Dale Heights began a three-year Transformation process in January of 2011, led by Coach Clara Thompson.
As part of this process, the congregation participated in three conferences (Past, Present, and Future) and a Vision Panel was appointed to create a church vision statement that encompasses who we are and who we hope to become.
We Are a People of Salt and Light
“You are the salt of the earth; . . . You are the light of the world.”
Matthew 5:13-14
We believe God calls us to be bold in action, resist despair, advocate for those whose voices go unheard, seek peaceful resolution rather than escalation of conflict, challenge our culture of materialism with one of contentment and creativity, counter the culture of arrogance with one of humility, and to speak into our culture the truths of Jesus Christ. We trust in God’s faithfulness and trust that as a church we are in company with a God that never sleeps.
This faithful God gathers us together in a wide variety of worship opportunities in which we experience and offer reconciliation and hope in a world that desperately years for both. We are a place for all to rest when weary, to come and be transformed to our very roots, to learn faith, love and hope, and to radiate these gifts. We are an open-minded and caring church, called to be salt and light in the world through serving people’s essential needs, among them food, fellowship and spiritual connection as we continue our tradition of outreach mission projects. We feel called to be a church in and for the neighborhood, an intimate and diverse place where “everybody knows your name.”
Jesus commands us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength — and our neighbors as ourselves. Therefore we claim God’s loving acceptance of all as a cornerstone on which we build. All are equal and equally welcomed at Christ’s banquet and at our tables. Recognizing Christ with outstretched arms, we seek to stretch our own arms out to the world, embracing all.
We believe that in prayer we encounter an awesome, living God. We pray with the expectation that prayer will move aside all that stands between us and God. Our prayers equip us to live in harmony with one another and with the earth, to accept all, forgive all, and live in hope. We believe that through praying and acting we are shining God’s light, making a difference in the world. We are called to be as salt, enhancing the lives of others without being noticed for our own sake. Through our prayerful actions, we are God’s loving hands on earth.
As a people of salt and light, we are a gathered and sent community seeking to be faithful witnesses through prayer and action. We look to break the bonds of despair. We say to hopelessness — “Begone!” — we are following One who carries hope like a glorious banner for all to see. In a world of doubt and fear we choose to trust and hope.
