Second Report of The Vision Team:
Our Core Values

As a key part of the parish discernment process that we have been working through these last few months, the parish Vision Team has identified four values which we call our "core values." These are the values that are so important to us as a spiritual body that if any were deleted from the list, although we would still be a fine church, we would no longer be "St. Paul's." These core values are:

--Spiritual Growth

--Helping

--Integrity

--Fairness.

We also recognized the importance of communications in our parish, but have not identified it as a core value. Rather, it is a necessary tool to effectively implement these values. We also appreciate that it is an impaired tool in our parish, deserving of the time and effort it will take to repair.

Core values are defined as the basic organic elements of what we are. The Vision Team considered a long list of possible values, and found after much prayer and discussion that these were the ones we all felt were the ones that most closely reflect St. Paul's. Core values are expressed and experienced in a number of ways, which we describe as a "how" or a "through." For example, the Vision Team defined what they meant by the core value Spiritual Growth as:

Increasing our awareness of and relationship with God, while enriching and renewing our souls.

Through (i. e., without excluding other efforts, what are the primary means through which we currently expect spiritual growth to be encouraged at St. Paul's)-

worship, sermons, music, liturgy, teaching, pastoral leadership, shared experience, prayer, meditation, honoring the Sacred, discernment of gifts and vocations, Christian education (for all ages), and stewardship.

In a similar way, the core value of Helping was defined as:

Creating a safe haven to express, hear, and meet the spiritual, emotional and material needs of those now in the parish, and those to come; and, as Christ's hands in the world, to aid and share the burden of those in need.

Through-

setting up ways to find out the needs of members; caring for ourselves so we can reach out to care for others; outreach to diverse groups; social and political activism; being responsible in our uses of resources entrusted to us (money, time, fellow creatures, environment); being sensitive to the needs of others; support teams; parish visits for shut ins, the ill, and those who have gone away from us; and through love and respect for one another.

The core value of Integrity was defined as:

Striving to act with openness, honesty and courage, being ever mindful to make our words, beliefs and actions consistent and trustworthy.

Through-

What we preach and teach, how we accept others, our openness to diversity, our thoughtful consideration of everyone's needs, and through speaking as though God is listening.

The core value of Fairness was defined as:

Accepting people wherever they are on their spiritual journey and treating everyone equitably.

Through-

practicing kindness and tolerance; loving one another as Christ loves us; personal one on one involvement; being authentic; group discussion, forums, question and answer sessions, and social gatherings.

As a summary, the Vision Team agreed that in all cases and for all our core values, we try to follow, as best we can, the example set for us by Christ Himself in His life and teachings, and those of His apostles and saints.

We need everyone in the parish of St. Paul's to take the time to review, digest, meditate and prayerfully reflect on these core values and the "what" and the "how/through" of each one, and let the Vision Team know what you think about and how you feel about these values and definitions. Please contact any member of the Vision Team and discuss these core values with them.

These values are the heart and soul of everything we do and will be doing at St. Paul's, and the first part of the yardstick against which we will be measuring all our ministries. In broad brush, the principle is this: if a ministry does not reflect at least one of our core values, St. Paul's should not do it. If it does reflect at least one core value, and a member wants to do it, the ministry then needs to be measured against the second part of the yardstick, that is, does the proposed ministry carry out our mission as a parish? If this also is true, then the ministry is permissible for St. Paul's to engage in, even if I, as an individual member of the church, would not be interested in being involved. The last measure of the yardstick is to consider whether we as a parish have the skills and competencies to perform that ministry with quality. If we lack the needed skills, then we should wait until we acquire them, or should not proceed with the ministry. Again, if it passes all three tests, the ministry is permissible for St. Paul's to engage in, and should be encouraged by the Parish and all its members, even if I individually would not be interested in being a part of it.

"God First,
My Congregation Second,
Me Third."

Interestingly enough, as the Vision Team discussed the parish mission statement, and what it means to "offer a compassionate haven for reconciliation, spiritual growth, and social action," we realized that these words still address our deepest commitments. They also coincide with our core values, because they are all part of our spiritual DNA, that they have been and will be who we are as the parish of St. Paul's, San Rafael. God has called us to be one family- to be one body- and God will share His vision with us.

THE VISION TEAM