Welcome to "Church"

It can be easy to confuse the place where Christians gather for worship (the church building), or the time spent in worship (the church worship service) with THE CHURCH (people who have been saved by the grace of Jesus Christ).


Missional communities seek to live out the Gospel where people live, work, and play as a "family of missionary-servants." And while missional communities are one model for “being the church” we still gather together for worship on Sunday mornings. (see Worship Gatherings).


Our long-term vision is to have many different missional communities all over Stanwood and Camano Island that would function as one congregation. So whether you are looking for a community to help you integrate faith more into your daily life or you are looking for a place to worship on Sunday morning, we would be honored to have you join us!

Missional Communities

A missional community is a FAMILY of MISSIONARY SERVANTS


Note: Our missional communities often meet less regularly during summer months and "launch" in the fall.


At Tidelands, our missional communities are smaller groups of believers that are actively seeking to follow Jesus in mission in their daily life. Missional communities meet together frequently, often at someone's house over a meal. There may be teaching, prayer, planning, instruction to children, Bible storying, or any number of other activities that help equip and prepare the group to live lives on mission for Jesus. Each MC identifies a particular group of people or area within their geographic area or existing relationships, and they seek to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them through word and action. As the missional community begins to live life on mission together, serving their neighbors and each other, there are many other times during a typical week when their lives overlap. All participants in our missional communities are invited to gather for corporate worship Sunday morning at our church building when they are able.  


A Missional Community is NOT primarily a small group, Bible study, support group, or weekly meeting – though it may include elements of all of these things. Here is an alternate, more precise definition of a “missional community” from Soma Tacoma:


"A Missional Community consists of a committed core of believers (family) who seek to follow Jesus in mission together (missionaries) in a specific area or to a particular people group by demonstrating the gospel in tangible forms (servants) and declaring the gospel to others—both those who believe it and those who are being exposed to it (learners)."

Key Components of Missional Community

Incarnational – The purpose of the communities is to establish a foundation for actively following Christ in daily life (to live our entire lives as followers of Jesus).


Service - A key aspect of these communities is to go out into the world and serve; individually, as a small group, and with other missional communities and other churches. Each missional community will identify the needs of the community they live in, and how they will serve the community to meet those needs and build up the Kingdom of God


Intentional Community – Members commit to meeting together regularly in their homes to support and pray for each other.


Open – The missional communities consist of the founding members as well as their neighbors, coworkers, children, and anyone else they meet that accepts the invitation to join them.


Meals – These gatherings often include sharing a meal, during which people can share the events of life, plan group activities, and spend time talking about Jesus.


Multiplication – These open communities grow as others join, and when necessary divide/multiply in order to enable interaction with more pre-Christians and serve in more neighborhoods.


Prayer & Scripture – While every meeting will not be the same, at least some of the meetings will be spent praying together and engaging in study and meditation on God’s word.