Jesus chose a path of love. He did not act like the Messiah that people expected. He chose to bring about a peaceful revolution. A revolution that would sweep away the hate and evil in this world once and for all. A battle that he would ultimately win though not in the way people expected. He did not think of acting like God. He took on the nature of a servant. Everything Jesus did was motivated by love. Jesus did shocking things all in the name of love. As his followers we choose to have the same attitude that Jesus had, to actually do the things Jesus expects his followers to do. To take seriously his call to “love your neighbour as yourself”
Therefore we value:
(i) Living generously as we demonstrate God’s love and grace, mercy and justice to the World, as we surprise people with God’s extravagant generosity.
(ii) Being a ‘missional’ community, sent out into our local neighbourhoods to meet people’s needs (emotional, physical and spiritual), sacrificially serving those around us, especially the poor..
(iii) Working together to bring Community Transformation, supporting other churches as we actively seek to continue the work of the Kingdom in Coventry and the surrounding region.
Therefore we value:
(i) Living generously as we demonstrate God’s love and grace, mercy and justice to the World, as we surprise people with God’s extravagant generosity.
(ii) Being a ‘missional’ community, sent out into our local neighbourhoods to meet people’s needs (emotional, physical and spiritual), sacrificially serving those around us, especially the poor..
(iii) Working together to bring Community Transformation, supporting other churches as we actively seek to continue the work of the Kingdom in Coventry and the surrounding region.
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Community is an essential part of life. Every living thing on this planet lives in a community. You and I are no different. We constantly influence the community around us.
For us in Coventry Vineyard we are seeking to bring something of heaven to earth. We choose to influence the community in which we live with the grace and compassion, and the love and generosity that Jesus showed when he encountered people. We choose to love our neighbours, to welcome strangers and to accept outcasts. For us serving our neighbours is a non-negotiable. Our Life Groups serve their local community in practical ways. We love to surprise people with God's extravagant generosity. We demonstrate the gospel. We roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty. You and I are invited to become more like Jesus and this involves serving. Serving is the way and life of the Kingdom. So this is why you will find us out on the streets, cleaning up litter; in shops, cleaning toilets; in neighbours gardens, digging borders, weeding or laying turf; in the park, giving out cold drinks on hot days. |
Why do we serve?
"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."-Mark 10:45 We serve because that is what Jesus did and does. In the bible we read that Jesus did not come to be served but to serve. Think of it. The one who said if we have seen him we have seen the Father, serving. Serving is at the very heart of who God is. To be a servant is to be like God, to serve others is to reflect God’s heart and love for others. When we serve others, what people see, is God. We want to express God’s compassion and love to a broken world. We serve because Jesus serves. |
