"WHAT IS SHELL RIDGE ALL ABOUT?"

Shell Ridge Community Church is a warm and caring community of upbeat, open-minded people with diverse theological beliefs. Our worship is lively, eclectic, and music-filled. We offer many opportunities to promote peace and justice through service to the community and the world at large. We are people of faith on a journey, treating life as an adventure.

Shell Ridge Community Church: Who are we?

Spiritual growth is central. Our worship is eclectic, lively, and informal with music, through instrument and voice, choir and congregation, that is inclusive and diverse. We nurture each other through a variety of educational experiences ranging from Sunday morning church school classes to adult book discussions.

Relationships are primary. We are a warm, caring, and supportive family with an active prayer network and frequent social gatherings for fun and fellowship. We are multi-generational where children and seniors are equally valued. Our "mid-week miracle" Logos program for children and youth is a lively time of sharing, singing, crafting, playing, eating, and studying the Bible.

Service opportunities are essential. We offer many avenues of service to the community around us and to a global, international community. Our congregation is involved in such concerns as building houses for Habitat for Humanity, service to the homeless shelter, representation on interfaith alliances in the area, an annual youth-oriented Mexico mission trip, and providing a voice for social justice, peace, and human rights worldwide.

Our faith is vibrant. We are an open, upbeat, non-judgmental congregation of people with diverse theological beliefs. We affirm the traditional American Baptist principles of the autonomy of the local church, of the privilege of each individual to interpret God's word for him or herself, and of welcoming all people to the table of Christ. We are people of faith on a journey, constantly seeking new insights, and treating life as an adventure.

We are welcoming and affirming of all people.
On Sunday, January 25, 2009, the following affirmation was approved by the congregation:

As a diverse body of Jesus' followers, we affirm:

+ that every person is made in God's image, including those who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered (LGBT) and heterosexual and that every person's sexual orientation is a gift from God, a critical part of one's personal identity, and should be a non-factor in regard to sharing in the full life and ministry of our church;

+ that in the Spirit of love, openness, and inclusiveness, we welcome and affirm all, without regard to their sexual orientation;

+ that as agents of peace and justice, we seek to support all who suffer discrimination, injustice or inequality of any kind;

+ that we will continue to appreciate more fully our differences and gifts and that by God's grace our love for God and each other may flourish;

+ the need to seek to fully live out and continue to deepen the welcome and affirmation of all by the grace and strength of God and;

+ that we will seek to remain in loving dialogue and fellowship with those who are in dissent with our decision.


Therefore:

Believing that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered persons have a place in the full life and ministry of the local church, Shell Ridge Community Church shall officially be known as a Welcoming and Affirming congregation.
[Approved January 25, 2009 by 96.4% of members present and voting.]