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18 ˜ A Work of Hospitality, 1982–2002
the homeless poor, not far from where you are sitting right now. Our crucified
Lord lives caged in the state prisons with girls and boys, women and men. He
lives, the one who out of the manger in a barn (and out of the parking garage
behind the Hilton Hotel) suffers the little children to come unto him. But the
too-busy disciples clamor against him and keep their eyes on the clock and their
hearts on the weekend. (They would rather be sailing than walking on the
water.)
Our childlike, donkey-riding leader gathers early each morning before us at
910 and Butler Street and everywhere with the poor, ill-clad, hungry folk that
yuppies hate and fear: citizens of this great land and subjects of the Kingdom
of God.
Yes, in the cries of the oppressed we discern the groan of God whose fierce
and fiery womblike love calls us at the Open Door into a life of community in
solidarity with the poor; into joy and dance with each other; into the political
dominions to root out the powers and principalities that encourage some to eat
too much while famine stalks the ghettos and streets of every town and city in
this nation which is, according to Mr. George Gallup, God-fearing. Political and
economic hunger encourage some to enlarge their homes and to panel their attics
in cedar while others shake and shiver on the streets, or turn, twist, and tumble
from the blasting fury of a sun whose air is unconditioned.
So, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Ghost,
to the glory of Yahweh whom we know as mother-love, father-love—we at the
Open Door Community live, serve, worship, play, and die together. And because
of you, our faithful friends, we are thankful folk. We thank you for helping
to make our lives possible, and we hope that you will come and visit us.
aims
Now that I have shared the purposes of our little community, let me tell you
of our doings, our aims.
First, we live together. If ever there were a mark of the church which needs
to be joined to the classical notion of preaching and sacraments, it is diversity.
Ironically, we are given the gift of unity in the midst of diversity. We meet our
God in otherness. We at the Open Door Community are old and young; Black,
Brown, and White; men, women, and children; strong and weak; highly educated
and illiterate; gay and straight; mentally ill and supposedly sane; married
and single; short and tall, fat and skinny; joyful and sad—all the joys and agonies
that this fool flesh is heir to! In the midst of our sin and brokenness, our
blessing and curses, our light and shadows, each of us and all of us are claimed
by the grace of God, who calls us into a family of faith to live in this household
of hope. Wow! What a miracle we are at Ponce de Leon!
Second, we work together. We serve up to ten thousand meals each month