The Pasadena EP Vision

"Ministering Christ to the world through our families!"

We seek to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by worshipping Him together with our families, as a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America.

We promote the education of our children and reach out into our community through the means of family instruction and inter-action. Through this focus, we desire to encourage each of our people to take up their spiritual responsibilities with diligence and joy.  Each family will be encouraged to see their home as an outpost for the Gospel and themselves as ambassadors for Christ.

We share a meal together twice a month during which time we will be able to fellowship together, make necessary announcements, acknowledge achievements, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.  During this time, we will be able to make contact with each of the families present and encourage their progress.

We have a weekly training session for heads of households during which we will train our people in good marriage and family dynamics, Bible content and proper doctrine. We desire these concepts to be practiced and taught in each and every home. This meeting is open to anyone but the target is the head of Household.

We will have a simple structure with minimal meetings and programs.

Strategy

  1. Our worship service is Christ centered and focusing on the ministry of Word and Sacrament.  Our service attempts to have a maximum of congregational participation and therefore, normally will not have a choir or special music. We celebrate the Lord's Supper every week.
  2. We expect all families to be involved in spiritual education and family worship at home, and do all we can to encourage growth in these areas.
  3. We offer aid and instruction to families in order for them to carry out their Biblical duty toward their family and to find joy in it. We focus primarily on parents/heads of households, teaching Bible content, theology, family and parenting skills, as well as offer help and discussion of ideas on family worship. We can offer instruction for singles and grandparents in this process too.
  4. The congregation provides our weekly “potluck style” meal.
  5. We resist the institutional and programmatic approach at every turn, especially when such an approach encourages age segregated activity.
  6. We encourage families to adopt mutual ministry goals especially for evangelism and mercy ministries within their community.
  7. We encourage struggling families to seek out other families who may be healthier and more spiritually capable to mentor them.
  8. Train all leaders and others who are interested in principles of Biblical personal ministry using the Instruments of Change curriculum.
  9. We encourage families to conduct ministries of mercy (look for needs and meet them) in their community.
  10. Elders function, in addition to their normal responsibilities, as mentors, encouragers, teachers, and counselors, with a view to improving the interaction within our families.
  11. We are in the process of building a resource center with a wide gamut of materials: books, tapes, videos, and teaching tools for the use of our people in ministry at home.