We are a church that is in the midst of change; not for the sake of change, but for the sake of communicating God’s good news. We understand that with change comes both learning and loss. Our guiding statements are the basis for defining the culture of our congregational life together. It is our goal that our guiding statements show up in everything that we do. Of course, this is steeped in the understanding that all things exist in relationship with God and with creation. We can only be who we are because of who God is and what God has done for us through Jesus Christ.

Our guiding statements will create the foundation of who we are and what we believe. Our guiding statements will also clarify what it means to be a disciple of God at Calvary Lutheran Church and in our daily lives. It is about creating a congregational lifestyle and culture. Our faith-filled strategic plan will create a church system and structure that will encourage people to live out their faith and use their gifts for God.

Our Hope: Our hope is that we create a culture for congregational members to engage in the following ways:
       - We Worship Together: We recognize that first and foremost our focus is not “what we get out of it”, but our focus is about worshiping God. Amazingly, when we do so, we are equipped to go into our daily lives filled with God’s promise to be with us and with our neighbor. Worship becomes our “weekly appointment” to gather together in one another’s presence and in God’s presence. (Rogness)
       - We Give: We are called to give. It is not that God only owns 10%; all of what we have belongs to God. When we give, we are saying thanks to God. It is also important to remember that to be a part of a faith community is to be a giver of our time, gifts and our finances. It’s what we do.
       - We participate in our life together.
       - We participate in our wider community.
       - We deepen our relationship with God.

Our Hope: Our hope is that we create a culture where congregation members and participants are focused upon a relational faith. This relational faith is made up of the following qualities:
       - a Knowing Faith (believing)
       - an Affirming Faith (living it out)
       - a Trusting Faith (between God and you)
       - and
       - an Articulating Faith (between you and neighbor)
We live out our relational faith with the help of our guiding statements.

 Theological Definitions of Key Words in Guiding Statements
“Vibrant and growing churches have this in common: They have a clear sense of vision, and they are open to change.” (Fryer)