The Open Door is a residential Christian community. Believing that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a radical Word that calls for justice and righteousness rooted in the non-violent love of the Cross, we live together in an effort to resist the powers and principalities in our world. We struggle to resist the idols of money, power, violence, sexism, racism, death, war and the self. We also live together as a form of the body of Christ on earth in an effort to express the joy of salvation and the servanthood of discipleship. Our joy is expressed in worship, work, parenting, visiting, playing, eating together, friendship and study.
In
all of our life and work together we strive to encounter and challenge the
barriers of sexism, racism and classism that are within our own hearts and in
our social structures. Because our community includes African Americans,
European Americans, Hispanics, women and men, rich and poor, we deal with these
issues on a daily basis. Living at the Open Door, therefore, requires a
willingness to work for change in our social structures and in ourselves.
Our
servanthood takes two basic forms. First, we are servants to those in prison,
especially those under the sentence of death. In the name of Jesus we visit our
condemned friends and witness against the death penalty in this state. Second,
we serve the homeless and hungry on the streets of Atlanta. We share bread and
beds with the poor and join our voices with the cries of the poor for justice in
this city.
Some
of the specifics of our ministry include providing shelter, breakfast, a soup
kitchen, showers, clothes, advocacy for the homeless, visitation and
letter-writing to prisoners, work with families of prisoners and anti-death
penalty advocacy.
In
all our work, we are called to practice hospitality and friendliness. We are not
here to simply provide services, but to share God's love, mercy and compassion
with our oppressed brothers and sisters. The following excerpt may be helpful in
understanding hospitality:
"This is the ideal of hospitality: being sister to sister, brother to
brother, children to the same Parent. Not scientific social work-hospitality.
Not haughty superior dealing with ‘problem cases’-hospitality. Not
condescending judge dealing with errant accused-hospitality. No, hospitality is
derived from the Latin word for ‘guest.’ It expresses a relationship between
equal people: host and guest. It is bound by the rules of courtesy and human
companionship, and ruled by the law of charity.
There are always men and women who need hospitality, for one reason or another. There are, in an imperfect world of imperfect men and women, always those who need a calling back to life, a restoration of personality. There are always those lonely people, in all times, in all places, who need the knowledge of being respected as men and women, of living with other men and women with dignity, of sharing their own burdens with others and bearing some of the burdens for others.
Hospitality reminds people that they are sisters and brothers, children of God,
dependent on others and capable of being depended on by others.
It
is not a specialized work, requiring scientific training. It is something for
everyone to practice according to the measure they are able to do so.
The
charm of hospitality, because it is peculiarly human, appeals to all people…It
is not surprising that often God should use the hospitality people give each
other as an instrument of God's grace.” – John Cogley, The Catholic
Worker, October 1947
Expected Resident Volunteer terms are six months to one year. The Leadership Team of the Open Door will consider exceptions to this on an individual basis.
As a Christian
community, we are servants with, among and on behalf of the poor. Our lives are
centered in worship, and our servanthood grows out of our personal and corporate
relationship with Jesus Christ. Thus worship, sharing and study-reflection are
as essential to our lives, as are the soup kitchen, showers and prison
ministries. To this end we agree to gather together for:
The
Open Door owns several vehicles. They are primarily for use in our ministries.
We strongly encourage all community members to use public transportation, and we
provide tokens for this purpose.
[Please
attach a recent photo here]
1.
Please mail or fax the completed form and your Faith History to:
Phil
Leonard
The Open Door Community
910 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE
Atlanta, GA 30306-4212
Fax
404-874-7964
2.
Please have the following individuals provide references directly to the
Open Door Community using the separate reference form:
1.
Your pastor or spiritual director
2. A close friend and peer
3. A teacher or employer
Today's Date: ________________________
Name:
_____________________________________________________
Address: ___________________________________________________
City/State/ZIP ___________________________________________________
Phone:
(Day) ____________________ (Night) ____________________
Email:
____________________________________________________
Age: ________ Date of birth: ______________________
In case of accident or illness, please contact:
(name) _____________________________________
(phone)
_____________________________________
Do you smoke?
_______
What is your
current living situation (job, school, etc.)?
What future plans
or commitments do you have?
How is your
health? Do you have any physical, mental, or addictive issues that we should be
aware of?
What dates are
you available for a volunteer term? Beginning ______ through ______
Please reflect
briefly on the following questions, using extra pages if needed.
1.
Have you lived in community before? If so, please describe.
2.
Please reflect on your views regarding women's issues in American
society. How does the Gospel relate to the oppression of women?
3.
List any experiences you have had working, studying, living, etc. with
people of a different class, race, or nationality from your own.
4.
What do you understand to be the relationship between TV and politics in
North American culture?
5.
What place and role do prayer, meditation, and rest have in your life?
Please write your
"Faith History" for us. This should be approximately five to ten typed
pages in length, and should describe your faith pilgrimage. The following
questions might be helpful to you as you consider your own history.
What are your present beliefs and faith struggles?
How have family background, education and church affiliation influenced
your faith pilgrimage?
What other life experiences have had significant impact on your beliefs?
What, if any, meaning does the Gospel as "good news to the
poor" have in your own theology?
In your particular beliefs, what is your understanding of the political
nature of the Gospel?
At this point in your life, do you experience a particular call or
vocation?
Why are you interested in volunteering at the Open Door?
[end
of application form]