St. George Mission Statement
The ministry of the Parish will include proclaiming and teaching the Gospel in accordance with the Orthodox faith; sanctifying the faithful through God’s grace in worship, the Divine Liturgy and the other sacraments; enhancing its parishioners’ spiritual life; and adding to the numbers of the faithful by receiving persons into the Church through instruction, baptism and/or chrismation.
In addition, the Parish shall establish educational and philanthropic activities to foster the aims and mission of the Parish and to edify its parishioners in the faith and ethos of the Church.
The mission of the St. George Serbian Orthodox Church is to:
1. Maintain, practice, and proclaim the Christian Orthodox faith (Svetosavlje), enhancing the spiritual growth of its communicants and enabling parishioners to fully participate in the life of the Church and find salvation in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior;
2. Develop and operate programs, activities, and services for the Parishioners which serve and further the religious, educational, cultural, philanthropic, and social ministries of the community, as well as to protect and continuously develop the physical buildings and religious property as deemed necessary (in this and other endeavors we will follow the Canons and the Constitution of the Serbian Orthodox Church in North, Central and South America);
3. Fostering our youth, the present and future of our church, to blossom as Orthodox Christians;
4. Dedicate ourselves to the promotion of Orthodox Christian fellowship and values between the evolving diversity of cultures and its people.
This sacred mission is fulfilled in the Holy Spirit through the following expressions of ministry:
· A worship ministry, which nurtures the faithful through regular participation in the sacred services and holy mysteries of the Church.
· A teaching ministry, which strives to educate and inspire the faithful through the Sacred Scriptures and Holy Tradition of the Church.
· An outreach ministry, which fulfills the command of Jesus Christ to reach out to the sick and needy, to serve the least of our brethren, and to spread the Gospel both locally and throughout the world.
· A hospitality ministry, which welcomes visitors and new members to the community with love and respect, and which actively embraces the parish’s involvement with other churches.
· A fellowship ministry, which provides a variety of opportunities for all members of the parish to share in activities with one another through appropriate cultural, social and educational events that reflect the life, faith and cultural heritage of the community.
· A stewardship ministry, which engenders the faithful dedication of the time, talents and treasures of parishioners in support of the ministries of the Church to the glory of God.
In accepting this mission we acknowledge and confess that it is not in our power alone to accomplish this divine and sacred work. We will succeed only through the use of our own God-given gifts blessed by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, and the communion and fellowship of the Holy Spirit.