ECM contributes to vision of community, hospitality

Monday, August 4, 2008

Shannon Gorres is the facilitator of the Social Justice Action Wing at her church in Lawrence. Gorres, New Ulm, Minn., graduate student, said for people to get up and do something, even if it’s just riding a bike to church to save energy. Gorres said she believed that man isn’t a Lord over the Earth, but part of a large ecological system. She wants to live in harmony with nature, and figure out if she should become a pastor.

Gorres’ dedication to social justice and environmental causes are creating a new direction for programs at the Ecumenical Christian Ministries.

“I’m the first ever intern to work with Rev. Thad Holcombe at the ECM,” Gorres said. “I share my organizing skills and learn about campus ministry life while I consider seminary.”

Scheduled to begin this fall is Cloud Watching and Music Jam for Peace. Once a week, people are invited to bring their blankets, drums and guitars, and watch the clouds roll by at they sing for peace. Making music for justice and world peace is part of the ECM’s vision of hospitality it embraces to make the building a comfortable gathering place for all people.

Thad Holcombe said the hospitality vision was a result of the growing numbers of people who gathered to eat and drink at the ECM and used its space for community projects. The vision is also based on a message from the Center for Progressive Christianity, that states,

“We have committed ourselves to equipping one another for the work we feel called to do: striving for peace and justice among all people, protecting and restoring the integrity of all God’s creation, and bringing hope to those Jesus called the least of his sisters and brothers.”

There are also plans this fall to grow a garden on the front lawn of the ECM, to help feed the growing number of attendees to Veggie Lunch on Thursdays. The produce is another way to promote sustainability by eating locally grown food.

“Of course, we’ll be doing regular programming like Eco-Justice, Sexuality, and Alternative Breaks,” Gorres said. “But KU students should expect to see winter vegetables coming up!”

— Edited by Matt Hirschfeld

Breaking bread and sharing stew

Students and community members sample local, vegetarian cuisine each Thursday at Ecumenical ...

/news/2009/nov/12/breaking-bread-and-sharing-stew/

ECM won’t sell building to developers

After being approached by developers trying to build the Oread Inn, the ...

/news/2007/nov/29/ECM/

Preserving the ECM

Ecumenical Christian Ministries building is now considered a historic site.

/news/2009/oct/23/ECM/

Witnessing Peace

Christian students reach across the pew to find a unified voice against ...

/news/2007/apr/19/witnessing_peace/

Editorial: ECM earns deserved recognition

Ecumenical Christian Ministries has been a haven for a variety of people ...

/news/2009/nov/04/editoral-ecm-earns-deserved-recognition/

ECM to be on Lawrence historical register

ECM's open-door policy has cemented it as a place of acceptance within ...

/news/2010/feb/08/ecm-lawrence-register/

University dean to speak on neuroscience

Joseph Steinmetz, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences dean, will present a ...

/news/2007/aug/29/speech/

Wearing each other’s shoes

Students forsake space and comfort to get intentional about community.

/news/2010/sep/16/wearing-each-others-shoes/

Campus Ministry starts 12-week series on the ...

Each the center will show a video on the subject, followed by ...

/news/2010/jan/21/lecture-jesus/

Students participate in ‘Silent Saturday’

Students and faculty at the University of Kansas gathered Saturday at Ecumenical ...

/news/2007/nov/12/silent/

Board meets to discuss building’s future

The home to Veggie Lunch and seven students is under debate. The ...

/news/2007/nov/07/board_meets_discuss_buildings_future/

Veggie Lunch offers food, friends and more

/news/2006/jun/27/veggie_lunch_offers_food_friends_and_more/

Ecumenical Christian Ministries to host finance class

Representatives from local banks and business managers will give lectures.

/news/2008/feb/13/ecumenical_christian_ministries_host_finance_class/

Viva Vegetarian!

