Letter to Friends of the Community

Dear Friends,

By now, you are probably familiar with who we are, on one level or another. To you, we may be members of your family, or longtime friends; maybe we are partners in faith on the Immanuel campus; it is possible that you have worked with us, collectively or individually, to help make a difference in the world; perhaps we are simply known as “The 'Nidge”, a gathering place for an increasingly diverse group of friends. Really, we are all of those things, and more.

The Community of the Holy Trinity was begun in 2003 by current members Kate and Larry Kamphausen, and two friends, who have since moved on. The community was formed to provide a space for Christians, especially those who are artists, social activists, and social workers, to come together in mutual support of God’s calling and living out the Gospel. For us, this means holding property in common in a life centered on the daily rhythms of prayer and an environment of hospitality. Our inspiration has been the monastic tradition of the Church, as well as specific communities like the monks of Taize, and the Reba Place community in Evanston. At the writing of this letter, we currently have six members, who are all artists, musicians, activists, and writers, all with the passion, talent, and determination to help make the world a better, safer place, free of oppression and violence. The community's common purpose is prayer and hospitality, and joining together in mutual support of each others's callings.

By the end of this calendar year, The Community of the Holy Trinity will be coming under the umbrella of an organization called *Culture is Not Optional ( or “*CINO”). *CINO is a group which seeks to encourage and support Christian engagement with all aspects of culture -- the arts, sciences, politics -- and to do so with an open but distinctly Christian perspective. The organization, like Holy Trinity, is ecumenical, though its founders all come out of the Christian Reformed tradition.

In order to support our members in their pursuits, and to fulfill our desire to extend hospitality to those in need, we need your help. Our immediate need is to help support two of our members who are called to social activism full time, one of whom suffers from chronic health problems and is uninsured; longer-term, our goal is to help support any of our members who desires to follow their callings, as well as provide a place of retreat, respite, and healing for members as well as guests. The Community is also exploring expansion, as we have three people who are currently considering membership, and in order to be able to accommodate these people, we need to find more space.

In order to meet our immediate needs for this calender year and to lay a good foundation for the coming year we are seeking to raise $9000. Your donation will be tax-deductible, and in early 2010 you will receive a Year-in-Review letter that will let you know how our budget breaks down, and the activities of our members as they are able to put your donations to work in the world. We invite you to partner with us as we continue to live into and expand the work that was begun six years ago.

Cash, checks, and money orders may be sent to: Community of the Holy Trinity, 1510 W Elmdale, Chicago, IL 60660.

We look forward to this journey together!