Explore our Sundays that are linked with Leavenworth Festivals:
If Jesus were to visit the Wenatchee and Icicle River Valleys today he'd be as concerned about establishing God's Kingdom as he was when first launching his ministry more than 2000 years ago. And he'd be asking us how we were doing in this task that he entrusted to his church.
Our mission statement is: "Growing God's Kingdom by 'making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world'."
"Making disciples of Jesus Christ..."
We begin in this task by first understanding just who Jesus is. As God, Jesus is one within the Godhead of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, described variously as Creator, Savior and Sustainer. This Trinitarian understanding of God is often depicted as three overlapping circles, a symbol becoming increasingly important at CUMC. It helps us understand the qualities of God, that in creating us, God was "for us". In entering into human history as Jesus Christ, God was "with us". Finally, in sustaining us today and into the future, God in the Holy Spirit is "within us," invisibly present to empower, guide and keep us. It is this God whom we follow and the same God whom we are tasked "to make disciples of."
"...for the transformation of the world."
As disciples of Jesus, i.e. ones who have encountered and been transformed by the love of God in Christ and chosen to follow him, our purpose now becomes his - "the transformation of the world." We believe that God created an elegant and beautiful world, infinitely regenerative and sustainable in providing for the needs of people and all life forms. This was and is God's plan. Our challenge is to live within it. The problem is that much current human activity threatens this plan and requires transformation so that all human activity serves to care for people and for creation.
We find it helpful to think of a sustainable earth as an approximation of God's kingdom on earth. In this kingdom God's will is done and people and all of creation are cared for. This means all economic and other human transactions exist to ensure the well-being of both humans and nature which is the foundation of sustainability. This can be represented once again by the three overlapping circles. One circle represents Social Capital (people), another Natural Capital (creation) and the third Economic Capital (the economy). The Kingdom of God is that part of the three overlapping circles in the middle. Here all three forms of capital - social, natural and economic -are healthy and vibrant in a Kingdom-like dance of abundant sufficiency. In this kingdom-place God would smile upon the salmon, birds and creatures of our valley as they thrive in concert with our people whose economic and recreational pursuits serve only to care for creation and people.
In celebration of such a kingdom vision, and for strength to grow it, Community UMC joins the liturgical story of the Christian faith (advent and Christmas through Pentecost and the season of Kingdomtide) with the festival story of Leavenworth and the valley (Christmas Lighting and Maifest through the Wenatchee River Salmon Festival and Autumn Leaf Festival) in affirmation that in God, the "Lord of all life," we find our joy. We acknowledge that we continue in such joy only as we live in relationship with Jesus Christ and remain committed to a transforming lifestyle that also keeps us in healthy relationship with people and creation.
Please browse through our Church Calendar and explore the worship festivals of Community United Methodist Church, a kingdom-oriented community celebrating the meeting of faith with life.
