A community is more than just a group of people. A community cares about others. A community joins together to nurture its own members. It extends grace when people fall. It recognizes that the faults of others are also present within themselves. It reaches out to all those around them.

However, we are more than just a community. We are a community worshipping Jesus Christ. As we recognize our own shortcomings, we see in Jesus Christ our redemption -- He gives us our value! It is in Christ that we discover our purpose, our vision, our life. And we worship Him because He is worthy of our worship. It is in the worship of Christ that we discover our true home. Redeemed by His love, we are free not only to love Him but also one another.

That's one of the realities of being a community of the redeemed -- we need one another. We are a community celebrating Christ's grace together. It is corporately that we experience His love and forgiveness the most. He calls us to enjoy the wonders of His goodness and love as a family.

But we do not exist for one another; we want to share the grace Christ has given with others. We are a community extending His grace to Portland, New England, and the world. The Greater Portland area is made up of approximately 200,000 people. And of those people, 65-90 percent have little to no contact with the Christian church. We will seek to go to where the people are -- to meet them at their point of need. Because it would be arrogant on our part to expect them to come to us. We also understand that there is only one who can redeem them, and so we are calling upon Christ to draw men, women, and children from this city to Himself.

As we go to Portland, our eyes are also directed to other parts of the state. We hope to start communities all over the state during the next 20 years. Please join with us in calling upon the only true Redeemer to continue establishing His Church in this city, state, and region.