The Mission Statement of St. Anna’s Church
Jesus came and said to them,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
By our Lord’s words we understand the following to be true:
- True salvation can only be assured through Christ Jesus.
- We are all commissioned as evangelists.
- All persons are potential Disciples of Christ Jesus.
- We baptize in the name of the Holy Trinity.
- We have an obligation to teach the faith.
The Vision of St. Anna’s Faith Community
Henceforth, I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord does: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
Jn. 15:15
Our primary vision is for St. Anna’s to be a pilgrimage site for all who would know the realities of poverty, the richness of diversity, and depth of a faith that calls all to say,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”
Isaiah 6:3, Rev. 4:8.
Jesus has revealed to his people a new way of being and behaving. The root of that way of being is in the heart. St. Anna’s expresses Jesus’ friendship by nurturing a diverse community that is neither black nor white, straight nor gay, poor nor rich, woman nor man, child nor elder. It is the vision of St. Anna’s to be a house for all nations. This is what is written:
“The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations…”
Lk. 24:46-47
That vision expressed in living terms means that we are an active part of our neighborhood. We undertake to do justice and defend those who are hurt or abused because of their social location, sexual orientation, or are subject to economic injustice. The particular ways we fulfill our vision are currently focused on St. Anna’s Medical Mission(SAMM), St. Anna’s Hispanic outreach called “Oportunidades NOLA”, Anna’s Arts for Kids, and creating a worship environment that heals and provides hope and restoration for body, mind, and spirit. See our other web pages for a fuller explanation.
