(Note: the blue horizontal menu bar directly above lists the subsections of "Mission Statement." Be sure to read each of these subsections before moving on to the next primary section, "Four Components.")

Adult Formation

In writing an Adult Formation mission statement, the director should write one for him- or herself. Even if your mission statement is private, it helps to clarify the role of education/formation in relation to the congregational sense of mission. If you work with a committee, have them write such statements. Share yours with them. Discuss and compare them—and see if your group can come to an agreed-upon statement. Post it in your adult education flyers, church newsletter, and website. Get the congregation talking about the role adult formation plays in their lives and the life of the congregation. Depending on your congregation's structure, you may need to have it approved by a board or vestry to have it formalized or publicly posted. Or, if it works better in your situation, you may want to keep the mission statement as an informal guide for you, your committee, and teachers.

Remember that mission statements are guides to where you believe God is calling you. As the sense of mission changes or deepens, the mission statement may change as well. The best mission statements are organic; they are constantly re-interpreted and sometimes re-written, as your community hears and responds to God's dynamic presence.