How can my community serve the wider whole?

A healthy spiritual community is never just for itself. Every spiritual innovation exists as part of a larger whole and must be shaped by a sense of mutual care and interdependence. Communities and organizations that stay insular risk becoming hollow or self-serving. But when we align our values with our actions toward our neighbors, we not only become more trustworthy, we become more spiritually alive.

In 1947, Church of the Saviour was born as a new congregation in Washington, DC. A true innovative community in its commitment to being multi-denominational and multi-racial, it also never owned a traditional building. Its focus was always its mission of service to others. Since then, the community has launched dozens of social service initiatives and non-profits that have positively impacted the lives of thousands.

Spiritual innovation isn’t just about creating meaningful experiences, it’s also about building a more just and loving world. This means that it is essential to turn toward those who have been pushed to the margins: the poor, the excluded, the oppressed. When we root our work in justice and service, we remember that spirituality isn’t only about personal transformation—it’s about collective liberation. This work asks us to move beyond inspiration alone and into accountability: to examine who benefits from our efforts, and who might be left out. 

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Invitation to reflect

To start, you might reflect on these collective liberation questions when launching a new project:

• Who are we centering? 
• What could we add to this project to center collective liberation?
• What could we do differently to better embody our values and ethical commitments?
• Where might we take a learning stance?
• Where might we take a leadership stance?
• How might we speak truth through this work?

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Further exploration

For a deeper dive, you might find it helpful to review this handbook from Church of the Saviour, which is designed for their mission groups – namely, small groups dedicated to inner and outer transformation. Their model brings together spiritual growth and social action, which the handbook accompanies you through, with information on forming, acting, and reflecting on your work together. Consider how their approach might inform or diverge from yours.