A Roadmap for Beloved Community 

What? 

Beloved Community is a vision to create a compassionate and inclusive society where Love is at the center. Beloved Community has an intentional focus on growing an attitude of non-judgement, nonviolence, forgiveness, and mindfulness. Beloved Community was first used by Josiah Royce and more recently recognized through the work of Martin Luther King, Jr. As practitioners of Compassion we seek to be agents of transformation in our communities where we are open and loving to one another, recognizing we need each other to be the whole body of Christ. 

Why? 

We are surrounded by fear, disrespect, alienation, and othering. Our world is in deep need of reconciliation.  As Beloved Community we are followers of Jesus and his inclusive, compassionate walking with those who were lost, least and left out. Jesus modeled for us and invites us to this ministry of love by feeding the hungry, weeping with the grieving, welcoming the outcast, (the other), forgiving the guilty. This response calls us to be counter-cultural and we find ourselves  walking on the edges of society extending care, kindness and compassion. 

When? 

Now! We are called to live out our faith, love, and compassion daily. For some this call begins through the waters of Baptism.  Regardless, it begins with each of us via our actions toward self, one another and God’ creation. For those living in Beloved Community we are invited to step back and hold a mirror up to ourselves to recognize in the many ways we struggle and are broken and yet called to live out this love. We have Love within us already waiting for us to recognize its presence within us.  

How? 

Becoming aware of the many ways our world is suffering, (its people and creation) both concealed and outwardly observed. The first step requires an attitude that recognizes our connectivity and oneness with all of life.

”If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” 1 Corinthians 12: 26 

Movements toward Beloved Community

  • Awareness

    Seeing in the Mirror Both Our Brokenness and our Lovedness.

    • Having Bias - Implicit and Explicit

    • Listening to Self, God, One Another

    • Naming and Claiming God-Given Gifts

    • Recognizing Saboteurs

    • Living Aligned with Core Values

  • Attitude

    Shapes Behavior - and Obstructs or Constructs Paths to Action.

    • Perspective

    • Emotions and Feelings

    • Components of Attitude: Affective, Behavioral and Cognitive

    • Shaped and Formed: Conditioning

    • Listening

    • Prayerful Openness

  • Action

    Supportive Small Groups of Beloved Community

    These Communities are Designed to Support Us to Grow Compassion of Self, One Another and All of Creation.

    • Practicing Compassion Through Prayerful Listening, Openness to Growing Self-Awareness and Self-Compassion

    • Covenant to Each Other to be a Compassionate Presence and be Truth-Tellers in Love When We Fall Short. Becoming a Supportive Brave Space to be Who We Are. Allowing Others to See Us as Simultaneously Both Saint and Sinner in Need of Forgiveness and Love.

    • A Place to Name the Obstacles that Get in the Way of Beloved Community.

“Love and compassion evolve as we heal and love ourselves and as we see the goodness and light within that is shining in our neighbor.”

An audio description of Beloved Community

Becoming  a Part of Beloved Community Through a  Litany of Affirmations (Prayer Seeds by Joyce Rupp page 129).

You will set aside your own story to listen fully to another’s. 

You will hear revelations that evoke tears in your heart. 

You will listen to joys that make you want to cheer. 

You will be silent when speech would only get in the way. 

You will witness amazing strength in those who have suffered. 

You will speak with the wisdom of the One who breathes in you. 

You will draw strength from knowing you are not in charge. 

You will watch how growth happens in surprising ways. 

You will wait patiently while deep healing takes place. 

You will be aware of your ego when it wants to take over. 

You will be inspired by seeing how the Divine moves in another. 

You will offer compassion to those who find life difficult. 

You will affirm those who choose fresh ways to inner peace. 

You will be grateful for the privilege and gifts of companioning others. 

  • B

    Belonging: 

    How do we create spaces where all feel they belong? 

  • E

    Equity:

    Are we committed to just/fair practices in our community life? 

  • L

    Love in Action: 

    How is love showing up in our speech, service, stewardship

  • O

    Openness: 

    Are we open to being changed by others’ stories and needs? 

  • V

    Voice: 

    Whose voices are heard and whose are missing or silenced?

  • E

    Empathy:

    How do we practice listening with the heart? 

  • D

    Dignity: 

    How do we affirm the sacred worth of every person? 

 In Dr. King’s Sermon on Gandhi, he explained both the strategic and ethical reasons why the Beloved Community must be the end goal of all efforts to create positive change: 

“The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community, so that when the battle’s over, a new relationship comes into being between the oppressed and the oppressor…. The way of acquiescence leads to moral and spiritual suicide. The way of violence leads to bitterness in the survivors and brutality in the destroyers. But, the way of non-violence leads to redemption and the creation of the beloved community.”

We commit to developing and maintaining a culture dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We welcome everyone regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, age, or ability. Together, we will continue to create spaces for belonging and embodying Beloved Community.