Our Values
At LifeStreams we value healthy relationships, stories, the authority of Scripture, mission, worship, creativity, integrity, inclusivity, generosity, play, excellence and life balance. We have recently spent some months working through what each of our values mean to us as a church.
We take safeguarding very seriously and as part of the Diocese of Chelmsford are committed to protect and care for everyone with whom we come into contact. We provide a safe and welcoming place and accept and adhere to the Church of England’s Safeguarding Policy for children, young people and adults and the Chelmsford Diocesan Safeguarding Policy
Looking the other way is not an option.
We avoid labelling ourselves at LifeStreams. We are a diverse collection of people, and all four of our services are different. Our worship features aspects of low Anglican, evangelical and charismatic worship styles.
We are led by the Holy Spirit, often into exciting, new and creative expressions of praise including prayer stations, contemporary music, art, video and corporate meals. We are like one big fresh expression - a community of people who love Jesus, always learning to better reflect what God is calling us to be and do for Him.
The Values of Saint Stephen’s (currently being explored by the other Lifestreams churches)
- We value story - your story, our story, the ongoing story of our lives.
- We value healthy relationships - with God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), each other, the local and wider communities, the world and the environment.
- We value the authority of scripture. We understand that scripture:
- is the word of God, inspired by God, revealing God;
- is not a rule book but a collection of books telling the overarching story of God and His people;
- can be carefully interpreted and applied to our lives with the help of the Holy Spirit and is used for transformation rather than information.
- We value our mission to fulfil the purposes of God - we prioritise the needs of visitors and the local community and provide a welcoming friendly environment.
- We value worship - to honour, adore and engage with the presence of God. We enjoy informality and creativity in worship within an orderly framework. We encourage participation, include children, regularly celebrate Holy Communion, encourage the use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit and are willing to pray with people.
- We value creativity - encouraging the use and development of gifts and talents.
- We value respect, and integrity - both personal and corporate.
- We value inclusivity, without judgement. We create an environment that is safe and inclusive where people feel they belong. We encourage people to join small groups for mutual support and learning. We believe these groups form a vital part of the life of the church.
- We value generosity, to love, serve and support with our resources and energy.
- We value play - to enjoy, to laugh, not take ourselves too seriously.
- We value excellence in all that we do - with clear communication through our words and actions.
- We value life balance - with a rhythm of rest, work, play, worship, quiet and prayer.
