Our Vision
“To be a diverse community of Christ followers seeking to serve like Jesus.”
We are a DIVERSE COMMUNITY
For in Christ Jesus you are all sons and daughters of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
~ Galatians 3:26-28
We embody the diversity of our community by:
● gathering together to worship, learn, and pray as a family
● being welcoming, inclusive and hospitable to all, as all are made in the image of God
● remaining accountable one to another in love and committed to patiently dialogue with each other
We are CHRIST FOLLOWERS
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. The second is this: You shall love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than this.~ Mark 12:30-31
As Christ followers, we:
● trust in Jesus, who is our Saviour and Lord
● are transformed (individually and corporately) to live and love like Christ
● love God and our neighbour
● share the good news of God’s Kingdom (Luke 4:43)
We seek to SERVE LIKE JESUS
For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.
~ Mark 10:45
Pursue what is good for all.
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:15
We serve through:
● generosity with our time, gifts, and abilities
● cultivating our hearts towards joyful service
● acts of love in our homes, church, neighbourhood, and beyond
Our Values
Our values are both aspirational and rooted in who we are now. They are qualities we hold as important, characteristics to emulate, behaviors by which to live, traits by which to be known and virtues to be upheld. Our values are rooted in Jesus and they are meant to shape everything we do.
Preamble
With Jesus as our centre and our inspiration, we aspire to live out the following values as individuals and in community:
Embracing Dynamic Faith
We value being curious, life-long learners because none of us have arrived. We are all saints and sinners on a journey. Maintaining a posture of humility, we are open to change. Our faith isn’t static or rigid, and we are willing to wrestle with our faith as we grow.
Aiming for the Full Inclusion of All
We value diversity and long to make space for all to not only experience welcome, but lasting inclusion and belonging. We see the image of God in all people and we strive to be a community that is inclusive of all people, including but not limited to proclaiming Christians and skeptics, those of all sexual orientations, gender identities, ethnicities, classes, ages, and abilities.
Pursuing Wholeness Together
We value wholeness because Jesus came to restore us and this wounded world. We live this out through the ongoing pursuit of justice through integrated and restored relationships with God, self, others, and creation. We find that transparency, vulnerability, responsibility, and accountability are aspects of our individual and collective pursuit of wholeness.
Cultivating Active Participation
We value participation because we believe that everyone has a part to play in the mission of God. We long to see power shared and people empowered, actively practicing our faith in local service. We strive to prioritize the participation of everyone over the performance of a few.
Nurturing Interdependent Community
We value being committed to one another in community because this is the way God cares for our needs. It is our hope that everyone finds a deep sense of belonging that feels like kin, like family, like home. We long to see true connections formed with an ongoing commitment to one another through generous and authentic relationships.
Core Statements
Our Statement of Faith
In April of 2022, we simplified our Statement of Faith to focus our theological understanding and foundation on the two main Christian Creeds: the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creed. You can read the full statement here: Statement of Faith (PDF).
Our Statement of Affirmation and Inclusion
In June of 2023, we named our commitment to affirmation and the inclusion of all people at Hillside. You can read the full statement here: Statement of Affirmation and Inclusion (PDF).
Leadership
Our Elders
Elders at Hillside wear many hats. They serve as our Board of Directors, our spiritual leaders, and they shepherd our community. Our Elder Board consists of six (6) volunteers and they are listed below. You can reach them by email at elders@hillsidelondon.com.
Our Staff
We currently have three (3) people on staff at Hillside. You can reach them through their email addresses below:
Membership
Church membership is one way of getting more involved with Hillside. We don’t place a lot of weight on membership at Hillside. At our annual general meeting (AGM), members vote to approve our budget and approve our audited statements. If you would like to become a member at Hillside, send the Elders an email at elders@hillsidelondon.com.