finding our stories in the story of Jesus
Churches come in all shapes and sizes. Large congregations have certain benefits, but smaller churches do as well. Jesus tells us that he is like a shepherd who knows the names of each of his sheep and so we want to always be a place where you are known and cared for. We believe ministry should be local, personal, and connected to real life. Eugene Peterson once wrote:
“The only opportunity you will ever have to live by faith is in the circumstances you are provided this very day: this house you live in, this family you find yourself in, this job you have been given, the weather conditions that prevail at the ...moment."
Our vision is to cultivate a community where you can learn to see how Jesus is working in the unique details of your life as you grow in your relationship with God and others. Developing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - takes time and intentionality. We can't promise that we will always do this perfectly, but we can promise that Jesus always will.
trusting Jesus
The gospel of Jesus is good news. News is different than advice. Advice is for something happening in the future that you can change. News has already happened, The good news is that through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, God has already accomplished everything necessary to rescue us. A life of faith, hope and love always flows from what God has already done. We are passionate about staying centered on the gospel because it takes the focus off of you or lists of rules about do's and don'ts and keeps Jesus at the heart of everything we do.
gospel shaped community
Jesus calls us to community. This means we don't have to navigate the complexities of faith and life alone. We are learning to follow Jesus, together. The local congregation is the primary way God chooses to grow and shape us in Christ. The New Testament has over thirty "one-another" passages. We are called to serve one-another, encourage one-another, pray for one-another, love one-another, honor one-another, forgive one-another, bear with one-another, teach one-another, show hospitality to one-another and much more. All of this takes time and patience and purpose - it doesn't just happen over coffee and cookies, but that is a good place to start.
mission minded
God is, of course, up to more than just what is happening here at First Presbyterian in Grimes. God is making all things new. We have the privilege of partnering with the Holy Spirit and other congregations and organizations through service and mission here in Grimes, in the Des Moines Metro and around the world. The good news is that God has blessed us with the free gift of grace in Jesus, and we get to bless others by using the gifts, resources, time and energy of our congregation.