Presence. Prayer. Advocacy.
"I have been all things unholy. If God can work through me, He can work through anyone". — St. Francis of Assisi
The “Candelabra” tree in Deering Oaks Park, Portland, Maine
Vision
Moving toward true shalom, a just and equitable society, de-emphasizing our differences and building on the reality of our common experience and the truth of our kinship with each other.
Mission
We are an outreach ministry offering a consistent, compassionate, pastoral presence to the homeless and marginalized in downtown Portland, Maine - to relieve suffering, to address the spiritual needs in this ever-shifting community, and to decrease the prejudice between the housed and the homeless through preaching, education, and experience.
Our mission is not to duplicate the already rich network of social services that exist, but to support through presence, prayer, and advocacy the spiritual reality of life. Of course, though this may sound lofty, it is at times as simple as sharing a cup of coffee in Dunkin Donuts or finding someone a used bicycle to make getting about easier. It can also be as psychologically and theologically complex as being with people who have been beaten and discarded and are sure that God does not exist in the reality of their suffering.