Your generous donations are needed today.

 
Dear Friend,

After over twenty-five years as an active board member and nearly fifteen years as President, I’m passing the baton to the next generation. I couldn’t be more excited! I’m grateful for our leadership and staff and the vision they have for where this movement needs to go. As a fellow donor, it is to you that I extend my gratitude. You have helped co-create and sustain this wonderful organization that is changing the world for the better.

I’m also grateful for visionaries like Reverend James Adam, our founding president.  He was one of the original thinkers who led a very active church in Washington D.C. He was frustrated that more people in the pews and clergy did not know how to talk about their changing faith. After talking to a small group in the church he led, including Janice Gregory who is a current board member, he landed on “Progressive Christianity.” He incorporated our organization and so we began.

In those early days we scrambled to get our “monthly” newsletters together so Jim could take them, sorted by “zip code,” to the post office.  Jim mailed these out “third class” which meant we might receive our newsletter two to six weeks later. Our mailing list was about two hundred in those days and it continued to grow in part because of you.

Jim and his small board worked on the first “8 Points” and had them printed so we could send them to churches and people who wrote us asking for a copy. It was a slow but growing process. We wondered how we could reach more people and decided to hold conferences across the country with speakers and conversation groups, much like our current director is doing. And you showed up.

Sixteen years ago when I retired from pastoral ministry, Jim called to congratulate me. Then asked, “Well are you ready to take over my job?” Though I was not so certain, I finally told him I would do it for five years only. Fifteen years later, I am still here. As I shift to a more supportive role, alongside you now rather than leading, I want to share a few things you have made possible over the last several years. Here’s what happened when you gave:
 

ProgressiveChristianity.org built two new websites that attract roughly 300,000 visitors a year!

The Liturgy Project has grown every year and is now an open source forum where anyone can add to the site and glean free resources for their faith journey and their community.

A Joyful Path Children’s Curriculum (Years One and Two) is utilized by almost 800 churches and individuals. Thanks to the leadership of our Director, Rev Deshna Charron, Year Three will publish in 2020.

We’ve launched Progressing Spirit, a weekly e-magazine with over 3000 subscribers. This has made more room to explore our evolving faith journeys through weekly articles and recall our heritage through wisdom from Bishop Spong.

In 2017, we hosted an international gathering of progressives, called Embrace Festival, an in-city 3 day festival focused on sacred community, social transformation and the arts attend by over 225 people.

 
We’ve been able to accomplish this and more because of you! Whether you’re considering a first-time gift or are one of our regular donors, thank you for making this possible. If you have given before, today I ask you to consider adding to your annual gift. Perhaps in these crucial times, you will consider doubling your gift. I’m excited about the future of progressive Christianity as I envision a wider umbrella, more diverse voices, and social justice actions that will positively affect our world.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
With much love and respect,

Fred 

Fred C. Plumer, President

 
A note from Rev. Mark Sandlin, Board Member and Interim President:

I’m excited to serve as Interim President of ProgressiveChristianity.org in the upcoming year. A big part of my excitement is tied to the realities of being a minister in a progressive spiritual community. Early on, I realized how difficult it was to find resources of high quality and sound theological perspectives. Not only did I find those resources at ProgressiveChristianity.org, but I was introduced to authors and theologians who’d previously not been on my radar. Over the past few years, I’ve watched the content grow and grow as our team supports thousands of faith communities around the world to deepen their theology and create meaningful experiences.

As Fred mentioned, ProgressiveChristianity.org has grown from hand-mailed newsletters to a global community and spiritual network, providing resources for an evolving, progressive faith. We are committed to including an even wider array of spiritual perspectives and voices. Just as it’s been since the day we started, in order to bring you quality content, we need to ask you to partner with us financially if you are able. Our year-end giving goal is $70,000 and with your help and contributions I feel confident we can make this goal. So please, join me in making your tax-deductible, year-end gift today! Together we can grow the world-wide movement of progressive Christianity.

You can do this online at ProgressiveChristianity.org, or by mailing a check to:

ProgressiveChristianity.org, 4810 Pt. Fosdick Dr. #80, Gig Harbor, WA 98335, USA