TESTWelcome to Petoskey Church of Christ! We are a group of disciples who passionately seek to embody the Good News that is the resurrected Jesus and proclaim God’s agape love to the world. We extend a special welcome to everyone, whether you’re single, married, divorced, gay, filthy rich, or dirt poor. We warmly welcome crying newborns, those who are skinny as a rail, and those who can afford to lose a few pounds. You’re welcome here whether you can sing like an angel or can’t carry a tune. You’re welcome whether you’re “just browsing,” just woke up, or just got out of jail. We embrace people from all backgrounds: Protestant, Catholic, Evangelical, Liberal, Conservative, and everything else outside and between. We especially welcome those over 60 but young at heart and teenagers growing up too fast. We welcome soccer moms, NASCAR dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, and junk-food lovers. Whether you are in recovery or still struggling with addiction, we welcome you. If you’re having problems, feeling down, or don’t like “organized religion,” we’ve been there, too. If you spent all your offering money at the casino, you’re still welcome here. Whether you think the earth is flat, work too hard, don’t work, can’t spell, or are here because grandma wanted to attend church, you’re welcome. We welcome those who are inked, pierced, or both. If you could use a prayer right now, had religion forced on you as a kid, or just got lost and ended up here by mistake, we’re glad you came. Tourists, seekers, doubters—everyone is welcome here!

Petoskey Church of Christ is a humble gathering of God’s children who collectively share a special brand of optimism for the future. This hopeful enthusiasm flows from our understanding of the mission of God (Missio Dei). Our faithful witness testifies to the Creator’s ongoing, comprehensive work to restore and redeem all of creation. This includes not only the salvation of individual souls, but the reconciliation of all things in the Kingdom of God. In the birth of Jesus, God’s willingness to be born as a fragile infant and become subject to the fickle whims of humanity put the divine mission of redemption on full display. Not only does the Bible reveal our God to be a “sending” God — His decision to be live amongst us, as seen in the birth of Jesus, demonstrates God’s willingness to lead by example. In a faithful response to Scripture, the people of PCOC understand that they have been called to participate in this mission as the “sent” people of God. We are not bystanders! Instead, our Lord calls us to holy action. This sending is a direct result of the very nature of the Trinity — God as expressed in the Persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The biblical record demonstrates both the Father’s sending the Son as well as the Father and Son sending the Spirit. In turn, the triune God sends the church into the world. For that reason, we hold that the Church does not “have” a mission, but rather the Church is the mission! As a missional church, we picture our testimony as a centrifugal movement from the church to the world instead of a centripetal drawing of people into our building. What else can we say? We take Jesus seriously when He sends us out to be the salt and light in northern Michigan, striving to be an infectious witness for the Lord in our community.