Our Vision and Mission

In February 2022, the Church Leadership Team began a discernment process by asking a simple  but weighty question: "Where do we want to be in five years?"

The answer was clear and unified: our congregation seeks to become a vital presence in  Greeneville — meeting the needs of our neighbors and extending Christ's love beyond our  church walls.

Over the next 16 months, the Leadership Team engaged in study, prayer, and reflection, guided  by We Aren't Broke, by Rev. Mark Elsdon. This process brought several realities into focus:

1. Our church sits in a changing neighborhood, marked by increasing rental housing, small  businesses, and nearby congregations. 
2. A homeless encampment, at the time within five blocks of the church, had heightened the  need for compassion ministries. 
3. Membership had declined — particularly due to COVID-19 — leaving us a smaller, but  faithful and active, congregation. 
4. Our Education Building, once central to church life, had become outdated and underused. 
5. Despite these changes, we still possess a strong spiritual commitment and valuable  physical assets, even as our financial capacity has become more limited. 

Out of this months-long process of discernment came a clear and unified calling: our  congregation seeks to become a vital presence in Greeneville, meeting the needs of our  neighbors and extending Christ's love beyond our church walls. This is our guiding vision  and mission.

To live into this calling, we committed to a phased renovation project, grounded in three guiding  principles:

1. A New Identity for a New Chapter
Adopting a new church logo and brand, and  strengthening outreach through Senior Tech Workshops, our Giving Wall, monthly community  events, concerts, Christmas celebrations, and Camp in the Community.

2. Stepping Out in Faith
Trusting God's direction and remaining committed to discipleship,  prayer, and service.
 
3. Extending Christ's Love
Offering sanctuary, hospitality, and hope through ministry and  flexible use of our facilities — space that serves both sacred and practical needs.

After further prayer and reflection, our renovation plan grew to five phases:

• Phase 1 — Complete: Renovated the third-floor office area for use by both the church  and the community for meetings and other activities. 
• Phase 2 — Complete: Painted first-floor rooms in preparation for use as mission spaces.  We will soon begin a modified renovation of several rooms to support outreach ministries  to our Greeneville neighbors. 
• Phase 3 — Complete: Installed new windows on the first floor to improve heating and  cooling efficiency for its new purpose. 
• Phase 4 — In Progress: Installing an elevator to serve all three floors of The Meeting  Place, the new name for our former Education Building. 
• Phase 5 — Ahead: (To be defined as our vision continues to unfold.) 

We continue to trust God with each step forward, staying flexible as new information and new  opportunities arise. We are overjoyed to watch God at work among us — and we look forward to  what comes next.