shalom-making
Shalom, the well-being of all God's creation, is at the very heart of the Gospel, the good news Jesus offers the world. Through Jesus' redemptive and restorative life, death and resurrection, we find peace with God and peace in God's community, peace among neighbors and nations, peace over creation and economies and militaries and families and within the heart of every human. The world as-it-is is not the world-as-it-should-be. And, because of God's promises - and because of God's action in Jesus Christ - the world will one day be brought back to wholeness. Shalom.
God's shalom is not merely a distant vision, but it is breaking in even now, wherever the Kingdom of God takes hold. We seek to join God's shalom in a myriad of ways. Most of these ways, you'd have to discover by having actual conversations with people in our community. Some are working for shalom in our city's schools. Some are making God's world more beautiful with painting, melodies, lyrics, stories, photos and craft. Some are managing employees with dignity. Some are creating jobs for others. Some are stretching their mind and gathering wisdom to teach others to live justly and wisely. Some work for justice in a life of prayer. Some are healers in the hospital, and some take broken things (houses and electrical wiring, for instance) and put them back together again. Some are raising children to be honest and merciful. Some pursue friendship with the broken.
However, for all of us, shalom is not first something we do; but it is something done to us. God gives us well-being, hope and justice. And then we just pass it along.
We also participate in God's work of shalom-making together, as a community. We have committed to give away 20% of our community's funds each year. Here are a few of the places and people we are joining, with our work and our money, for the hope of shalom.
the haven
Charlottesville's downtown day shelter for our homeless friends. All Souls works the breakfast shift each Monday.
PACEM
Charlottesville's winter homeless shelter. All Souls supports housing and meals during shelter season.
the spence network
A regional leadership network
virginia baptist mission board
Leading efforts such as disaster relief, Haitian development and work across the African continent.
IMPACT
An interfaith coalition working with issues of justice in our city.