So who are we, anyway? That's a good question. Here's the short answer.
In Fall of 2006, two families - the Cryders and the Sutherlands (obligatory family photos here and here) - packed up all their earthly belongings and move to Missoula in order to start a church from scratch (crazy, huh?).
Early on, we were known simply as The Missoula Project; when we finally began meeting for informal worship in the Spring of 2008 we felt it was time to pick a church name that captured who we are - we've been All Souls Missoula ever since.
Today, All Souls is a vibrant worshiping community that has adopted the phrase "working to renew the city socially, culturally and spiritually" to describe why we exist and why we do what we do. We want to be a church that Missoulians appreciate whether or not they ever attend our gatherings.
We realize that many these days are wary of the church. Some of them left years ago, turned off by hypocrisy, religiosity, or their own inability to measure up. Others have never ventured in, but find themselves wondering if real Christianity actually exists. We desire to plant a church that is accessible to people like these - ordinary folk looking for honest answers. To this end, we desire to speak clearly and freshly, in a way that is intelligible to those who are not religious insiders. Consequently, we will strive to avoid buzzwords and catch phrases as much as possible.
We also recognize that some have been burned by the church in the past. Some have learned the hard way that everyone has a creed, and every creed has consequences. People like these want to know where we are coming from, and where we are going. That's a good thing, and we desire to be very upfront - about who is welcome, about our core values, and about where we stand. Consequently, we will strive to spell out exactly what we believe and why, and how it all plays out (want a practical example? Check out our thoughts on Jesus and smoking pot).
Most importantly, we value your input. If you have comments, questions, or suggestions, we'd love to hear what you think (whether you agree with us or not!). So make yourself at home and have a look around.
Once again, welcome to All Souls Missoula. We hope to hear from you soon!
