Churches Together for the Good of the City

Vision Statement

Draft 2—4 July  08

Horizon 1—Churches

We envision whole congregations who have embraced their identity as a people formed for God’s mission.  These congregations are increasingly identifying and engaging with their neighbourhoods. They are open and welcoming to everyone, and involved in many aspects of the life of the neighbourhood. They serve others sacrificially and generously, and allow themselves to be served and shaped by the experiences and insights of others. These congregations are cultivating community around practices of Word and Sacrament and indwelling the story of God’s redemptive and loving involvement in the world.  Emphasizing presence over program, they are the local embodiments of God’s reign and mission in this city.

Horizon 2—Together

Congregations throughout the city understand themselves to be integrally and essentially connected with each other as part of the one mission of God. They celebrate each other; sharing people, money, buildings, leaders, ideas and experience to promote God’s loving intentions here. Congregations partner in training leaders and forming disciples who explore together ways of engaging communities with the Gospel. Congregants and leaders work together with those from other congregations in missional efforts throughout the city.

Horizon 3— for the good of the city

Vital congregations are spreading across the city and contributing to the public good. In each neighbourhood, congregations are coming alongside people on the margins and at risk, such as; single parents, at risk children and teens, mental illness survivors, the elderly, immigrants and refugees. They are also coming alongside to strengthen the work of local institutions and initiatives like; schools, neighbourhood associations and community centres. Christians who understand their missional vocation are catalysts for positive change in education, the marketplace, the arts and other areas of civic life. As a result, fewer people are resorting to criminal, self-destructive behaviour, and poverty is becoming less prevalent. There is sustainable economic growth; meaningful employment; a sustainable, healthy economy; a beautiful environment (both natural and constructed); just wages; quality consumer products; and stable, expanding employment. It is becoming increasingly clear in people’s minds that the presence of the people of God in this city is contributing to the universal flourishing of Hamilton. People are getting a taste for the life that God has intended for them.

TrueCity Core Values

1. Congregationally Based—At the heart of our movement are our church congregations; brought together by the Holy Spirit to grow in our faith as we engage in mission.
2. Neighbourhood Engaged—the focus of our mission is how our congregations can contribute meaningfully to the neighbourhoods that God has placed us in.
3. Active Cooperation –Congregations working together is God’s idea for how the Church can truly be the body of Christ.It is a powerful witness to our city of God’s reality. We aim to move beyond theoretical unity to relationships of trust and tangible cooperation. working and learning together; unity within diversity
4. Humble Orthodoxy—Confidence in the gospel of Jesus Christ enables us to interact widely with respect and generosity. Submission to Christ compels us to love as God loves with Jesus as our guide.
5. Margins at the Centre —Active presence among those on the social margins who are regularly overlooked and wronged by our society will bring real health and vibrancy for our churches and our city. We take seriously Jesus’ challenge that “what you have done to the least of these you have done to me.” This is the prophetic challenge of TrueCity.
6. WholeCity View —We recognize both that God is concerned for the whole of Hamilton and that there is an interconnected system that does not allow any neighbourhood to exist in isolation. For both of these reasons we are committed to engaging the whole of Hamilton.
7. Growth through Participation– We grow in Christ as together we engage in his work. Jesus meets us and takes us deeper in our walk with him as we get involved in the work that He is doing.

All About TrueCity

TrueCity is an emerging movement of Churches in the Hamilton area working together for the good of the City. We are Churches which are committed to:

• authentic involvement in our own neighbourhoods and in the City as a whole and
• real cooperation with other churches on specific projects which express our shared calling to be a blessing to this City.

Pioneering Churches include

• Bethany Gospel Chapel
• First Christian Reformed Church
• Hughson Street Baptist
• Little Bethel Community Church
• Philpott Memorial Church
• Wentworth Baptist Church

TrueCity facilitates church involvement in shared learning, resource discovery, and collaborative projects so that churches will participate more fully and effectively in their neighbourhoods and the city as a whole.

TrueCity aims to encourage and share tangible church-based models of involvement in specific areas of need in neighbourhoods and the City as a whole.

At present we are exploring the following themes:

• Maintenance to Missional
• Neighbourhood Involvement
• Refugees & New Arrivals
• Mental Health
• The Arts
• Church Planting
• Environmental

Further themes will be explored as the movement grows. The work of facilitating the TrueCity movement is a ministry of International Teams Canada.