Mission, Vision, Values

At CUMC we believe there is a tremendous amount of curiosity and desire to grow spiritually in our world today. We recognize that spirituality is a journey and is unique to individuals, thus we desire to aid anyone who is curious or seeking to deepen their connection and understanding with God. Such a journey takes time, especially if you have not been a part of a church before or if you have been hurt or harmed by religious organizations in the past. That’s why we do our best to create a community of care and compassion for all people, especially for those who are spiritually curious.

If you feel like this definition fits you, then perhaps you are spiritually curious! We encourage you to continue your exploration by reading more and learning about our vision, mission, and values, because we believe in doing so you will discover CUMC is a community where you belong.

CUMC Vision

“To be a place for the spiritually curious to live and learn the Way of Christ”

The Way of Christ is an ancient term used to refer to the teachings and actions of Jesus, as recorded in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The Way is how Christ has invited all of us to find connections with God and one another, and to find meaning and purpose for our lives. This invitation is to a journey of discipleship, which for us means being made into the image of Christ.

If we were to boil our vision down into one sentence, we would choose to quote Jesus himself, who instructs his followers to “Love one another as I [Jesus] have loved you,” (John 13:34). Love—radical, generous, justice-filled, reconciling love—is the Way of Christ and is what we seek to be as we help others learn this Way of living.

We do this through a generative discipleship pathway focused on exploring, expanding, and extending one’s faith and spirituality:

This pathway is supported by a variety of ministries and programs (to learn more click here) to help you live and learn the Way of Christ. We know it can be nerve-racking to try something new and we’re all just trying to take our next step forward in faith. Thus, we embrace wherever you are on your journey and believe this pathway can meet you where you are and help guide you to take your next step toward discipleship. This vision and pathway help us live our mission of transforming the world.

CUMC Mission

“To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world”

Everything we do—from worship to Sunday school/Bible studies to fellowship activities—is with the intention of leading people on a journey to Christian discipleship. We believe by increasing the number of disciples (Way followers) in the greater Colonie community, the world will be transformed to be more just, peaceful, and filled with hope for all.

We realize that these markers of a disciple may look overwhelming, yet we trust that as you deepen connection with God and follow the Way of Christ they are achievable. Ultimately we recognize that becoming a disciple is a relationship journey with God that takes time. Thus, we are committed to being a safe and nurturing place for your journey.

Finally, all of this—our vision, pathway, and mission are built on the foundation of our core values. These are the heart of who we are as community together. Those values include the following Core Values: