Finalists for the New Name

DIRECTIONS FOR POSTING COMMENTS:
1) In order to keep our discussion confined to a more objective plane, please consider the final list of names according to the criteria from which they were chosen (see below). 2) Please indicate your name when posting. 3) Please approach each other and this process with grace and charity!


CRITERIA FOR CHOOSING A NAME:
1. Does the name accurately or effectively portray the essence of our MISSION: partnering with God who, through the Son and the Spirit, is working tirelessly to put the world to rights?
2. Is the name COMPELLING? Does it make you wake up and think?
3. Is the name UNIQUE? Does it stand out from other churches/ministries in our area?
4. Is the name TIMELESS? Is this going to be a good name in 50 years? Will it stand the test of future changes in strategy, leadership, location, etc.
5. Is the name APPROPRIATE? Are we free to use it and is it free from negative connotation?


TOP THREE FINALISTS:

Echo Christ Community:
Echo is defined as “the reflection of a sound source.” Taken into the context of the church, we are reminded that, as disciples, we are called to echo the voice of God. This rich metaphor resonates with the Missional idea that the church must be a place that hears the story of God and then echoes the story of God in fresh and creative ways. Echo captures the movement of the good news of God transmitting and resonating like sound waves, first to our community, and then into the culture at large.


Missio Dei:
Missio Dei is Latin for “Mission of God.” This name captures the essence of mission as the calling of our church. To be a part of the missio dei is to be caught up in the mission of God as God puts the world back together again. Missio Dei has a sort of timelessness and weightiness that hints at the vastness of the future mission of the church as it connotes an ancient grounding. The Latin signals a bit of mystery that befits our style of worship—low lights, candles, etc. This unique name will be a good conversation starter regarding the mission of our church.


Redemption Church:
The redemption of humankind and the entire cosmos is at the heart of the good news of God. To take up the word “redemption” as a moniker for a church would be a positive affirmation of our mission as a church. We see ourselves as participating with God’s tireless efforts toward redeemed lives, redeemed marriages, redeemed communities, redeemed social systems, etc. The word redemption has a wide range of meanings and is easily recognizable as a church name. It fits well with our central mission of putting the world to rights.

Name that church (final round)

Okay everybody, this is your last chance to add any suggestions to the list of what the new name of our church should be. The only modifier is that any suggestion should at some level reflect the idea that we are called to be a people who are 'putting the world to rights'. so...let the ideas fly!!!