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5 Guiding Principles |
Jesus Is Lord
Everyone Is Welcome
We Have What The World Needs
Everyone Has Something To Offer
Love Changes Everything
Cross of Glory has 5 Guiding Principles that guide our lives together and help us live out our mission. These Guiding Principles are based on the Holy Scriptures and summarize the core of our Lutheran Tradition. Because these 5 Guiding Principles direct our lives together and help us live out our mission, they are a priceless jewel to us. And that is a great way to remember them: using the acronym JEWEL. Starting with the first letter: J – Jesus is Lord. Then E – Everyone Is Welcome. W – We Have What the World Needs. E – Everyone Has Something To Offer. And L – Love Changes People. These Principles are the JEWEL of our congregation.
Here is a brief explanation of what they mean. 1) Jesus is Lord. Jesus is the one we turn to for love, grace, salvation, and guidance every day of our lives. 2) Everyone is Welcome. On earth, Jesus hung out with everyone, particularly the type of people that you wouldn’t expect to find in a place of worship. So in a community where Jesus is Lord, everyone is welcome. And we mean everyone – people of every race, gender, class, denomination, ability, and sexual orientation are welcome here. You are always welcome here. 3) We Have What the World Needs. Every person, creature, and part of creation needs to know and experience the loving welcome of God, the saving grace of Jesus, and the life-giving power of the Spirit. And we can all be a part of sharing God’s love and grace. That’s number 4. 4) Everyone Has Something to Offer. God created each of us with special gifts and special resources to bless the world with God’s love and grace. When we allow God to live and work through us, the world is transformed. We affirm this in our final principle. 5) Love Changes People. God’s love changes our lives and our world. And Lord knows, we need it!
To view sermons on these Guiding Principles, visit Pastor PJ’s Sermon Blog and click on the Sermon Topic “A Guiding Principle Christmas.”