OUR VISION STATEMENT:

We are called to serve a community with limited opportunities; the result is often a hopelessness, complacency, loss of value of self and others, and discontentment. This has led to lives enslaved by issues relating to the desire to escape life's hardships, and harmful "ruts" are formed, often deeply ingrained from one generation to another.

Our vision is to actively pursue lifting people up from destructive ruts of thinking and living by exposing them to the renewing and redeeming power and love of Jesus Christ. We endeavor to also promote, help establish, and maintain "good ruts" for people's lives, characterized by hopeful faith, peaceful contentment, growing desire to do one's best and stand strong, and loving service. We will pursue these "good ruts"... for our own hearts and lives, as well as for our Spring River community.

THEME PASSAGES:

• “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world; but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve of what God’s will is– His good, pleasing, and perfect will” (Romans 12:2)

• “I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm.... I will make you my own people, and I will be your God” (Exodus 6: 6 - 7)

OUR 2026 "VISION IMPACT" STATEMENT:

In addition to our regular activities as a congregation that help to "Renew hearts and redeem lives through Jesus," we commit ourselves to working together to pursue the following goals this year, with the theme,

"Living in and Proclaiming the Peace of Jesus Christ for Every Nation and Generation."

​“RENEWING HEARTS” THROUGH JESUS:

This year's theme actually served as our Vision Motto at the turn of the Millenium. It reminded us to be ongoing followers and learners of our Lord Jesus in our own daily lives lived, and in our work together as a church family. We also emphasized the importance of sharing the Word of God wherever we can— Christ has sent us, and prepares both our hearts and our minds to do so.

We also reminded one another— and those who were interested in possibly joining us — that we were here in Jesus' Name for a wide variety of people from different backgrounds and ages, for everyone needs Jesus. As the unknown years of the new millennium were an excellent time to keep these tenets prominently before us, so also will promoting these core commitments be fitting for us as we enter the unknowns of the times we live in and deal with possible changes to our staffing. We therefore will commit to a thorough study of where we've been, where we are, and where we'd like to be going in the thorough diagnostic study administered by our Mid- South District called "Compass," giving us focused time and energy to keep going in the future-- to fulfill God's calling to us as He renews our hearts— for Him, and for people! We will plan specific activities then based on the results from this study.

​“REDEEMING LIVES” THROUGH JESUS:

• Since Thrivent Action Team events have shown a great ability to provide meaningful mission and ministry events that further our work together in both internal nurture and outreach to the community, we will strive to utilize at least 10 Thrivent Action Team seed money grants this year again for helpful projects of outreach, education, and service.

• We will continue to provide and support the community impact groups that our church has been offering, such as Griefshare for those who have lost loved ones, and Game Nights for building friendships and trust. This year, we will commit to creating two new gatherings specifically offered to both the church family and the community: these will provide activities that both churched and unchurched people can benefit from, promote relationship-building and trust, and open the door to encourage participation and discussion in specifically spiritual areas as the Lord leads. One of the new gatherings will be a more "action-based" one, such as a dance class, and the other will be more of a supportive, calm nature, such as a stretch and flex group for the elderly. We affirm that God uses all sorts of means to prepare people's hearts to receive the Holy Spirit's inward workings, as they are part of accomplishing His calling to make disciples of all nations (1 Cor. 9:22-23, Matt. 28:19-20).

• We will commit to providing 3 Community Outreach Events, allowing us to work together to impact our community with Christ's genuine love and interest. One of these will be something new and innovative, seeking to become familiar with additional people beyond those we've interacted with before, and learn more about their needs and concerns.

• In the spirit of generosity and love toward all people (not content to only "take care of our own"), we will also further the Gospel's impact in our times on a broader scale by selecting at least one international mission effort to promote and support with an all- congregational activity.

• We will partner with at least 2 community organizations to come alongside them as they help with redeeming lives in our community.

• Specific, larger project goals with designated fund drives have enabled us as a congregation to continue serving our community effectively. We will continue spending time and effort promoting a variety of upkeep improvements this year:

We will also continue working on a list of various deferred maintenance issues (such as sealing the leaking rivets in the metal roof and repairing the damaged stucco portions of the wall) so that we are prepared to continue serving the Lord effectively together in this place and time, using God's gifts to glorify Him and continue impacting our community as His messengers... while we're here,... while there's time!