VISION STATEMENT OF FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF MIDWEST CITY
Since its beginning, First Presbyterian has been an active congregation, committed to worship, Christian education, mission and service to Christ. We have been blessed with strong leadership from members and pastors. When one enters the doors of the church on a Sunday morning, God’s spirit is alive and welcoming to all who are present. Folks are ready to fellowship, study, serve, and worship, and that spirit is contagious to all who visit the congregation.
As a congregation, we believe that our ministry is to work toward fulfilling a vision of the world that is without conflict, hunger, pain or despair; a world in which everyone is able to achieve his or her God-given potential. Our primary goal is to share the good news of Jesus Christ as expressed to us through the scripture and serving the God who is at work in the world. We welcome and invite others to come and see what motivates us to participate in the ministry in which we are involved. Our ministries in the world already include engaging with Eastside Elementary School, serving and delivering Mobile Meals to older adults weekly, crafting hand-made items for those in need through Create-to-Share, and supplying non-perishable items for local food pantries. There is a prevalent understanding in the congregation that ministry happens when we open ourselves and our doors to our community – and it is exciting to think about where that understanding will lead this congregation.
The church was established in what was the first square mile of the city. Our immediate neighborhood is transient; with many not forming deep relationships. One of the biggest assets of Midwest City is Tinker Air Force Base, which focuses on air logistics and communication. Many folks in the greater Midwest City area came to experience this city while they were stationed here, and have ended up retiring in this area and putting down deep, permanent roots. The church is next door to an elementary school, and we have discovered that a high majority of these families are on some kind of subsidy. Our community is racially diverse with a high percentage of single parent families. Many in the community live in older, rental properties. This is the context in which our congregation finds itself.
As we look at the reality of our context and the vision of the gospel we discover our call to go into the world and do to others as Christ has done for us. In increasing our ministry so we may be more faithful to God, we believe we will build relationships and partnerships that will enrich us as a congregation and in turn challenge us to understand our discipleship in new and exciting ways. Some of these early attempts to connect with our community will include expanding children’s ministry, coordinating need response with neighborhood churches, developing a community garden, and enhancing our older adult ministry. We realize that these hopes and dreams challenge us to be responsible stewards of our time, talents and money as we engage in the holy work of fulfilling the gospel.
We realize that our vision may require resources beyond those currently available within our church. We also realize that some infrastructure and staff must be maintained in order to support efforts to achieve our vision. To meet these challenges we need to inspire stewardship among our members, encourage growth that will develop out of our ministry with the community, and solicit needed services and resources from agencies and corporations outside the faith based community.
Who knows where the next sixty years will carry this congregation? But with the wind of God’s spirit blowing, the amazing enthusiasm of this worshiping community, and the belief that our purpose is to serve God to the best of our ability in this place, there is very little that can limit where the future will take us as we minister in God’s name.
