Making 2020 VISION & MISSION
OUR INSPIRATION OUR VISION "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." A praying, worshipping Christian community; empowered by the Holy Spirit to follow Jesus daily and minister in his name; Making Matthew 28: 19 20 A disciple is a maturing Christian who follows Jesus daily and has: A disciple takes up their role as a discipler by: a deepening love for the Lord through prayer, Bible study and obedience. knowing that conversion, growth and transformation of a person are all the work of the Holy Spirit. a commitment to a local church involving worship, fellowship, service, learning and prayerful and financial support. realising that people need Christian teaching and an understanding of the cost involved in coming to a genuine commitment to Jesus. an outward focus including witness by life and word at home, work and leisure; support for mission, local and global, and concern for worldwide needs, practical and spiritual. using personal witness, resources, evangelistic courses and services to arouse and develop interest. seeking to help a person who professes faith to develop in the three aspects of discipleship: relating to God, fellow Christians and the world. depending prayerfully upon God in order to respect each individual s God-given freewill.
OUR VALUES WHO WE ARE As an evangelical church we are Father-Focused, Christ-Centred and Spirit-Sensitive. We are, as part of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, a Trinitarian Church committed to the historic truths of the Christian faith, as summarised in the Apostle s Creed. We are committed to the following nine values: Transformational Bible Teaching Caring and Welcoming Fellowship Believing in the primacy of God s Word as authoritative for every area of life, we aim to provide Bible-based teaching and preaching that is relevant to daily life. We rely upon the Holy Spirit to apply the truths, building up the body of Christ and convicting and challenging individuals so that they are transformed and renewed from the inside out into a growing likeness to Christ. We take seriously the scriptural commands to love one another. We provide an accessible environment within our building, and welcome all to our worship services and outreach activities. We aim to serve all those who seek Jesus and all those who know Him, and provide them with opportunities for fellowship and growth. Prayerful Dependence We recognise that nothing we do for God is possible without His empowerment. We also appreciate that God calls us into an intimate relationship with Him, in which we regularly seek out opportunities not only to speak to Him in personal and corporate prayer but also to listen in faith for His response in our hearts. God-Glorifying Worship We acknowledge that we are called to worship God in our whole lives, dedicating to Him our physical, emotional and spiritual selves in everything we do all day, every day. We also believe in gathering regularly as a congregation for worship as mandated by scripture, including psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, prayer and ministry of the Word and Sacraments. The primary purpose and focus of our worship is to glorify God, though we can experience fulfilment and edification through honouring Him. Innovation and Creativity While respecting tradition, we strive to find ways to creatively communicate Christ in a way that is relevant and inspirational to as many as possible. Inclusivity and Openness All are welcome to attend our worship services and to come to appropriate organisations and events. Any who are genuinely striving to follow Jesus and are committed to a distinctively Christian lifestyle can be welcomed into full communicant membership. We acknowledge that both men and women have leadership roles within the church, and that the qualification for any ministry is God s calling and gifting. Our Biblical heritage means that we are open to receive light from any quarter that is in agreement with Scripture. Equipping and Resourcing all to Serve We believe in empowering all members to use their God-given gifts in His service, subject to the discernment and oversight of the leadership. We will provide training and resources as required to enable those in service to maintain high levels of commitment and excellence. Ministering to our Local Community As a local church, we believe we have a special calling to be servants and witnesses to those living or working in our immediate geographical neighbourhood. We provide services to our local area through ministries such as the arc café, our pre-school playgroup (Orange Pips), our parent and toddlers group (Smalltalk), the OAK Partnership in Clarawood, our youth work in Clonduff and our many other organisations. We seek to proclaim the Good News through these groups and other outreach events like the Alpha course. Participating in Global Mission We believe that Jesus Christ has commissioned us to be His witnesses not only to our local area ( Jerusalem ), but also to Judea, Samaria and the ends of the Earth. We understand that means sharing in His work wherever in the world it is located, by sending and supporting our members wherever they are called to serve, and that this is not just the responsibility of a few enthusiasts but of the whole congregation. We also recognise that, as God s people living in a rich nation, we have a responsibility to share our resources with those less blessed materially than ourselves, and to provide support to those Christians suffering persecution for their faith.
OUR MISSION WHAT WE DO HOW ARE WE GOING TO ACHIEVE THIS? As a Session, we believe we have heard God speak clearly to us through input from the congregation and our praying together. We have an expectation in the coming years that God will speak, transform lives and bring various kinds of healing. We have summarised these concepts as follows: Hunger for His Spirit As a Session, we have committed ourselves afresh to honest reflection, corporate prayer, applying the scriptures and showing love locally and globally. We are calling on every member of the congregation to do likewise. We would ask all members of the congregation to take time in prayerful reflection to consider what steps they can take as individuals to fulfil our Mission as Orangefield. We also feel we should simplify church life, which is easier said than done. This is something we will continue to look at over the period of this Vision and Mission Statement. There are four areas we believe the Lord is challenging us to emphasise over the next three years. Read our Bibles OUR PRIORITIES WHAT WE DO PERSONAL RESPONSE God s Presence we long for His Spirit and power God s Word we want everyone to read the Bible God s People we want to deepen our love and care for each other; to be a family not just in name but in reality God s World we want to get to know and love our neighbours at home and overseas. Care for one another Love our neighbour PRESENCE HUNGER FOR HIS SPIRIT Attend Sunday worship Spend time with the Lord each day in private praise and prayer Find a new way to pray this year Join with others to pray together WORD READ OUR BIBLES Read through the whole Bible Download a Bible app or use Bible reading notes PEOPLE CARE FOR ONE ANOTHER Join a small group Attend district meetings WORLD LOVE OUR NEIGHBOURS Use the name of Jesus more in conversation Invite someone to church (Arc, Guest Service, Alpha, organisations etc) Find out about and pray for one new mission situation Give regularly to global mission
In everything we have planned, we remember the words of Jesus,...apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:5b Jesus said, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it, Love your neighbour as yourself. Matthew 22: 37 39 Making Making Tel: 028 9079 9391 orangefield.org.uk Registered Charity in Northern Ireland (NIC104513)