the aspects of teaching, healing and liberating the essential aspects of his ministry. Is there anything missing in our mission statement related to your understanding of Jesus’ mission?

2. Is there a way for these objectives to be expressed more clearly or are there ones you disagree with?

3. What do you know that the Maine Conference is already doing to fulfill each of the objectives?

4. What is the Conference not doing that you think it should be doing.

5. Which of the ministries listed do we share with the Maine Conference and what are unique to the conference?

6. What are the ways that our church partners with the Maine Conference to fulfill this mission statement? Give examples?

7. Which of the objectives listed do you, as a group, feel are the most important ones for the Conference to fulfill?

8. If our church were to write a mission statement, how would it be like this; how would it be different? (If you already have a mission statement, how is it similar or dissimilar?)