Campus offers a variety of options for vegetarians and vegans

/news/2011/feb/24/feature-vegetarian/

Volunteer Fair shares alternative break options

Students can find out information about volunteering in places like New Orleans ...

/news/2007/oct/04/volunteer/

Church seeks registry in Kansas historical society

The Ecumenical Christian Ministries plans to register with the Kansas State Historical ...

/news/2008/jun/09/church_seeks_registry_kansas_historical_society/

Church unites Spanish speakers

Lawrence’s Plymouth Congregational Church offers new Spanish-speaking services.

/news/2009/jun/25/church/

Students throw on aprons to tackle foreign ...

ECM class A-Broad Cuisine offers an opportunity for students to further their ...

/news/2010/feb/23/students-throw-aprons-tackle-foreign-cooking/

Protesters march for Florida farm workers

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers in Florida wants higher wages for its ...

/news/2007/aug/27/protesters/

Students face religious dilemmas

At the college level, some students find growth in challenging spiritual beliefs.

/news/2009/dec/08/students-face-religious-dilemmas/

Blackmon: Bring a theologian back to residence

KU needs to resurrect valuable program.

/news/2010/feb/04/blackmon-bring/

Forum looks to shrink gap between athletes ...

The Ecumenical Campus Ministries sponsored two discussions about the economics of college ...

/news/2012/jan/24/forum-looks-shrink-gap-between-athletes-and-univer/

Student creates new Alternative Spring Break

“The New York Experience” will offer more than just tourist attractions

/news/2009/feb/26/break/

Couples tie knot in campus chapel

Many couples get married around the place they met. Couples who fell ...

/news/2007/oct/31/danforth/

‘Confrontational Evangelist’

Brother Jed, a self-proclaimed preacher, travels around to college campuses in order ...

/news/2007/nov/29/brother_jed/

Crimson & Blue

Thad Holcombe, pastor for Ecumenical Christian Ministries, was misidentified in Thursday’s homecoming ...

/news/2007/nov/02/crimson_blue/

ECM to offer human sexuality course this ...

Starting Thursday, students can gather weekly to discuss the everyday role of ...

/news/2010/sep/07/ecm-sexuality/

Christian students remember fallen

“We’ve all been frustrated by the complicity shown by the Christian community ...

/news/2007/apr/03/vigil/

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Exhibit opens

The exhibit will focus on nuclear proliferation and personal human tragedy.

/news/2009/mar/09/hiroshima/

Student arrested for peaceful protest

Jon Dennis' spring break resulted in being arrested, but it was for ...

/news/2007/mar/26/peace/

Exhibit to open at Nunemaker Center

Atomic bomb survivor to speak at reception for Hiroshima Peace Memorial Exhibit.

/news/2009/mar/06/exhibit_open/

Art exhibit to raise Salvadoran awareness

Area groups seek to inform citizens on one of Lawrence’s sister cities.

/news/2009/apr/15/salvadoran_awareness/

Festival to give students journey of Orient

/news/2005/apr/18/news_campus_asu/

Hillel needs new home

/news/2006/feb/06/hillel/

Blackmon: Hidden motives in crusade on social ...

By encouraging parishioners to leave churches, Glenn Beck is overstepping his role ...

/news/2010/apr/01/blackmon-crusade/

Film details Hunt’s wrongful conviction

Darryl Hunt, who was wrongly convicted of murder twice, will speak at ...

/news/2011/sep/13/film-details-hunts-wrongful-conviction/

Dance society swings to the oldies

/news/2005/feb/17/news_campus_swing/

Mass. street to see environmental parade

Downtown celebration on Saturday will welcome Earth Day on Tuesday.

/news/2008/apr/18/mass_street_see_environmental_parade/

Notes from The Weather Undergound

Ecumenical Christian Ministries played host to Mark Rudd, former protester and co-founder ...

/news/2009/nov/10/weather-undergound/

Sex education classes offered next semester

Former Professor Dennis Dailey will offer a ten-week sexual education class at ...