VISION, AIMS AND VALUES Today, gratitude. Tomorrow, the world!

OUR VISION: To be a healthy, growing church where people can meet Jesus, know him and make him known. c

OUR AIMS: Gillingham Community Church is called to be a Holy Spirit led, Bible-based community where:  Jesus is the centre of all that we are and do  The Holy Spirit has freedom to operate  A safe place can be found  Everyone can belong and contribute  We are united in purpose and direction  There is confidence in who we are and where we are going  We stand for justice and mercy

OUR VALUES  Compassion  Equality  Excellence  Generosity  Gratitude  Humility  Openness  Outward-looking  Relevance  Teamwork

FULL TEXT IS AVAILABLE, AS ALWAYS

COMPASSION  Recognising that we are all flawed, we seek restoration for those who have fallen and the revival of hope in those who have failed. Demonstrating Jesus’ love and practical assistance to those in spiritual, emotional, mental or material need.

EQUALITY  Recognising that the head of the church is Jesus, we have structure but avoid hierarchy. Believing that all those who are part of GCC have a role that contributes to and enriches the entire church. Treating everyone with the same consideration and care regardless of their circumstances or origins.

EXCELLENCE  Ensuring that whatever we do, we do wholeheartedly, to the best of our ability and, where appropriate, professionally and legally. Maintaining high standards without undue excess.

GENEROSITY  Giving rather than taking. Doing more than just what is necessary as a church and as individuals. Because Jesus gave of himself, we give our time, money, effort and other resources, knowing God’s grace will sustain us.

GRATITUDE  Thankful to Father God for the sacrifice of Jesus and the opportunity of abundant life both now and for eternity. Expressing praise and worship to God both together and individually in every part of our lives. Appreciating the words and actions of one another.

HUMILITY  Mutually preferring one another. Recognising and supporting individual gifting and ability, which contributes to the whole church, whilst avoiding the promotion of personality. The success of one is the success of us all.

OPENNESS  Transparency in all that is said and done. Honest constructive dialogue between individuals and with other organisations. Open accounting and records, whilst maintaining appropriate confidentiality, when required. Building trust and confidence. Keeping “short accounts” with one another by dealing with issues promptly and sincerely.

OUTWARD-LOOKING  Reaching out to those outside the church, locally and further afield. “Kingdom- minded,” not empire building. Mission oriented, rather than introspective or just maintaining things as they are. Recognising that reaching out to others is the most effective way of meeting the needs of those already within the church.

RELEVANCE  Led by the Holy Spirit, both corporately and individually. Being naturally supernatural, Using contemporary means to relate to those inside and outside of the church. Ensuring that all we do and say has meaning.

TEAMWORK  We cannot exist in isolation. Those belonging to the local church need each other. We each have individual skills, abilities, personalities and personal goals, but we are joined together by our common experience of the love of Jesus and with one purpose, which is the extension of God’s kingdom through the local church.

QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR VALUES  What are they?  What do they mean?  How do they affect us?  What does the bible say about it?  How do they help us make progress towards our vision and aims.

GRATITUDE  Thankful to Father God for the sacrifice of Jesus and the opportunity of abundant life both now and for eternity. Expressing praise and worship to God both together and individually in every part of our lives. Appreciating the words and actions of one another.

OBVIOUS DEFINITIONS ARE OBVIOUS  “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.”

PSYCHOLOGY.COM SAYS: Gratitude is an emotion expressing appreciation for what one has—as opposed to, for example, a consumer-driven emphasis on what one wants. Gratitude is getting a great deal of attention as a facet of positive psychology: Studies show that we can deliberately cultivate gratitude, and can increase our well-being and happiness by doing so. In addition, gratefulness—and especially expression of it to others—is associated with increased energy, optimism, and empathy.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 THESSALONIANS 5 12Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. 13Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. 14And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

1 THESSALONIANS 5 15Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. 16Rejoice always, 17pray continually, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19Do not quench the Spirit. 20Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22reject every kind of evil.

1 THESSALONIANS 5 23May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it. 25Brothers and sisters, pray for us.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

ANTI-GRATITUDE  Entitlement sucks the thankfulness out of life.  It goes hand in hand with comparison.  The world owes us  We deserve better  God is punishing me unfairly  Why aren’t I blessed like they are?

UNEXPECTED GRATITUDE  I am grateful for my acne!  I am grateful for my life!

NICK VUJICIC

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.