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VISION
This new Presbyterian Church will be planted in the fastest growing community in Wisconsin (Wisconsin State Journal, July 10, 2003, p.1). In the next 5 years the population of the Sun Prairie area is expected to grow by 13%. New housing developments are springing up in the target area. As news of the potential for a new Presbyterian Church has circulated, a developer has offered to gift John Knox Presbytery with 11 acres for a church site. The land is adjacent to and highly visible from the main traffic route traveling north from Madison. Construction is planned to make the highway limited-access beginning in 2009. The projected church site will be at the only exit for several miles, surrounded by a major regional housing development. The population for this area is younger, more affluent and better educated than the Wisconsin average. There is no Reformed presence in the community. Nearly three quarters of those identifying a church affiliation claim Lutheran or Roman Catholic. Nearly half of the population lists no church affiliation.
 With the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we envision the establishment of a large, regional Presbyterian congregation that begins Sunday morning worship in the fall of 2007 with nearly 400 attendees. We believe that dynamic worship services will be at the core of this congregation's development. This new church is to be located at the highest topographical point of a new, planned community. We envision that the church will serve as a community center, a "light on the hill" for many new residents who will be looking for opportunities to experience community at a variety of levels. The intentional development of small groups along with a myriad of other opportunities to establish relationships must be an early and high priority.
We pray that this community of believers will be marked by spiritual passion; that it will live out its faith with commitment and enthusiasm. We believe this quality to be especially important in light of the economic giftedness which is coupled with a high proportion of unchurched persons in our target community. An emphasis on opportunities to heed Christ's call to serve (Mark 10:45) will be a key to individual and community transformation, and will serve as an example of faithfulness inspiring other Presbyterian congregations in this region.
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