the characteristic spirit of a culture and community as manifested in its beliefs and aspirations) by collectively helping those who embody it find one another, know and encourage one another, and model that ethos for others in their local contexts. Our efforts must result in solidarity with and service alongside our neighbors in need – the poor and the vulnerable. We intend to do this by building
bridges of respect, understanding, and collaboration for the common good. We reject the categories that have too often divided us in the past - Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant, liberal and conservative, evangelical and emerging, clergy and laity, LGBTQ and “straight”, white and “people of color”, male and female. Instead, we can meet one another as sisters and brothers in Christ, members of the Kingdom of God, present on earth today, and colleagues in mission. As some forms of Christianity are becoming increasingly reactionary, strident, ingrown, consumerist, dedicated to “isms” in place of the Gospel, or exclusionary, the need for an ethos which seeks a different future becomes even more acute. It is not anticipated that participants need to agree on everything but that they are willing to give space to discern and struggle together with the realities of their diverse contexts. We hope to serve and augment the work of existing churches and organizations (both traditional and non-traditional) and inspire new ones. As a circle of friends and colleagues, we seek to provide a constructive, viable, and hopeful community for service, connection and conversation. This may be the place for you if you wish to work alongside a diverse group of people by participating in actions to care for the planet, promote peace and reconciliation, reduce poverty, and serve the outcast and disenfranchised. These service engagements will be decided by the participants at Red Letter Christian Fellowship in a learning spirit and we will encourage and serve the local ministries with whom we partner.
