Christ The Servant
Catholic Church
Cold Springs, Ontario
About our Church
We
are a church where everyone is equal and welcome; where working
together we remove barriers of race, class, culture, gender and social
prejudices that inhibit full participation.
We are a church that holds to visibly living out the Great Commandments: love God and love others.
We are a community of Christian believers who are constantly evolving during our faith journey.
We are a Christian church where the laity and clergy together shares an understanding of the church, its goals and its purpose, and where together we work to bring these to life.
We are a mission church, where we seek to love and serve our neighbours in response to their needs.
We are a church that is liturgical, sacramental, ecumenical and apostolic.
We are a church grounded in sacred scripture and honouring of the early tradition of the undivided universal Christian church, and faithful to Jesus Christ as revealed in the gospels.
We are a church that respects all of God’s creation, including God’s people and the natural environment that we inhabit.
We are a church that holds to visibly living out the Great Commandments: love God and love others.
We are a community of Christian believers who are constantly evolving during our faith journey.
We are a Christian church where the laity and clergy together shares an understanding of the church, its goals and its purpose, and where together we work to bring these to life.
We are a mission church, where we seek to love and serve our neighbours in response to their needs.
We are a church that is liturgical, sacramental, ecumenical and apostolic.
We are a church grounded in sacred scripture and honouring of the early tradition of the undivided universal Christian church, and faithful to Jesus Christ as revealed in the gospels.
We
are a church that is a living expression of God’s grace expressed in an
ecumenical post-denominational catholic understanding.
We are a church that respects all of God’s creation, including God’s people and the natural environment that we inhabit.
Mission Statement
To
love God and to love people; and in response to that call, to be a
loving, safe spiritual home where the seeker is welcome to continue
along the road of spiritual growth, and where those who believe are
supported to follow the path of Jesus and to mature in faith. We join
together to express our love of God through our service to others. We
are ordinary people joyously celebrating the opportunity to follow
Jesus’ radical message of unconditional love and to live the beatitudes.
We believe:
In one holy, catholic, and apostolic church made up of all Christian believers;
In obeying the Great Commandments to love God and love our neighbour;
In working for unity of the church within the Body of Christ;
In one loving, personal God in three divine persons;
That Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God; divine and yet fully human;
That if we trust in Jesus, our life will change;
That Jesus died for us, rose from the dead, and will come again;
That Jesus is present in the Holy Eucharist, and that the Holy Eucharist is available to anyone who seeks to be in relationship with Christ. Water, bread & wine express promises, not that we make to God but that God makes to us. They are God’s immediate presence in our midst. Through Holy Eucharist we are nurtured and sustained;
That through the Holy Spirit, the sacraments impart the grace, which they signify, and that these sacraments are a way to enhance our relationship with Jesus;
That it is through prayer, living out the commandments and growing in our relationship with Jesus that we are saved;
That living out our faith gives God glory and spreads God’s love as effectively as any sermon;
That scripture, which is composed of the Old and New Testaments, is the primary and reliable source of our beliefs;
Our desire for Christian unity welcomes ecumenical dialogue and co-operation, and accepts dual affiliation;
That through the Apostolic Succession, God empowers clergy for ministry without regard to their gender, race, class, marital status or sexual orientation;
That there are many different ways to God, and we respect and accept that faith journeys different from ours have equal validity in the eyes of God;
In essentials unity; non-essentials diversity; and in all things love.
Outreach to the larger community:
Congregational governance:
Respect for life and the environment:
Involvement of youth:
Joyful praise through music:
Faith development:
Everyone has a role in our church life:
Statement of Faith
Our beliefs are evolving, and will continue to do so, under the guidance of God's Spirit, but, at this point in time, these are the things that we hold dear and trust.We believe:
In one holy, catholic, and apostolic church made up of all Christian believers;
In obeying the Great Commandments to love God and love our neighbour;
In working for unity of the church within the Body of Christ;
In one loving, personal God in three divine persons;
That Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God; divine and yet fully human;
That if we trust in Jesus, our life will change;
That Jesus died for us, rose from the dead, and will come again;
That Jesus is present in the Holy Eucharist, and that the Holy Eucharist is available to anyone who seeks to be in relationship with Christ. Water, bread & wine express promises, not that we make to God but that God makes to us. They are God’s immediate presence in our midst. Through Holy Eucharist we are nurtured and sustained;
That through the Holy Spirit, the sacraments impart the grace, which they signify, and that these sacraments are a way to enhance our relationship with Jesus;
That it is through prayer, living out the commandments and growing in our relationship with Jesus that we are saved;
That living out our faith gives God glory and spreads God’s love as effectively as any sermon;
That scripture, which is composed of the Old and New Testaments, is the primary and reliable source of our beliefs;
Our desire for Christian unity welcomes ecumenical dialogue and co-operation, and accepts dual affiliation;
That through the Apostolic Succession, God empowers clergy for ministry without regard to their gender, race, class, marital status or sexual orientation;
That there are many different ways to God, and we respect and accept that faith journeys different from ours have equal validity in the eyes of God;
In essentials unity; non-essentials diversity; and in all things love.
What We Value
Pastoral care:provided by both ordained clergy
and lay ministry. This includes bishops, priests, deacons and lay
people.
administering sacraments to our congregation.
parish visitations to ALL parishioners, but especially those who are sick, lonely or housebound.
ministering to those in our congregation in spiritual, emotional or physical need
administering sacraments to our congregation.
parish visitations to ALL parishioners, but especially those who are sick, lonely or housebound.
ministering to those in our congregation in spiritual, emotional or physical need
Outreach to the larger community:
10% of our collections will be
given to outreach needs
We will respond to the needs of our greater community as they arise.
We will actively engage in local and global social justice initiatives
We will respond to the needs of our greater community as they arise.
We will actively engage in local and global social justice initiatives
Congregational governance:
an elected Church Board,
congregational voting on all major issues that affect the life and future of our church (e.g. the selection of clergy, major expenditures, amendments of bylaws, selection of a Church Board).
congregational voting on all major issues that affect the life and future of our church (e.g. the selection of clergy, major expenditures, amendments of bylaws, selection of a Church Board).
Respect for life and the environment:
recognition of the sacredness of
life
caring for our environment
caring for our environment
Involvement of youth:
participation
in all aspects of our church life and church services
developing ways for the youth to be more involved
developing ways for the youth to be more involved
Joyful praise through music:
strong music ministry during our
celebrations
accepting music as a form of worship and praise
accepting music as a form of worship and praise
Faith development:
provide educational
opportunities to enhance personal faith development
congregational conferences, programs, small group work, workshops or courses with other faith communities.
congregational conferences, programs, small group work, workshops or courses with other faith communities.
Everyone has a role in our church life:
lay persons, bishops, priests
and deacons hold valid active roles in all aspect of church life by contributing to various
ministries, church activities, weekly liturgies
being present to witness in mind, heart, body and soul
everyone has been given a gift from God, and is called to share those gifts through the various ministries.
being present to witness in mind, heart, body and soul
everyone has been given a gift from God, and is called to share those gifts through the various ministries.