What's in a word? A prism makes a good metaphor for our understanding of "mission".

An organization's mission and mission statement are distinctly different, though intimately related. A mission statement expresses what we do. Our mission expresses who we are. Although a mission statement's concept is usually easy to understand, the intangible idea of mission is often difficult to grasp. Many images have been used to illustrate an organization's mission; however, one image stands out above the rest: the prism. No matter where one places the prism, the light passing through has a different reflection. Each facet represents a different aspect of our ministry. When mission plays a critical role in our work, we know-no matter what particular work we do-that the work has been made sacred and changed to reflect the mission experience.