The Agape Community Project

The Agape Community Project is a ministry of the College of Bishops of the Reformed Catholic Church and membership in this ministry is optional and participation is not required by the Church. The Agape Community Project is open to all clergy and parishes in good standing with the Church. 

The mission of the Agape Community Project is to ensure that clergy and parishes of the Reformed Catholic Church who participate in this ministry welcome all people who approach their ministries and community, share the Catholic sacraments with all who reverently request them, and affirm and commit to the following principles:

1. The Tenets of Faith of the Reformed Catholic Church

2. The Constitution of the Reformed Catholic Church

3. The Canons of the Reformed Catholic Church

4. The eight essentials of the Reformed Catholic Church

5. Contribute time, talents, and financially to the Reformed Catholic,

          National Church, and if it exist, the local diocese.

6. Provide an annual summary of activities that highlight

         caring, compassion, and a commitment to welcoming

         those you have come in contact with.

7. For clergy – the vows of ordination. For the laity – the baptismal vows.

Welcoming …

There is nothing like receiving a warm and inviting “hello” from someone you never have met before. It tells the person that you are really glad to meet them and it opens the door to opportunities of fellowship. Therefore within the greater Church community all forms of the greeting should reflect a spiritual hospitality that is positive and inviting.

As a community of faith, we all stand around the altar of Christ and we want everyone to feel that they are welcome to join this circle, so the Agape Community Project on behalf of the Church takes the extra effort to welcome all people into this community, regardless of who they are.

Therefore, the need for a commitment from its members to ensure that they make every effort to be a welcoming ministry is the primary goal of the Agape Community Project. 

Sacraments ….

So often today a warm greeting at a church is followed by conditions of participation, thus leaving the guest wondering what happen to the openness in the greeting that they just received. The Agape Community Project promotes not only a warm greeting, but also an open invitation to unconditionally receive the Catholic Sacraments, participate in Christian fellowship, and partake in devotional life of the Church.

The only condition the Agape Community Project places upon individuals who seek the Catholic Sacraments is reverence. We believe that any individual who seeks the Catholic rites with a sincere and open heart should receive them, even if the one requesting holds membership in another Christian tradition or Church,

The one sacrament that the Agape Community Project truly enjoys celebrating is the sacrament of compassion. Why? Two reasons, the first reason is that compassion and agape are both expressions of unconditional love and the second reason is the fact that our Lord Jesus Christ lived a life devoted to compassion, even to the point of offering his life as a ransom for humankind. As a community that welcomes everyone it only makes sense that a sacrament that celebrates Christian love would be at the center of its identity.   

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with your entire mind. And, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 

Principles .…

The principle documents of the Reformed Catholic Church serve as it rudder and they guide the Church on its journey towards the Light and Love of Christ.  The Agape Community Project stands in union with the Church and therefore agrees to promote the Christian faith that is expressed in the principle documents of the Church. 

Mediation Services 

Sometimes misunderstandings and conflicts arise with in the Christian community and the Church has the responsibility of resolving these matters in a manner that reflects positively upon the Church and upon those who are directly involved. The Agape Community Projects offers itself as a middle ground and listening third party (ombudsman) when conflicts arise either with the Agape Community or within the greater Church community. 

Application

An application for membership in the Agape Community Project can be attained through the Director of the Agape Community Project or it can be attained online and transmit to the Director. Once the application is received it will be reviewed, once approved the Agape Community Project Director will send you a certificate of membership in the Agape Community Project and acknowledgment of good standing in the program. There is no processing fee and there is no membership fee.

Facilities 

Membership is the only authority that the Agape Community Project has. Also, it is not the purpose or intention of the Agape Community Project to interfere with the ministries and authority of the local parish or the local diocesan bishop. The College of Bishops has final authority over and against the Agape Community Project. To terminate participation in the Agape Community Project, simply send a letter of termination to the Director. 

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP

Contact the Agape Community Project at:

Director of Agape Community Program

Most Reverend  David Pflueger

AgapeProject@reformedcatholicchurch.org