Purpose Statement
Vision and Values
Welcome to Taft Avenue Community Church!
Our Purpose Statement: “Love God. Love Others.”
When Jesus is asked, “What is the Greatest Commandment?” He quotes two passages from the Torah (Deuteronomy 6:4–5 and Leviticus 19:18). His answer boils down all of the Bible to two simple ideas: Love God, and love the people around you. When Jesus speaks with such clarity we want to sit up, pay attention, and orient our lives to his way.
Our Vision: “Love Orange.”
The address of Taft Avenue Community Church is not an accident. God has planted this church in Orange to be a blessing to the people of Orange, and to make sure that every person in Orange and its surrounding communities knows that God sees them and loves them and that God’s saving power is available in Jesus.
Some Values That Define Us as a Community
- Anticipating that God Will Move - This value will put us in an expectant posture of Prayer, listening, and readiness to act.
- Removing Distractions, Calling Attention to God – A compelling Sunday morning worship experience is a high priority. We want a Sunday Morning experience to which we are excited to invite our friends and neighbors and we want to take away anything that distracts us from seeing and experiencing God.
- The Overwhelming Value of Each Person – When we reflect on the truth that the people of our broader community, as well as the people of Taft Avenue, are persons who bear the image of God and have profound dignity and value. . . we begin to see others as God sees them.
- A Congregation of Growing People - We often find ourselves in new situations, talking with new people, and learning new things. Sometimes that makes us uncomfortable . . . but being uncomfortable is a sign that we are growing people. Whether you are 8 years old, or 80 years old, God has something new for all of us to learn. Let’s lean into that.
Pastor Craig
