Developing a community of flourishing neighbors.
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MISSION & HISTORY.
Community Flourishing Initiatives (CFI) exists to love our neighbors as ourselves by creating initiatives that strengthen and broaden the pathways of family, work, education, and belonging to a religious community. We believe that when people are flourishing in these areas, they are more likely to experience a good life and to have a positive impact on their community. Ultimately, all of this will be done in hopes that people might come to know the true source of life, Jesus, and in relationship with Him enjoy real human flourishing.
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This mission came from a simple but powerful command: to love our neighbors as ourselves. We asked what this love was supposed to look like and it challenged us.
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No one wants to just “get by.” We all long for a life that feels full and stable. When loving our families and our friends, we don’t want them to just be “okay.” We long for ourselves and those whom we love to flourish and enjoy a good life. We believe that this longing is good and right. Because of this, we are dedicated to seeing our neighbors flourish in the very ways we want for our own families.
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Starting in Casselberry, Florida where local churches, across denominations, have already come together to serve their local community, CFI has been formed to identify real needs, organize initiatives, and empower churches to love their neighbors in South Seminole County. We define South Seminole County as Casselberry, Altamonte Springs, Fern Park, Maitland, Longwood, Winter Park and Winter Springs.
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Research
​In recent years, there has been a lot of interest in the concept of human flourishing. Harvard Professor Tyler VanderWeele, a premier researcher on this topic, in his paper "On The Promotion of Human Flourishing" defines flourishing this way, “Flourishing itself might be understood as a state in which all aspects of a person’s life are good.” He goes on to define five markers of human flourishing as having close social relationships, self reported happiness, a sense of meaning and purpose to life, good mental and physical health, and growing virtue and character.
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VanderWeele also found that there are four avenues or pathways that deeply contribute to people’s flourishing: family, work, education, and belonging to a religious community. These pathways are widely available and have demonstrable effects on people’s happiness, life satisfaction, sense of purpose, character, mental and physical health, and close social relationships.
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​Where our beliefs diverge from Harvard’s research is our unflinching conviction that true flourishing happens when people have a right relationship with God through Jesus.
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Community Flourishing will seek to broaden and strengthen these pathways for everyone in our community.
PARTNERING CHURCHES
Community Flourishing Initiatives collaborates with churches across denominations and city lines.