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Serving Christ Through Action for Better Community

Tenets

AFFIRMATION OF WELCOME

We are called to be agents of healing in our society. To that end, USC actively welcomes individuals with diverse life experience including those of different age, race, sexual orientation, faith tradition, ability, and any other diverse background.

INTENTIONAL COMMUNITY

Urban Servant Corps volunteers enter into an intentional community living agreement. They commit to a simple lifestyle, spiritual growth, responsible stewardship of the earth's resources, mutual care and understanding, consensus-based problem solving, and walking with victims of injustice. To cultivate and strengthen the life of the community, volunteers are required to participate in activities each Monday night and one Friday a month. These community times embody what it means to be part of the Urban Servant Corps community.

SERVICE

The Denver community is greatly impacted by the service that is offered by USC volunteers! This tenet is the humble, daily practice of working at non-profit agencies as a volunteer. The commitment of service to the community is sharing gifts and offering of one's self in order to help those most in need.

SIMPLICITY

As a way to walk in solidarity with those who are being served at partner agencies of Urban Servant Corps, volunteers embrace a life of simplicity. There is a profound freedom in not engaging in our culture's consumeristic habits. This temtation is removed because of the $75 stipend that USC volunteers receive; there simply is not an opportunity for funds to be purchase unnecessary items. USC volunteers have discovered a new way of thinking about finances as they uphold the tenet of financial simplcity. This tenet is also embraced by energy-efficient and earth-friendly ideals that are practiced.

SPIRITUALITY

Urban Servant Corps is affiliated with the Evengelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). We are supported by a number of Lutheran congregations and by the Rocky Mountain Synod. All USC volunteers engage in a monthly worship service and a montly faith reflection night. However, volunteers do not have to identify as Lutheran or Christian to participate in Urban Servant Corps. We welcome folks from all faith traditions and theological perspectives; in fact, that adds a rich dynamic to our conversations about spirituality!

RECONCILING IN CHRIST

The Urban Servant Corps is a Reconciling in Christ organization. As a community of God, we are called to minister to all people of our world, knowing that the world is often an unloving place. Our world is a place of alienation and brokenness. Christ calls us to reconciliation and wholeness. We are challenged by the Gospel to be agents of healing within our society. Because gay and lesbian persons are often scorned by society and alienated from the Church, we wish to make known our caring and concern. It is for this purpose that we affirm the following (language used from Reconciling in Christ materials):

  • that gay and lesbian people share with all others the worth that comes from being unique individuals created by God;

  • that gay and lesbian people are welcome within the membership of this congregation (organization or synod) upon making the same affirmation of faith that all other people make; and

  • that as members of this congregation (organization or synod), gay and lesbian people are expected and encouraged to share in the sacramental and general life of this congregation (organization or synod).