Emmaus Church’s Accountability Statement:
At Emmaus, we believe that all of creation and every single person is worth fighting for. The hope we have in Jesus is not to escape this world and leave it behind but to be a part of seeing it set right. We do this by leveraging our lives in a way that brings more good into the world because we believe the gospel is good news for every person, our life is better lived as a gift, and justice is central to God’s call.
We honor the responsibility that comes with cultivating and nurturing a beloved community where everyone feels safe, seen, and respected. We work to create physical, virtual, and pop-up spaces that are loving and authentic. We acknowledge that this only happens when we listen to every voice, not just the dominant voice. We stand for equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.
As such, we commit to the following values:
Everyone is loved. We model the love of Jesus for all people. We lean towards humility, curiosity, and empathy in hopes to emulate what meant the most to Jesus - loving one another as God loves us.
Everyone belongs. By creating a culture of belonging, we celebrate everyone’s individual uniqueness and spread the concept of unity into our surrounding community.
Everyone has a voice. Everyone has a seat and a voice at our ever-expanding table. We listen and learn from each other and our diverse perspectives, then we act upon that wisdom.
How we implement our values:
We move towards breaking down barriers that lead to the inequities that exist in our systems, communities, and society by creating opportunities with and for people of all backgrounds and experiences, especially people of color, LGBTQ people, people with disabilities, and in general those with marginalized experiences.
Through training, learning opportunities, strategic partnerships, resources, and initiatives, it is our hope that when someone joins the Emmaus community, they will have the opportunity to understand the importance of justice work as an integral part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Our Equity Task Force, staff, and leadership board are committed to cultivating and supporting efforts that center equity, belonging, and justice. Whether it be the language we use, the resources we select, or the frequency in which we talk about it, our hope is that intentionality and consistent action communicates importance.
2025 Equity Action Plan:
Fortify the principles of equity and belonging into the systems of the church
Develop and implement a universal design for staff, board, and church leadership to improve equity and diversity mindfulness in communication, representation, and planning. (To be completed by 12/2025)
Create processes for reporting hurt or harm and asking questions. (To be completed by 12/2025)
Create a culture of education and dialogue within the churchwide community
Improve churchwide participation in opportunities related to equity awareness to 10% of average worship attendance. Opportunities to include book clubs, events, training, etc. (To be completed by 12/2025)
Improve awareness of and accessibility to the Equity Task Force via bi-annual introductions, churchwide communications, and periodic churchwide surveys. (To be completed by 12/2025)
Increase community relationships with intention
Commit to presence and participation in three community events this year that will foster relationships and build trust. (To be completed by 12/2025)
Host at least one community-centered event at our church. (To be completed by 12/2025)
*The three main principles of the action plan will remain consistent each year. Goals will be assessed, reviewed, and advanced annually*
This document was prepared by the Equity Task Force and approved by the church’s Leadership Board.
Equity Task Force Team:
Christin Bishop
LeBrian Cleckley
Lindsey Day, Executive Director
Shelley Dempsey
Dylan Gunnels, Missions Director
LaToya Reed, Equity Task Force Leader and member of Leadership Board