What’s with the name?
I know that our church name may not seem conventional. We have taken on the name “Neighbors Abbey” for a few reasons:
neighbor
This church, led by the incarnational example of Jesus, will be known by its shared community ownership. Thought our pastor is an ordained Presbyterian, the church will be known as “collective of neighbors” rather than as “Troy’s church” or even “a denomination’s church.” We have a strong value of the priesthood of believers, who are then nourished for their office by teaching elder(s) through roots reaching deeply into Christianity’s cloud of witnesses over the centuries. We come diverse background including Roman Catholic, Southern Baptist, PCA, Seventh Day Adventist, Assemblies of God as well as other religions. As Jesus taught in the parable of the Good Samaritan, it is often the “other” and the least likely who leads us in “becoming a neighbor” to those in need.
abbey
Secondly, we are an Abbey, a spiritual center for practices. Much like the 7-days-a-week parish churches of the 50s through the 80s, Neighbors Abbey will be a community of disciples tending after a community’s gathering place. The term Abbey, more-so than church, evokes this emphasis on public space, where committed disciples host a public environment for regular practices of devotion, organizing, education, and forums of public arts and creativity. We imagine “the Abbey” one day being home for tutoring centers, modern abolitionist training, and art galleries, as much as it will be a sacred place for daily prayers, meditation, and worship gatherings.
