Mission:
Guiding all people to abundant life in Jesus.
Values:
Disruptive Truth
We are committed to God’s truth even when it disrupts our lives. Truth is often uncomfortable; it calls us to reconsider our priorities and patterns, challenging us to live differently from the world.
Simple Faithfulness
We are committed to faithfulness to God. While faithfulness may not always be possible in grandeur ways, we can be faithful in simple and grounded ways, like excellence within our means, consistency, and frequency, routine habits, serving, and giving. The same simple, not always flashy, faithfulness that characterizes God’s relationship with us.Uncommon Presence
Jesus’ presence was unique — He spent time with those the world often avoided, treating them with honor and love. We aspire to that same uncommon-in-our-world, grace-filled presence, meeting others the way that Jesus did with the woman at the well (John 4). We hope that when people encounter us, they encounter Jesus.
Strategy:
Meet Consistently (close circle):
A close circle represents this avenue of participation, as it’s where the presence of Jesus comes closest to our lives, making space for Jesus to have access to our lives. Building an abundant life in Jesus happens within a framework of regular, intentional gatherings: Meeting with Jesus daily through Bible study and prayer. Gathering weekly with Jesus’ people in worship. Connecting consistently with other believers to encourage each other in the faith. Engaging with someone who doesn’t know Jesus yet, building relationships that open doors to share His love.Share Vulnerably (dotted circle):
A dotted circle represents this avenue of participation, as it’s where the presence of Jesus extends into our personal relationships, making space for others to access our lives with Jesus through our witness. Abundant life grows in spaces and relationships characterized by authenticity and vulnerability: Sharing honestly with Jesus in prayer. Sharing openly with a small group of disciples, receiving encouragement, wisdom, and reminders of God’s promises. Sharing vulnerably with those outside the church, letting them see Jesus’ impact on our lives.Invest Sacrificially (half circle):
A half circle represents this avenue of participation, as it’s where the presence of Jesus goes with us beyond our lives, making space to invest in people disconnected from Jesus’ abundant life. Giving of ourselves — our time, talents, and resources — is part of discipleship: Investing sacrificially in our own relationship with Jesus. Supporting the church and the global mission of God. Walking alongside one to two others in discipleship, helping them grow closer to Jesus. Reaching out to someone who isn’t yet part of God’s kingdom, actively working to help them experience Jesus’ love.
Question Marks to Measure the Success of Our Mission:
When did we meet with Jesus today?
This reflects our relationship with Jesus through Bible reading, prayer, and worship.Who are we vulnerably sharing with this week?
This is where we share our life with Jesus in relationship with others.What are we doing to help someone enter God’s kingdom this year?
This reminds us of the mission, making sure we are actively investing in someone’s journey toward Jesus.
Heritage:
Christian unity — aiming to discuss and discern truth with each other on the basis of the Scriptures, under the guidance of the Spirit of Christ. Recognizing that we are not the only Christians, but striving to be Christians only (recognizing that we are one local manifestation of Christ's church on earth).
Looking to the Bible (with a specific focus on the New Testament scriptures) as our authoritative guide for truth and direction.
Sharing in the remembrance and communion of our Lord by taking his meal (the bread and the cup) with other believers on the first day of every week, as was the custom of the early church as noted in the New Testament.
Preaching that centers on the word of Christ and Him crucified, and calls people to make Jesus the Lord of every aspect of their life.
Our History
In 1834, Clarence Church of Christ was the result of an initiative taken by Alexander Campbell, a leader of what is known as the American Restoration Movement, to form a new congregation of Christians in western New York. The Restoration Movement sought to renew existing churches, and form new churches according to the patterns and principles given in the New Testament. The movement sought to emphasize the New Testament as the weightiest authority for followers of Jesus, that is, that all other sayings or writings about Jesus and the church are subject to the content of the New Testament.
The first congregation was known as the First Congregation of Disciples of Christ, and the first meetinghouse was a small stone structure built in 1843, which is the current site of the Clarence Historical Society. In 1876, the congregation built a larger church building, which they built on Main Street in the Clarence Hollow. Around the decades, 1950-70, the congregation distanced itself from the Disciples of Christ vein of the American Restoration Movement. This distancing resulted from the establishment of a Disciples of Christ denominational structure and management of buildings and resources, which was a departure from what many held as one of the foundational values of the movement: autonomous leadership and management of each local body of Christ. Eventually, the congregation in Clarence formally broke ties with the Disciples of Christ identity and continued as an independent congregation under the simple church of Christ identity.
In 1970, the current building on Old Goodrich Road was completed on donated land. Most recently in 2004, a Family Life Center was added, which included a gymnasium with a stage, commercial kitchen, dining room, and meeting/classrooms. The congregation has been led by the preaching and teaching of 39 men up to the present time.
