Partners in Ministry
These are organizations that Atlanta Mennonite Fellowship partners with in various ways:
Alterna: based in LaGrange, Georgia, Alterna is "an experiment in Christian missional living, welcoming the stranger and offering hospitality to Jesus who often visits us as an unauthorized immigrant from Latin America." AMF supports Alterna financially, one of our members serves on Alterna's board, and we have partnered with Alterna for a variety of events. Alterna has recently rented a hospitality house near the Stewart Detention Center in Lumpkin, GA, to provide hospitality to family members visiting detainees, where some of our members regularly serve as hosts.
http://www.alternacommunity.com/
Atlanta Friends Meeting: we rent space from this Quaker congregation and fellowship and work together around our shared commitment to peace and social justice.
Berea Mennonite Church: another Mennonite Church USA in Atlanta, with whom we work to support the Peach Cobbler Relief Sale and other ministries and events.
http://www.bereamennonitechurch.com/
Christian Peacemaker Teams: "What would happen if Christians devoted the same discipline and self-sacrifice to nonviolent peacemaking that armies devote to war?" AMF supports this organization financially.
DOOR (Discovering Opportunities for Outreach and Reflection): This joint MCUSA/PCUSA ministry is "a faith-based network of six cities that provides opportunities for service, learning and leadership development within the urban context." AMF rents a house to one of DOOR-Atlanta's "Dwell" units, has a member on DOOR-Atlanta's board, supports DOOR financially, and enjoys interacting with DOOR participants in many ways.
Forever Changed International: "Passionately serving the world's forgotten children." One couple from AMF has adopted twin boys from Guatemala, and another is in the process of adopting a girl from there. Forever Changed runs the orphanage where she is living until the adoption is completed. AMF supports Forever Changed financially.
http://www.foreverchangedinternational.org/
Georgia Peace and Justice Coalition: GPJC aims to promote peaceful alternatives to war and violence, and to provide leadership in nonviolently opposing wars and policies of aggression and domination. Members of AMF helped found GPJC in 2002, and one of our members serves on its steering committee.
The Iraqi Student Project: This organization "seeks to make undergraduate education possible for qualified students who were studying in Iraq, are unable to continue their education because of the violence, and intend to return and contribute to the rebuilding of Iraq." AMF contributes financially to this project.
http://iraqistudentproject.org/
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC): This is the primary Anabaptist service organization, operating globally since 1920. "Around the world, MCC shares God's love and compassion in the name of Christ by responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice." AMF helps raise money for MCC through the Peach Cobbler Relief Sale (below).
Oakleaf Mennonite Farm: This Community Supported Agriculture farm, a ministry of Berea Mennonite Church (above), is on the grounds of Berea. Several people from AMF purchase shares in the CSA and volunteer their labor on the farm.
http://www.bereamennonitechurch.com/farm.html
The Open Door Community: This "residential community in the Catholic Worker tradition... seeks to dismantle racism, sexism and heterosexism, abolish the death penalty, and proclaim the Beloved Community through loving relationships with some of the most neglected and outcast of God’s children: the homeless and our sisters and brothers who are in prison." AMF members have long-term relationships with The Open Door's founders. AMF supports their ministry financially, has held joint services with their community, and provided meals as part of their ministry.
Peace Builders Camp: This weeklong camp seeks to "introduce middle-school-aged children (ages 10-14) to a wide variety of peacebuilding, social justice, and civil rights activities and inspire them to consider how they can make a positive difference in their world." This camp bases the week’s experiences on the United Nation’s Declaration of Human Rights, while exploring ways people in the Americus/Plains area are working to make those rights reality. An AMF member is the cofounder of this camp, and AMF sponsors the camp by sharing our tax-exempt status with the Peace Builders Camp so that donations are tax-deductible.
http://www.peacebuilderscamp.org/
Peach Cobbler Relief Sale: This annual auction of quilts, hand-made furniture and crafts is held the third weekend in September at the state fairgrounds in Perry, Georgia. Proceeds go to the work of MCC (above). AMF helped begin this sale in 2000. Many of us create items for sale, volunteer in numerous ways before and at the sale, and of course, spend our money for a good cause at the sale.
http://www.peachcobblersale.org/
10,000 Villages: This nonprofit program of MCC "creates opportunities for artisans around the globe to earn a fair wage" through a chain of stores selling products produced for living wages. Several people from AMF have volunteered and worked at the local 10,000 Villages store over the years.
