What it is and What We Do

 

Project Sanctuary began and continues as a series of monthly, evening events with blended alternative healing methods facilitated by trauma-informed practitioners for those marginalized communities who have experienced rejection by organized religion. Its goal aims to show these communities they are loved within a community and accepted, worthy of the Divine/Spirit/All-That-Is/God’s full redeeming grace. We bring them into an affirming sanctuary space so they can experience that their identity does not inhibit them from full acceptance and boundless love. It opens the door for their spirituality to be welcomed as they are into a community of radical acceptance.

 

Who We Serve

 

The people who will be served are people who have experienced rejection at the hands of churches. This includes but is not limited to members of the LGBTQIA+ community, divorced or separated individuals, peoples of varying political persuasions, and varying socioeconomic means. The welcome statement of our host congregation names specific groups of people who may feel uncomfortable in a Church setting: 

 

We at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Saint Louis embrace…

          People of any race or ethnicity…

          People who are male, female, transgender, or any other gender identity…

          People of any age…

          People wherever they are, or wherever they have been, on their faith journeys…

          People who are single, married, widowed, divorced, separated or partnered…

          People who are straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, or any other sexual orientation…

          People with a variety of political perspectives…

          People who have, or had, addictions, phobias, abortions, or a criminal record…

          People who are homeowners, renters, living with parents, or homeless…

          People who are fully-abled, disabled, or of differing abilities…                                  

          People of differing educational backgrounds…

          People of any socio-economic condition…

          People not mentioned above, all of whom are created and loved by God!

 

Our Aim

 

Quite simply stated, the goal again is for participants to know they are loved for who they are, as they are. Through proven alternative methods such as breathwork, further amplified by sound healing, participants go into an experience of inner child work, then reprocessing and reframing hurts, challenges, and traumas in a way that healthily integrates their past into their present so they can live more fully into their futures as welcomed children - possibly of an all-embracing Higher Power of their understanding. This takes place in a church sanctuary so they know they are welcomed through the doors and into sanctuary (safety) without condition.

 

Going Forth

 

We allow for space in our groups for debriefing or harvesting, a sharing period or taking away which usually lasts for about 20 minutes after each session. We allow participants to openly share their experience, ask questions, and comment about the different physical and emotional feelings they observed. We have further recourse to offer should we feel it necessary and are in the process of offering community healing throughout the month.

 

Inevitably, someone will say, and many will agree, that being in a sanctuary surprisingly was not frightening or intimidating. They felt welcomed and safe - exactly how we want them to feel. As in the safety of a sanctuary.