It was the vision and dedication of a single congregation, Luther Place Memorial Church, which led to the establishment of LVC. Today, congregations across the country continue to be vibrant and vital members of the LVC community.
Congregations ground LVC more deeply in the communities LVC serves, and help LVC maintain its strong calling to Christian mission. There are many ways local congregations are part of LVC.
Donor Congregations are local congregations and religious groups from across the country that support the mission and vision of LVC. LVC seeks to partner with congregations to journey together in working for social justice, creating intentional community, and encouraging simple, sustainable living. Through spiritual and financial support, congregations and other religious groups help make LVC’s mission possible. LVC provides materials, such as inserts and the LVC newsletter, opportunities to hear from LVC alumni and current volunteers, and other ways to help congregations learn and reflect on social justice, community and simple, sustainable living in their own congregation.
Support Congregations are local partners in neighborhoods where LVC volunteer intentional communities live. These congregations provide physical, financial and personal support directly to the LVC volunteer communities, the Local Support Committee and LVC as a whole. This support is an outgrowth of the specific gift, talents and resources of the congregation and therefore the type of support given varies greatly from support congregation to support congregation. This relationship is very fluid and based on immediate local gifts and needs. As a whole, Support Congregations currently:
- provide LVC office space;
- provide housing for LVC volunteers;
- provider household furnishings;
- assisting with relocating houses within their city;
- host local commissioning services and events;
- pickup volunteers upon first arrival in their cities;
- serve as placement agencies;
- provide financial support to LVC and support fund development efforts;
- provide pastoral counseling and worship support to volunteers and staff;
- provide LVC volunteers a relationship with a worshipping congregation;
- help represent LVC in their cities and synods and;
- many other activities.
Sustaining Congregations have a structured and formal relationship with LVC due to the fact that Sustaining Congregations are responsible for sending representatives to be members of the LVC Board of Directors. Sustaining Congregations provide national leadership and support at significant and crucial levels. Because of the high level of leadership and commitment required for Sustaining Congregations, it is likely that Sustaining Congregations will emerge from among Support Congregations or Donor Congregations. Currently, each Sustaining Congregation will send a representative to sit on the Board of Directors.
