Vision & Mission
Vision
We deepen our love for God and stretch out our hands in service.
Mission
We create a strong parish foundation through a process centered in God's Word and dependent upon parishioner commitment. We nurture a desire among members, of all ages, to be involved in worship, stewardship, service, justice, education and community life.
Pastoral Priorities
Saint Thomas More Community will...
- be an inclusive welcoming community of faith.
- be recognized as a Catholic parish centered in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
- promote the Principles of Catholic Social Teaching.
Supporting our Vision and Mission Statements
Worship: The spiritual life of the parish animates its vision and mission. Personal and communal prayer are essential to the building up of the Body of Christ. The worship of the community, in turn, gives expression to its prayerfulness. In the celebration of Sunday Eucharist and in other sacramental and liturgical rites, we gather together to manifest a communal proclamation of faith. In doing so, we carry out the Church’s mission of evangelization by witnessing the Good News of Jesus Christ to one another and to all.
Stewardship: As Christians initiated into the Church through the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Eucharist, we become the stewards of all that God has given to us. As stewards of creation, we are entrusted with the responsibility of caring for God’s Kingdom. Stewardship, for believers, involves the sharing of individual time, talent, and treasure, as well as the commitment of communal resources in service to the community of faith.
Service and Justice: The mission to which Christ calls the Church clearly includes works of charity and justice. Throughout his public ministry, Jesus demonstrated the degree to which we are to be of service to others in need while working to change the social conditions that create such needs. We cannot be truly Catholic unless we hear and heed the Church’s call to serve those in need and work for justice and peace.
Education: Spiritual formation is the ongoing process of maturation and growth on the Christian journey. As individuals and as a community of faith, we are called to an ever-deepening relationship with Christ. Growing in that love relationship, gaining insight into the nature of God, the incarnate Word of Christ the Son, the power and action of the Holy Spirit, and the continual revelation of God’s Word in the Church constitute this formative process. Catholic education, the spreading of the word, takes place in many formal and informal ways within the parish: Saint Thomas More School; adult, youth and children’s spiritual formation; the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults; sacramental preparation for the sacraments of initiation and marriage; family formation; spiritual direction and preaching.
Community: Community is an essential element of parish life which draws us together in mutual support, activity, celebration, and growth. It is the unity that results when we become involved with one another in all other elements of the mission. By joining together in worship, stewardship, service, justice, education and shared leadership, we form a community where life is shared and nurtured. This development is an ongoing process, ever evolving, changing, and responding in new ways to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.About Our Vision and Mission
The St. Thomas More Vision and Mission Statements are anchored in the values and outcomes that were expressed by our parish in our merger meetings and feedback, and from the questions about community and parish life that parishioners answered in early Spring 2008. Our Vision and Mission Statements provide a broad description of the priorities of our parish. As such, they form the basis of all that we do and guide the pastor, pastoral staff and parish leadership when making decisions or taking actions.
