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Welcome.
And, God's Peace be with you.
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OpenChurches.org is the website of a ministry, and a movement, that is dedicated to proclaiming God's Ideals --- in word, in deed, and in creative artistic expression.
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People have called this ministry / movement :
- "profoundly SIMPLE",
- "wonderfully ECUMENICAL", and
- "quite PROPHETIC".
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It is about churches everywhere --- of every denomination --- and about how most of these churches today ( i.e., far too many of them) are locked up (so much of the time), when, in fact, they are really meant to be open --- open as places of refuge / shelter / sanctuary --- especially for anyone who is in need of such. And, "anyone" means ANYONE --- i.e., women who are trying to get away from an abusive spouse / partner; or, children who, for whatever reason, feel the need to run away from home; in other words, men, women and children who, for whatever reason, have become homeless (or, otherwise, in need of refuge). Any of these individuals --- all of whom are precious in God's sight --- should be able to come to ANY church and expect to find the doors OPEN (not locked-up), they should be able to find Christian people present, and ready, to:
- welcome them in,
- offer them shelter,
- give them refuge,
- practice radical Christian hospitality, and
- (simply) BE a living sanctuary !
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This ministry is largely about the profound fact that Jesus, Himself, was homeless and in need of refuge (at various times throughout His life); and, as such, ALL churches, then, ought to be OPEN, and not locked up !
(For, as it is written in Psalm 9:9, "the Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble"; and, as Jesus once said, "Whenever you neglect the needs of the least of my brothers and sisters, you neglect my needs as well", Matthew 25:45.)
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I speak of these and other things --- in word, in deed, and in art works --- at churches, colleges and universities ( i.e., wherever I get invited to speak and to show my artwork).
I have been doing this for over 10 years, now; having started in Boston, MA; but, more recently, I have taken my presentations and "traveling art show" on the road. I am about to start my third, annual, Cross Country Speaking Tour.
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(More to follow, later; as this is a work-in-progress.)
