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Mission
The Mission of the Diocese of Missouri is the mission of all baptized Christians: to teach and to spread the Gospel and its knowledge of salvation to all people; and to make the love of Christ known in the world through our own actions as individuals, as congregations, and as the Diocese, by feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, housing the homeless, caring for the sick, visiting the prisoner, and comforting those in times of trouble. Adopted at the 154th Convention, February 1994.
Vision
Making Disciples
Building Congregations
For the Life of the World
Presented at the 168th Diocesan Convention, 2007
Bishop Wayne Smith's Address to the 171st Diocesan Convention
http://www.diocesemo.org/news/2010/11/20/2262/
[Convention Address 2010, 171st Annual Meeting of the Diocese of Missouri, November 20, 2010, St. Charles, Missouri, excerpt]
 Context. Text. Action. This is a simplified adaptation of an interpretive method familiar to theologians the world over. Context. Text. Action. Three words I hope you will take with you. Bishop Ian Douglas of Connecticut presented this framework in a very practical way at the House of Bishops meeting last September.
Context. The world where we live provides the venue for God’s mission. There is none other.
The home of God is among mortals, says Revelation. Praise be to God for taking on flesh in Jesus of Nazareth, to live among us as one of us. The implications for us, who are heirs to the living religion of the incarnation, require us to know our context well. If we take the flesh and this world as seriously as Jesus does. To walk the neighborhoods, to know the people, to recognize the flesh-and-blood joys and sorrows, and the fears. To know the lore, which stories give shape to how we live. And to study the hard data about where we live, available to anyone with an internet connection. Demographics, population trends, occupations, economics: These tell us about context.
There are various horizons of context, both nearby and far off. We do well to interpret the context of our neighborhoods—and the global neighborhood. It is my hope that we can understand that what we do in Lui Diocese in Sudan, and what we do at the Peace Meal at St. John’s in Tower Grove in St. Louis, are of one piece. They simply lie on different horizons of our context.
A first step, then: Interpreting the context.
After context, then text. What in scripture helps make sense out of this situation? What comes to mind? Where are the links? Formal scripture studies, whether modern in shape or avant garde and post-modern, can interpret a passage of scripture to within an inch of its life. Part of the brilliance of the method which I am describing is that it allows the scriptures to do the interpreting. The scripture becomes free to make sense of us, and the situations which we face. They bring clarity into our understanding of what God is doing in our contexts.
Context. Text. Action. Once we begin to understand what God is doing in the context, then we can find the invitation to do the thing that God is doing. Remember: it is always God’s mission, not ours, and we are accountable to and servants of that mission. And as we engage more deeply in the context, the interpretive loop begins again. Context. Text. Action. An ever-changing tableau.
...read the entire address
We are a diocese of The Episcopal Church
 The Episcopal Church is comprised of 110 dioceses in 16 nations, and is a member province of the worldwide Anglican Communion.
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We are a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion
 The Anglican Communion is comprised of over 80 million members in 44 regional and national member churches around the globe in over 160 countries.
The Anglican Communion is served by four "Instruments of Communion": the Archbishop of Canterbury; Lambeth Conferences; The Primates of the Anglican Communion, the chief Archbishops, Presiding Bishops, Chief Pastors of the various Provinces of the global church; and the Anglican Consultative Council.
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/
The Diocese of Missouri Logo
First and foremost, the cross is the prominent element of the logo. It represents the Christian faith and is based on the crosses used on the Episcopal Church shield. While the colors of the cross are symbolic of nature, the four different colors yield to the church’s respect of diversity. The circle is inclusive of all; all Episcopalians within the diocese belong. The crimson color is based on church liturgy. “The Episcopal Church” appears red and in a different font to connect the Diocese of Missouri to the greater church—even using the red of the Episcopal Church shield.
Before using the diocesan logo, please contact the Communications Office.
The Seal of the Diocese of Missouri
 Adopted in 1952, this seal is used by the Bishop of Missouri. All uses of this seal outside of the Offices of the Bishop must be cleared with the Communications office.
The shield includes these elements
THE FISH: The most ancient Christian symbol.
ICHTHUS: an acronym on Greek for “Jesus Christ, God’s Son, Saviour.”
THE SHEPHERD’S STAFF: The symbol of pastoral concern and spiritual authority.
STRIPES ON THE SIDE OF THE FISH: Marriage of two great rivers: the Missouri and the Mississippi at St. Louis.
CROSS: The Church on the west bank.
1841: The year the Diocese of Missouri was founded.
More complete information on use of Diocesan Logos and Fonts in:
Diocesan Visual Identity Guidlines, revised 8/09
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