CONGREGATIONAL
HISTORY
Christ Our Shepherd church (COSC) came about as a result of a large homegroup
whose members met on a regular basis in prayer and who came together to seek
God's guidance for their lives. In the spring of 1987 the group asked Stuart
McAlpine to become their pastor and the first worship service was held at
Georgetown Lutheran Church on Wisconsin Avenue. Since that time, COSC has
been guided by the words in Acts, 2:42: "…They devoted themselves to
the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and
to prayer."
The church met in space provided by the Capital Memorial Seventh Day Adventist
church in upper northwest for nine years and Calvary Baptist Church in Chinatown
for two years. In 1998, by God's provision, COSC purchased an 1890's stone
Romanesque church building in the ethnically diverse neighborhood of Capitol
Hill. We are in the process of renovating the building and have recently completed
construction of an area for offices, classrooms and fellowship in May of 2000.
Our desire is to be a "house of prayer for all nations" and a blessing to
the community.
MISSION
STATEMENTS
In the best way that we can.......
TO KNOW God truly and experience Him intimately
TO GROW together as a reconciled community in relationship with Jesus and
each other
TO SHOW God's love to the world in the power of the Holy Spirit through
the words and works of Jesus.
FAITH
STATEMENTS
-
the Bible is our statement and standard for all belief, instruction,
practice and policy
-
we acknowledge the historical roots of Christianity that have shaped
the theology and orthodoxy of our faith and use the Nicene and Apostles'
creeds as summaries of the gospel consistent with scripture
-
we identify with the evangelical church of Jesus Christ universal and
have adopted the Lausanne Covenant as a true description of our expectations
for Christian Mission and as a sign of our relationship with all churches
committed to the apostolic gospel
-
we intend to direct affairs of our local church in a manner concordant
with scripture and therefore have adopted a statement of constitution
that contains the biblical principles and the practical by-laws that govern
our order and polity
VALUES
STATEMENTS
-
the calling to serve Washington D.C. and the Metro washington area
-
the commitment of every member to take personal responsibility for
their loving and obedient relationship with God, and for their participation
in church life
-
the freedom to develop and express our unique corporate personality
and God-given ministry
-
the conviction that we are to love and reach people who do not have
a relationship with Jesus as Savior and Lord
-
the primacy of worship as expressed through praising, praying and preaching
-
the necessity of biblical teaching that is doctrinally pure and culturally
relevant
-
the function of homegroups as the fundamental context for life change
and ministry
-
the plurality of servant leadership and the equality of all members
and ministries
-
openness to the ministrations of the Holy Spirit
-
the willing expression and dutiful stewardship of everyone's spiritual
gifts
-
the purity of fellowship as we live in Christ and in community, characterized
by love, acceptance and forgiveness, valuing all members, respecting our
diversity and preserving our unity
-
the practicality of service through good deeds and kind words to all
-
an informed engagement with what God is doing in the world and a prayerful
involvement in the specific missions projects with which we are entrusted
-
relationship with and accountability to other churches and ministries
in the Body of Christ
-
the effective administration of our resources
-
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness
and self-control as the governing characteristics of all expression of
our lives
