Lots of communities, organizations, and churches talk about “being on a mission.” Companies spend thousands on consultants to develop statements that are marketable. Movements inevitably find a rallying cry or hashtag. Our language matters. Our words matter. Words create worlds. They shape our imaginations and cultivate our culture. They have the power to ground us and inspire us….

…but we are mistaken if we claim them as “ours.” +KINDRED does not have a mission. God is the author of all things and is already present and on the move in Montrose, in Houston, and in all places. We get to join in. We are invited into God’s ongoing activity, GOD’S mission. +KINDRED doesn’t have a mission, but GOD does. We will never “have” a mission, we will be part of God’s mission. +KINDRED is a part, a particular part, but certainly not the whole. God is stirring us up and providing us with gifts and passions to be a part of it in a particular way.

The ReStart Team (Beth, Angela, John, Chris, Allison, and Kinnon) here has been praying and studying the early church in Acts, listening to community leaders and neighbors, learning what people are passionate about and how they are gifted. This past Sunday, we put pencil to paper. We’ve discerned that God’s vision for KINDRED is about:

CULTIVATING BOLD COMMUNITY

THAT REVEALS GOD’S PRESENCE IN THE CITY.

To prevent this from becoming a meaningless static statement, we identify these enduring values that guide our life together:

+ WORD OF GOD

as it is made known in the bible and the still-speaking Spirit that stirs us up.

It anchors us in something bigger than ourselves and draws us into the fullness of our being.

+ BOLDNESS

that means being open to risk, to standing in vulnerable places,

to new ideas, to trying new things, to getting it wrong, to starting over.

+ SIMPLICITY

the implications of following Christ are complex but the church doesn’t have to be complicated. Our structures, communication, and practices will always strive toward

simplicity that follows the organic movements of the community.

We try to keep ourselves in check so we don’t get in the way of God being accessible to all.

+ EQUALITY

for the marginalized, the overlooked, the oppressed. In our neck of the woods,

that’s highlighted as (but not limited to) the LGBTQ community and people in poverty.

So we’re keeping our eyes and ears open for opportunities to appreciate, advocate,

and celebrate alongside these folks from our community and beyond.

+ FAMILIES & FRAMILIES

whether you were born, adopted, surrogated, divorced, separated, or brunch-ed into it.

Whether you share DNA or not. If you don’t have kids, and if you do.

But you should know, we honestly love kids, and so we respect and honor them.

Basically, we value all enduring relationships marked by love, challenge, and accountability.

+ OUR CITY - HTX

from our immediate neighbors in Hyde Park and Montrose, to City Hall, and the burbs…

we love this city and we’re committed being a vital part of it.

+KINDRED, I ask you to join in the listening for God’s voice, to pray for wisdom and guidance, to be on the lookout for God in our midst. This is what we’re lifting up as our way of being in the world. Don’t let these words hang empty. If you see an opportunity to be bold, invite your KINDRED to stand alongside you. God is here in the city, point your KINDRED to where you witness that. With overwhelming rain and floods, this week has been a rough one for many. Tell your KINDRED how we can help.

why +KINDRED will never have a mission