New Church in Petaluma
Press Release (Download Press Release (PDF)
Pastor Dave Weidlich
Petaluma, CA December 20, 2011.
The Vine is a new church in Petaluma, holding its first worship service Sunday, January 8, 10:00 AM at 1129 Industrial Avenue, Suite 208, Petaluma. They will serve a light lunch following the service. The Vine invites the public to this opening event as well as to all weekly services that follow.
This new church offers a safe place to explore ultimate questions, connect with God, form new friendships, and experience spiritual healing. The Vine designed its services for all who seek God, but especially for those who are hurting and seek answers to life’s difficult questions – people facing trials, tension or transition.
Founding pastor, Dave Weidlich, provides the reason for starting a new church in Petaluma: “We are constantly pressed by bad news of unemployment, political conflict and threats of war. Many of us have been hit personally with financial setbacks, health crises and relational stress. These events awaken the need for spiritual connections with others. We need the assurance that there is a guiding force working for our good. We want to focus on connecting with God and lessen the distractions that often seep into churches such as denominational politics, maintaining buildings and programs, filling committee positions and raising funds. We want to bring people together who hunger for God – helping them find the love of God, and then to live in loving ways.”
Weidlich is an eight-year resident of Petaluma and a Presbyterian pastor, having served churches in Sacramento, Portland and Petaluma. The Vine is not affiliated with a denomination, but is actively supportive of other houses of worship in Petaluma.
The Vine meets in an office building near Petaluma’s auto row – 1129 Industrial Avenue, Suite 208. Worship services feature music, Bible teaching applied to contemporary life and occasional meals.
More information on this new church, go to the Vine’s website: www.thevinepetaluma.org or call 707-256-8463.
Our Mission is to:
Lead people to saving faith in Jesus Christ,
Gather people to experience a Spirit-transformed life,
Worship God,
and Involve people to serve the community.
The Vine on Facebook
Our Core Values
We are dedicated to:
- Be Loved and Love.
It’s all about love – God’s unconditional love for us, our loving response to God and our God-given love for one another, whether neighbors, friends or enemies. (Luke 10:27-28[1]; Galatians 5:14[2])
- Inspirational Worship of God.
We express our love for God through heart-felt praise to God, constant thanksgiving, honest confession of sin and sincere devotion to biblical truth. The magnitude of our quest requires no less than our best efforts. (Deuteronomy 6:4[3]; Luke 10:27[4]; Psalm 100:1-5[5])
- Discipleship in a community of faith and love.
We are disciples or imitators of Jesus Christ and we seek to make disciples. Discipleship is not optional. We grow best when we grow together in the koinonia-fellowship of committed relationships. (Ephesians 5:1[6]; Hebrews 11:6[7]; Galatians 5:6[8])
- Attracting people to Christ.
We are passionate about proclaiming the Good News of God’s overwhelming love for all people so that people come to saving faith through Jesus Christ. (Luke 4:18-19[9]; Matthew 28:19-20[10]; Mark 16:15[11])
- Bible-centered learning.
Scripture is our final authority for faith and practice, as discerned by the worldwide believing community of faith through the ages, so it is essential that we learn and grow through the study of God’s word illuminated by the Holy Spirit, and through practical application to daily life through preaching, teaching, small group study and daily reading to connect with the mind and heart of God. (2 Timothy 3:16[12]; Acts 2:42[13] 2 Timothy 2:15[14])
- Healthy, Honest and Grace-filled Relationships with God and One Another.
We are committed to candor in our dealings with each other. Love compels us to speak truthfully with one another in the context of grace, providing meaningful support, accountability and discipline for the sake of our effective witness to those God calls us to reach. God’s grace compels us to deal graciously with each other, lovingly confronting when we have been hurt and always eager to forgive. (Ephesians 4:11-16[15])
- Full dependence upon God through prayer in all its forms.
As this is God’s work and not our own, we are completely dependent on God through prayer with thanksgiving, daily, to God, receiving forgiveness, strength, sustenance, provision, and seed. (Ephesians 6:18[16]; 1Thessalonians 5:17-18[17])
- Faithful stewardship of all our possessions for the glory of God.
We are not owners, but stewards of all God has entrusted to us. We give to God through the local church, not only to support worthy ministry, but out of obedience to God, trusting God’s promises that we are more blessed in giving than in receiving, tithing on all our increase, worshipfully, with joy, gladness and faith in God’s promises. (Malachi 3:10[18];
2 Corinthians 9:6-7[19])
- Unity through submission, first to God, then to each other.
Unity is essential for the health and growth of the church. Leaders are called to lead the church with humility and with authority, serving, not “lording it over” those they serve. We recognize the spiritual authority of the church’s leaders and are committed to following decisions properly made, except when doing so violates the conscience. James 4:6-7[20]; 1 Peter 5:5[21])
- Gift based service and leadership.
Ministry positions are filled according to spiritual maturity and spiritual gifts.
The church is led by those with Spirit-given leadership gifts, taught by those with teaching gifts, served by those with serving gifts…
Neither gender or race are factors in the gifting of believers, so no one is barred from a ministry because of gender or race. Neither is someone qualified because of gender or race. (Romans 12:4-8[22]; 1 Corinthians 12:28[23]; Galatians 3:26-28[24])
We are connected with City Ministries of Petaluma
- Connecting with the larger church of Jesus Christ.
Since we are part of the larger body of Christ – the Church – in existence for two millennia throughout the nations of the world, we celebrate our unity and partnership in the Gospel, draw upon the best traditions and practices of the church and connect with other churches in our community and beyond to fulfill the purposes of God. Denominations may be helpful, but are not essential for accomplishing God’s purposes (2 Corinthians 8:17-19[25])
- Growth through planting new churches.
The growth of Christ’s church requires new small groups and new congregations in our community and beyond. We are not seeking to become a self-contained mega-church. From the beginning, we plan to grow God’s kingdom in Petaluma through the establishment of new churches. We are called to make disciples in every nation, so we will support new churches in spiritually developing nations. (Acts 5:42[26]; Acts 14:23[27]; Matthew 28:19-20[28])
Revised March 1, 2012
[1] Luke 10:27-28 He answered: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.;’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
[2] Galatians 5:14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Leviticus 19:18)
[3] Deuteronomy 6:4-5 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
[4] Luke 10:27-28 He answered: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”
[5]Psalm 100:1-5 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. .
[6] Ephesians 5:1-2 Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
[7]Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
[8] Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
[9] Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
[10]Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
[11]Mark 16:15And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
[12]2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,
[13]Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
[14]2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
[15]Ephesians 4:11-16 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, (12) for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, (13) till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; (14) that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, (15) but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head–Christ– (16) from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
[16]Ephesians 6:18 …Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…
[17]1Thessalonians 5:17-18 Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
[18] Malachi 3:10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.
[19] 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 NLT Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”
[20] James 4:6-7 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
[21] 1 Peter 5:5 Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
[22] Romans 12:4-8 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
[23] 1 Corinthians 12:28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.
[24] Galatians 3:26-28 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
[25] 2 Corinthians 8:17-19 For Titus not only welcomed our appeal, but he is coming to you with much enthusiasm and on his own initiative. 18 And we are sending along with him the brother who is praised by all the churches for his service to the gospel. 19 What is more, he was chosen by the churches to accompany us as we carry the offering, which we administer in order to honor the Lord himself and to show our eagerness to help.
[26] Acts 5:42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ..
[27] Acts 14:23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
[28]Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
