Spirit-led & Emergent
We follow a Spirit-led flow, where we all have a voice and take part in discerning God’s dream for our community. We seek to be flexible, adaptive, spontaneous, trusting, bold, and humble in the face of that great calling.
Collective Liberation
We celebrate and center Blackness and indigeneity, rising to resist the forces of white supremacy and colonization. We join with all the crucified peoples of the world in solidarity as one struggle for liberation.
Ancestors
Recovering our people’s wisdom and practices, we call in our ancestors, reconnecting to the sanctity of earth-based knowledge, reverence for creation, and the rich well of African-centered heritage. Through intention, teaching and ritual we engage in Sacred Memory.
(Mama Itihari Touré)
Our Roots
Turn the world upside down
We lift up the wisdom, creativity, and leadership of those most impacted by systemic oppression. The world is upside down. When we are together, we work to turn it right side up with our own style of gospel-centered resilience-based organizing.
Sacred Ceremony
Our bodies, histories, dreams and intentions come into contact with the sacred through ceremony, when the Holy Spirit moves into our midst we witness & share power together. Marking time and celebrating , we are formed through these moving prayers and living altars.
Collaboration & Co-creation
Reminded by Rev. Dr. James Cone that theology is contextual and springs from God’s people, we are always prepared—and actively preparing—to give an account of the hope that is within us (1 Peter 3). We do this by taking turns in preaching, shaping and leading liturgy and ceremonies, and reflecting on holy moments together.
Love & Grace
God is always reaching for us, and we reach for each other. Christ is with us, Christ is for us, and goes with us.
Harm Reduction & Mutual Aid
We aim to meet each other where we are and join in the acknowledgment that people are suffering due to evil systems - principalities and powers - such as the war on drugs and systemic racism. We invite, facilitate, and participate in multiple forms of community taking care of community.
Belovedness
The world can have its opinions. But we know who we are. We are children of God. God made us beautiful, and God made us good: Black, Brown, Queer, Trans, Disabled, we are all reflections of the Divine.
“inch wide, mile deep”
We are committed to learning practices, building skills, creating capacities that prevent, intervene, and reduce harm; transforming the spaces we inhabit to be equitable and just. We take time with each other. (adrienne maree brown)
Faith Expansive
We have different experiences of God; faith, no faith, different faith. We are all family.
Life from Death
It is out of death that God brings new life: as the poet Rumi writes, God is working a massive resurrection - calling the things not being as being (Romans) is the ultimate testament of Gods work with us. God calls from death and every dying place a new life, loving us into love and freeing us into freedom (Christopher Morse).