Archive for January 2010

 
 

Prayer Installation

Did you know that slavery still goes on in our city, in SW Atlanta? More than 250 girls are commercially sexually exploited a month in Georgia, and according to a 2005 Mayors report, much of this is hidden in our SW Atlanta neighborhoods. Come learn more about this issue and how to be part of the solution.

Drop in to an open house that will include “System of Chance” found-art exhibit by Andy Imm, as well as various interactive prayer stations and a short documentary viewing. Come for as short or as long as you’d please.


Thursday, January 28, 12-8pm
hosted by: Rice Memorial Presbyterian
1515 Brewer Blvd SW (corner of Deckner, Sylvan, Brewer)
Atlanta, 30310

FACT CHECK?
Listen to recent WABE’s interview about Georgia sex exploitation and upcoming policy decision:
Read recent GA Governor’s office’s report on commercial sex exploitation.

MATERIALS:
Information about the coalition of churches sponsoring: www.streetgrace.org
Download a flyer on the event.


About

The Abbey organized in the fall of 2008 on a neighborhood back porch with two commitments, exploring the way of Jesus for city folks, and seeking the growth of the community from within instead of from outside. Several of us had kids and we prayed that the girls we were raising and the girls walking the sidewalks as prostitutes would benefit together from our church's presence. Never one at the expense of the other.

We took on the language of the Abbey to communicate the historic tradition of orders of faith plopping down in the middle of a city and making "sanctuary"' for the wanderer and for the beautiful. We wanted our identity to be tied to this kind of posture and practice.

We took as our patron saint, the Good Samaritan, our Neighbor. He knew what is was like to be outside of religious groups. He was not the person the religious reader would have expected to act with God's desired compassion. And yet his "neighboring" became the exemplar in Jesus' tale told to the lawyer who wanted to be awarded life eternal for his doctrine or his behaviors.

Neighbors Abbey does not simply bring the dreams of God to SW Atlanta, we expect to learn them from neighbors who have already been participating in these ways. This is part of what it means for us to walk in Jesus' Way, its just what those early disciples and the lawyer and the neck-craning religious leaders would have run into walking along with Jesus.

Now we meet for meals, to help our neighbors, to pray, to discuss scripture, to design public performance art projects, to mentor youth, and many other things.

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