Servanthood is a major expression of the “outward journey” of discipleship; as transformed people we serve others rather than being consumed with ourselves. As followers of Jesus we feel compelled to reach out to others with love. As we experience God’s love and healing ourselves, as we become more aware of God’s Kingdom and the life and freedom it brings, we naturally want to share that with others. We do this not in a condescending way, not as brokers of power but as servants who recognize the dignity, the beauty, the image of God in every person. We serve with no agenda, hook or motive other than that people would experience God’s great, unconditional love for them. At the same time we recognize and respect our own limitations. We resist the temptation to think that we can solve every problem or have the answer to every situation and we always strive to empower others so they can grow and support themselves.

 Whole-life expression of servanthood

Jesus said, "You've observed how godless rulers throw their weight around, how quickly a little power goes to their heads. It's not going to be that way with you. Whoever wants to be great must become a servant. Whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave. That is what the Son of Man has done: He came to serve, not be served—and then to give away his life in exchange for the many who are held hostage."

Matthew 20:25-28 (The Message)

Servanthood is a way of life; we see ourselves as servants in every aspect of our lives, just as Jesus did, and are compelled to follow his example. As followers of Jesus we are a force of everyday servants disseminated throughout our communities responding as needs present themselves. Serving others is also a means of discipleship. As we surrender our own rights and needs and look out for others we experience the life of Christ. As we serve others, especially those who are oppressed in various ways, we are serving Jesus and learning from him.

We strive to be a community that is ethically and environmentally aware and active, with lifestyles that take advantage of our potential to have a positive effect on people and the planet by what we buy and how we consume. We seek to live simple, mindful, caring lives that recognize our interconnectedness with the whole world and treat people and the environment with dignity and respect.

Reaching out to serve starts with those closest to us: our family, our friends, our neighbors, our immediate environment. If we can’t love or serve in that context, how can we love or serve anyone?

We see serving locally in two manners: on our church farm and in our own local communities. In years past we gathered as a church and participated in quarterly outreaches where our service was an act of unconditional love. The weekend of November 14-15th will be the next church-wide initiative where we will serve our community with our discipleship groups.

We also participate in an annual tradition of giving away Christmas Boxes filled with goodies on Christmas Eve to anyone in need of food, love or thanks. Anyone attending our Christmas Eve services are invited to take a box that our children's ministry packed with a variety of snacks and items and deliver them to people working through the holidays, homeless or just someone who might need to be remembered. It is a fun activity where we send a little love to each person who receives the box.