This week, Pastor Jon cast a vision for our church as we head into the fall season. We are tired, but resolved to regroup and rebuild through pressing deeper into our core values--Presence, Formation, and Mission. However, in this season, we are taking these values to a deeper level. We are pursuing the tangible presence of God, understanding that no human solutions can rescue us from our cultural trauma; we are committed to counter formation, recognizing that there is no neutral ground and fighting against culture's attempting to pull us away from becoming like Jesus; and we are pursuing sacrificial mission, adopting the "I sacrifice, we win" mentality of Christ and embracing the high cost of living for the good of this city. New York needs a community of champions, and now is not the time to shrink back but to rise up.