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Ridgewood's Mission Statement

It is Ridgewood's mission to be a church that ministers to the whole family, worshipping God together, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ in love, responding to needs around us and cultivating a culture of Biblical discipleship, prayer and fellowship - all for the glory of God.

Ministry Council Portfolios

Ridgewood is a lay oriented church, encouraging every member to be involved and to use their Spiritual gifts to serve and build each other up in Christ.

Ridgewood Church is led by a ministry council consisting of the following portfolios:

  • Chair Person
  • Care Groups
  • Christian Education
  • Finance
  • Missions
  • Outreach
  • Premises
  • Worship
  • Youth Ministries
  • Adult Ministries
  • Lead Pastor

Part of the Evangelical Mennonite Conference

The Evangelical Mennonite Conference, like the wider Christian Church we are indebted to and part of, finds the center of our faith and scripture in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.

We are indebted to the Radical Reformation which, in turn, is rooted in the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. Ridgewood holds memberships in the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, the Mennonite World Conference, Mennonite Central Committee, the Council of Anabaptist International Ministries, and the Canadian Council of Christian Charities.

As Evangelical, we hold to scripture as our final authority in faith and practice; we believe in Christ’s finished work on the cross for our reconciliation; and we believe in living a life of discipleship based on the life of Christ and the teaching of scripture.

As Mennonite, we are committed to following Christ daily in life; to baptism upon confession of faith and in living out our faith together as a church family; to expressing social concern, partly through a commitment to non-violence; and by wider mission.

As a Conference, we seek to encourage our local churches; to work together on matters of mission in Canada and throughout the world; and to work well as part of the much wider Christian Church.

We function as a conference of churches with national boards and a conference council (delegate assembly) that meets twice a year. An elected moderator chairs the general board and the conference council meetings. In 2011, the EMC had 7,250 members and 62 churches in Canada.

Women serve on most national boards, as council delegates, as missionaries, and within local church activities. While they can be selected locally as ministers, the conference does not provide for the ordination of women.

Our cultural make-up is increasingly diverse. Though the EMC’s Low German roots remain visible, about one-third of our churches have pastors or leaders who reflect other cultural backgrounds.

In the 1940s and ’50s our church became increasingly aware of the need for Christian mission. Today, about eighty percent of our budget goes toward mission work in Canada and other countries. There has been an increasing rural to urban shift in both membership and mission attention.

Beliefs

The Bible is our authority. We desire that all who attend be nurtured in the Word of God. We believe the Scriptures are the inspired Word of God and should be authoritative in the way we live our lives.

The following Biblical references provide support for Ridgewood’s beliefs:

  1. The Bible: We believe that the Bible is the inspired and infallible Word of God and that it gives authoritative direction for our faith and conduct (II Timothy 3:16-17).

  2. God: We believe in one eternal God who has revealed Himself as Father, Son and Spirit. The Scriptures teach us to pray to God as our Father, to trust in the son, Jesus Christ, as our Lord and Savior, and to follow the leading of the Spirit who is with us. All persons in this trinity are fully and equally God (Matthew 6:9, II Peter 3:18, John 14:16).

  3. Creation: We believe God created everything as revealed in Scripture (Genesis 1, 2).

  4. The Dignity of the Human Race: We believe God created people in His own image and that all human life is sacred (Genesis 1:26,27).

  5. The Fall of the Human Race: We believe our first parents chose disobedience and that the whole human race has followed them in their sin (Romans 3:23).

  6. Satan: We believe Satan is a personal spirit being who opposes God and is the inspirer of all that is evil. (Matthew 4:1-11).

  7. Salvation: We believe that since Jesus Christ has atoned for all sin by His death, all people may now be saved by grace through their faith in Him (Ephesians 2:1-10).

  8. Discipleship: We believe that a commitment to Christ means being willing to follow Him in a life of discipleship. (I Peter 2:13-14).

  9. The Life of Peace: We believe that the teachings and example of Christ call us to a life of nonviolence and a ministry of peace in this world (Matthew 5).

  10. The Church: We believe that all who trust in Jesus Christ are united with His body, the church, by the baptism of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13).

  11. Ordinances: We believe Christ has given us three ordinances – water baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and foot washing – and that these should be observed by the church as symbolic reminders of spiritual truths (Matthew 28:18-20, I Corinthians 11:20-32, John 13:1-17).

  12. The Resurrection: We believe Jesus Christ was raised from the dead and that all people will be raised as well, either to life or to condemnation (John 5:29).

  13. The Return and Final Triumph of Christ: We believe in the personal return of Christ to gather His own, judge all people, defeat death, and triumph over all evil, so that God the Father may again be over all (I Corinthians 15:20-29).