Rooted in our understanding of the nature of the Triune God as existing in eternal community (John 1:1), the human need for connection and community (Genesis 2:18), the way that God is present and works through Christian community (Matthew 18:20), and Crievewood’s ministry throughout its history with the Crieve Hall community, Crievewood United Methodist Church adopts the mission statement: “Community Happens Here.” For us, community means:
A place to belong: We want you to find a home at Crievewood UMC where you are known and know others and where you can experience deep spiritual connections. When you walk in the doors, you are greeted and invited in. We want to know your name and your story. We want to foster meaningful connection and deep conversation. We want to care for one another and be present for one another as the body of Christ. We are committed to fostering connections with and serving the neighborhood of Crieve Hall.
A place to be loved: We care about your story and welcome all people where they are as part of the beautifully diverse body of Christ. No matter where you’ve come from, and no matter where you’re going, you have a place at Crievewood UMC. Your story matters, and nothing should exclude you from being welcomed in as a child of God and becoming engaged in the Crievewood UMC community. We want you to know that God loves you unconditionally and constantly offers you grace. We honor one another by offering hospitality to each other where we are—not forcing folks to be who they are not. We acknowledge that we all have a story—a past, a present, and a future—and that our stories shape us.
A place to engage: We believe that everyone matters and can share their gifts in meaningful ways. We acknowledge that we each have unique God-given spiritual gifts that vary widely. We work together to see the gifts in others that they don’t always see in themselves. We engage one another in conversation and honor varied theological perspectives by naming that real growth happens when we can converse with one another through a loving lens. We offer various ways to participate in fellowship and community, whether that’s through small faith-formation groups, Bible studies, missional experiences, community engagement with the Crieve Hall neighborhood, age-level ministries, and/or worship opportunities.
A place to serve: We have a heart for mission and want to serve God and neighbor here in Crieve Hall and around the world. We participate in mission and service through long-standing partnerships as well as through emergent opportunities when needs become known to us. We seek to find ways where our resources and passion intersect with the needs of the world as we strive to follow Jesus’ call in Matthew 25 to care for the marginalized and seek the welfare of others.
A place to grow: We are committed to helping you grow in faith, wherever you are now, through the means of God’s grace. As part of our Wesleyan heritage, these means of grace include worship, sacraments, study, prayer, fellowship, works of mercy, and works of justice.We believe that all of these means of grace connect us to something bigger than ourselves. By participating in these means of grace, we are given opportunities to grow in our faith so that we can be prepared to create community and make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.
Crievewood United Methodist Church
“Community Happens Here”
A place to belong
A place to be loved
A place to engage
A place to serve
A place to grow