Question:  What does it mean to be missional?  Should Christians be missional?

Answer:  Our church has worked with a missional coach, and a missional guide team has tried a variety of experiments, including family hikes, summer camp, family retreat weekends, Extra Food pantry, 12-step programs, movie nights, and Valley Sing Team. Some of these activities still continue, even through COVID. All of these ventures include community residents who may or may not attend worship service.

Matthew 25:31–46 calls all of us to actively engage in the world around us, so our faith comes alive and we wake up to new possibilities. Convicted by this passage, both the 222nd and 223rd General Assemblies (2016 and 2018) exhorted the PC(USA) to act boldly and compassionately to see our neighbors through Jesus’ eyes and serve those who are marginalized or in need — people who are hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, imprisoned, strangers, poor or oppressed in other ways and in need of welcoming.

Our congregation has pledged to grow in the three areas identified by the Matthew 25 program of the Presbyterian Church (USA):

• Building congregational vitality by challenging congregations and their members to deepen and energize their faith and grow as joyful leaders and disciples actively engaged with their community, seeing new disciples engaged in ministry and longstanding believers develop in faith as the gospel of Jesus Christ is shared in word and deed.

• Dismantling structural racism by fearlessly applying our faith to advocate and break down the systems, practices and thinking that underlie discrimination, bias, prejudice and oppression of people of color.

• Eradicating systemic poverty by acting on our beliefs and working to change laws, policies, plans and structures in our society that perpetuate economic exploitation of people who are poor.