Dear Pilgrim,
That's right - you're a pilgrim, seeking something new and hopefully better on your spiritual journey. We're pilgrims, too, and we welcome you to join us on the way. Our spiritual roots are in the experiences of the English Pilgrims who landed on Plymouth Rock, as well as in that of the German pilgrims who came to North America via Pennsylvania and the Mississippi River Valley, and in that of those who were born in America but left their original communities of faith for something different that fit them better.
Those pilgrimages were in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries; but in the 20th and 21st centuries we have continued their quest for a way of life that draws deeply from the well of God's grace and power to shape a better life in a better world. Today our journey is enriched by new immigrants from all over the world who are joining us on the way.
In "Our Mission Statement" we make clear who we are:
We, the members of Spring Creek United Church of Christ
are a people of God centered in Christ.
Responding actively to God's love, we strive to be
inclusive, reconciling, and caring in our ministry
to each other and to the wider community.
We strive to be inclusive of all people without regard to personal qualities, abilities, or societal status – within and beyond our church. We strive to be reconciling of differences that divide people from one another and our Creator. We work for justice and peace on earth. We strive to be caring for people, for other creatures, and for the earth.
That may sound like a lot of work - and it is - but it is work that we share in this community of faith. And that's encouraging. We don't have to do it alone; we are not alone; God is with us, and we are together. We would be pleased to have you join us, too.
In all of our strivings we seek to extend the extravagant welcome of God, known to us in Jesus Christ. So, we want you to know:
No matter who you are or where you are on life's journey,
there is a place for you here
in Spring Creek United Church of Christ.
Come visit us, contact me via our email address, or phone me at 815-877-2576. I'll be glad to hear from you, and I will respond.
Michael Simmons, Pastor