(Rev. John and Pat Schwiebert)
The United Methodist News Service recently ran an article on the Metanoia Peace Community, a small United Methodist Congregation in Portland, Oregon. This is a church in the fullest sense. Members live and worship on site as part of a community of faith. Rev. John and Pat Schwiebert led the ministry. They are both active in anti-poverty and anti-war efforts.
Members are committed to attending church every Sunday, and about 20 people – members and others – meet for the daily services. The members participate in a covenant discipleship group, and they are expected to tithe, or give 10 percent of their earnings to the church. "That’s your earnest money on a life that’s committed to Christ," John says.Metanoia also provides hospice, a ministry to which Pat feels called as a registered nurse.
"We’ve had 31 people who have died here at the Peace House with us that we’ve offered hospice to," she says. "We have a large house, and because we live in community, there are other people who can support each other as we do hospice. We didn’t plan to do hospice. It just turned out that somebody needed it, and we said yes."
Over the years I’ve been to several events at Metanoia and worked with both John and Pat on homeless issues. Metanoia is a shinning example of what a faithful Christian community can be.
Read their story.
