Statements of Vision
Over the past two years the Presbytery of Southeastern Illinois has engaged in Big Conversations to discern our ongoing calling to be a transformed and transformational body of Christ in Central and Southern Illinois. As disciples of the Risen Christ, we seek to act as servant leaders in the world, partnering in and with faith communities to equip, encourage, challenge, dream, and hold one another accountable as Christ’s disciples.
In our journey of transformation, we envision
- Prioritizing life-giving engagement in mission and ministry that uses our energies effectively in service to others
- Discerning focused ways to share our gifts, talents, and passions to establish cycles of generative, meaningful ministry
- Developing our collective capacities for empathetic, dynamic leadership to nurture healthy relationships
- Measuring what matters to determine what enacting our shared vision has generated in our midst and how these results have planted the seedbed for the next focused vision for ministry and mission
Vision and Identity
The Presbytery of Southeastern Illinois seeks to be a community in which God in Christ is present in our relationships, and the Spirit is apparent in our actions of welcome, hospitality, witness, leadership, and service.
Core Values
Trust: Reflecting who God calls us to be, we commit ourselves to one another through transparent actions that keep faith with one another
Acceptance: Appreciating the gifts and perspectives of everyone, but particularly those whose thoughts, preferences, and approaches differ from ours
Community: Fostering connections in the communities in which we are located, in the ecumenical church, and in cultures around the globe to share God's love in concrete actions of ministry and mission
Collaboration: Thinking, conversing, worshipping, discerning, and working together for the common good
Imagination: Dreaming together of new areas of service, new ways to relate, and new dimensions of our collective identity as the body of Christ
Energy: Displaying the vitality and passion of the Holy Spirit in our worship and our endeavors as servant leaders
Justice: Recognizing that God's creation includes fellow humans of all races, ethnicities, genders, classes, and stages of life, we minister beyond Presbytery boundaries to ensure justice for all people.
Priorities
Congregational Vitality
Equipping congregations with resources and strategies that will enable them to effectively share God's love in the world and joyfully live out the Gospel of Jesus Christ as communities of faith, hope, love, and witness.
Ministry and Leadership Formation
Forming effective servant leaders who can model discipleship as they engage in pastoral and missional relationships with discernment, commitment, sensitivity and passion
Collaborative Mission and Service
Fostering congregational networks, ecumenical and interfaith partnerships, mission networks and engagement with community agencies that enable us to meaningfully address essential issues affecting the communities we serve.