Organizing for Mission

Who we are

The Organizing for Mission Cohort is a community of practitioners who are using the arts and skills of community organizing to develop and redevelop gospel-centric communities that act for the sake of the world. Our work includes working with a base of people to identify concerns within a community, research innovative solutions, and build power towards creating system change. We are rooted in neighborhoods, see ourselves as accountable to people before programs, and are working together to sharpen our analysis of the social/economic/political factors affecting our communities.

This group has made an explicit commitment to include participants who come from communities often underrepresented in the life of the church (i.e. low-income, people of color, immigrant communities etc) in order to give life and active participation to the Organizing for Mission Cohort.

The organizing for mission cohort has numerous avenues for connection, professional support, agitation, learning, and training. We host monthly contextual bible studies, offer multiple community organizing trainings throughout the year, and host bi-annual gatherings that are hosted by a member congregation.

For more information, please contact Organizing for Mission coordinator, Kelly Marciales.

Values & Practices

All of our practices flow from an understanding that Jesus was an organizer, galvanizing people around a shared vision of an alternative society characterized by justice and compassion which he called the “kingdom of God.” We know the people joined the Jesus movement because it made a material difference in the quality of their lives and our gospel witness is to do the same in the communities we are called to serve. - Power is relational - Organizing practice is a primary means for the Church in mission - Theology informs practice, practice informs theology - Your story and your pain are important, as are the stories and pain of your people

Supporting and equipping leaders

Supporting and equipping pastors and lay leaders is the vehicle we are using to create a movement of faith-based institutions that are creating systemic change and equal outcomes around race and economics. We form leaders to use the lens of unlikely relationships, racial and economic equity, and place based accountability to create a lived reality of love and justice in the places where our congregations are rooted. We gather twice a year, hosted by member congregations, and learn by experiencing a place together. We how the tools of organizing influence ministry and vice versa. Our annual cycle is anchored by a 5 day training on community organizing and congregational development that takes place in partnership with Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary