5.3 Mission, Vision, and Values of ACOP

[Kylie]

As a staff and part time student at Eston College my main community is the student body and the town of Eston. This year we set goals with the student leadership team on ways we can serve and love on the town both partnering with EFGC but also just with members of the town. These goals were practical things that so far we are achieving. With outreach trips every 3 weeks our community has also grown and extended into other towns and provinces. I believe my roles in accomplishing those two visions is by just asking Jesus how to love people well myself within the students and sparking intentional conversation where I can pour encouragement and love onto them, and also in my walks/errands around town doing the same of the townies. My second role I believe is also in discipling the young women here at the college so that they will do they same both in town and in their travels this year.

[Caleb]

In my own community, I think I can see myself “extending God’s Grace” and “igniting hope” in everyday life. When I encounter unbelievers I can show love while interacting with them and I can refuse to ridicule them for things they may be doing wrong. People of the world should be judged by the worlds standards if they don’t know Christ, not by God’s standards because that’s what they know. I can also extend gods grace by showing forgiveness to any wrongdoing against me in my life, doing my best to not hold a grudge or seek out revenge. God gave his grace freely to all out of love, so I should do my best to love them however I can.

Igniting hope can be done through relationship. God came to save everyone, so it should be in my best interest to tell anyone I can about the Hope of Jesus Christ. My life can be a living example that there is in fact more to this world, whether that be through sharing the gospel or simply living a set apart life as testimony.

[VICTOR]

Apostle Paul said, “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone.” Having said that, my daily life, from the moment I wake up, the way I smile, the manner I conduct myself and my daily activities, the way I drive, the way I dress up, the manner I deal with my loved ones and other people, the way I wash the car and mow the lawn are being “known and read by everyone” and in doing so I must be mindful to find ways to extend God’s grace and ignite hope. As I engage my community by volunteering perhaps, or by simply being a good citizen/neighbor, I should always ask myself “Am I igniting hope”? When my boss, landlord, neighbor, or the next person I’m lining up with at Tim Horton is annoying, or when someone cut me in traffic or stole my parking spot at Costco, am I extending God’s grace?

[Jenn]

I love this vision statement! I want to reflect God’s grace to the people around me, while at the same time offering them hope that they were never supposed to do life alone. I’ve decided that if I’m going to err on the side of grace or justice, I’d rather lean towards grace.

[ECO]

@Jenn that’s a pretty profound thing to say: erring on the side of grace against justice. This seems so right, and I think on average, it should be how Christians inhabit the world, at least when justice means “judging others.” But if we can redefine “justice” as living in the world in a way that reflects God’s desire not only for righteousness/judgement but also for “generosity and social concern” then we can begin to combine our understanding of justice with grace. Tim Keller has helped me to do this. Here’s a quote from him:

“If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice are inescapable. We do justice when we give all human beings their due as creations of God. Doing justice includes not only the righting of wrongs but generosity and social concern, especially toward the poor and vulnerable.”

Check out his book: Generous Justice: How God’s Grace Makes us Just.