CWACM logo & core values: Community, Justice, Faith

CWACM

CWACM core values: Community, Justice, Faith

Meeting since 2001, organized in 2002 and incorporated in 2004, The Church Within A Church Movement (CWACM) began as a grassroots response, a church within a church (for some, a resistance movement) to discriminatory, harmful and oppressive actions of the United Methodist Church (UMC) toward Transgender, Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual people. Rather than try to engage the UMC directly to change the official 40+ year position that still says, “Homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teaching,” CWACM chose an alternate path; BE the fully inclusive and just church, now.

In that spirit, CWACM has evolved, wrestled and stretched into a justice movement offering place, healing, education and inspiration beyond denominational borders. A founding proclamation to be more than a single issue movement has manifested a church trial, anti-racist declaration of organizational intent, racial identity caucusing, extraordinary ordinations, justice ministries of presence and community values including non-hierarchical shared leadership. We are growing a Movement offering a way along the way unbound by the assumed earmarks of the status quo. We gather to engage, heal and listen. We challenge assumptions of tradition and power. We embrace our heritage and value the gifts of our present; often messy, passionate, real, dynamic and ultimately inspiring community-building and a structure of BElonging through radical inclusion.

Mission

person and dog walk through woods with fall leaves

The Church Within A Church Movement senses the Divine call to be in mutual relationship with those on the margins.

We learn from each other and with each other by creating a shared space of mutual accountability and responsibility.

Core Values

open hands

The Church Within A Church Movement (CWACM) values Community, Faith and Justice. We are passionate about bringing these elements together in our Core Values, which require actions of justice through relationship-building that tear down walls that privilege some and marginalize and exclude others. We hold these Core Values equally and concurrently.

Coordinating Team

Rocky area in woods with campfire ring two Adirondack chairs

The national Coordinating Team provides organizational leadership supported by CWAC Movement’s core values as a justice community, responsible for the Movement and actions of the Corporation as a 501(c)(3) religious organization.

The national Coordinating Team (CT) gathers monthly by phone and face-to-face twice-annually at CWACM’s Justice Summits.

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