The Abbey of HOPE (Hands Of Peace Extended) is a interfaith cooperation circle based in Portland, Maine. It is organized and guided by the principles of the United Religions Initiative (URI), a direct outcome of the United Nations call for interreligious cooperation. We gather to promote, encourage and facilitate interfaith understanding through fellowship, collaborative programming and service.

The heart of the Abbey is Peace. HOPE does not discriminate based on race, color, creed, religion, ability, gender, marital status, age, national origin, or sexual orientation.

STATEMENT OF VALUES AND MISSION:

Abbey of HOPE seeks to

broaden knowledge and understanding of the community’s faith traditions.

expand dialogue among people of diverse spiritualities.

support interfaith, multifaith and interspiritual efforts in the community.

foster the healing arts and spiritual growth.

create a spiritual community that nourishes one another through collaboration.

serve monks to meet the needs of a spiritually diverse world.

We are committed to

knowledge and understanding

dialogue

interfaith, multifaith, and interspiritual endeavors

the healing arts and spiritual growth

spiritual community

collaboration

service

HISTORY:

The Abbey was visioned by Rev. Lori Whittemore after attending Bangor Theologically Seminary and further preparation at the Chaplaincy Institute of Maine. The first gathering of the Abbey took place on September 13, 2014. Out of 25 folks who attended, a leadership circle of 9 people worked for three months to put together the framework for the organization. By winter of 2015, the initial Board had incorporated and received 501c3 status. The Abbey began publishing weekly reflections along with bi-monthly newsletters. The Abbey offered their first Book Read in March of 2015 with an eye on hosting reads (by mostly local authors) each season.

The Abbey began hosting the Compassionate Cafe that works on collaborative interfaith programming.

The Abbey will be offering units of Clinical Pastoral Education, based on the College of Pastoral Supervision and Psychotherapy’s, model of education and their “Recovery of the Soul” paradigm describe in the works and journey of Anton Boisen.

The Abbey, through it’s leaders and members is always out looking for ways to make mad, compassionate peace by bringing faithful folks together for celebration, shared mission and/or a cup of coffee.

U.R.I.

The idea for URI came to California Episcopal Bishop William Swing in 1993, after an invitation by the United Nations to host a large interfaith service in San Francisco, marking the 50thanniversary of the signing of the U.N. Charter. He asked himself, “If the nations of the world are working together for peace through tUN, then where are the world’s religions?”

Through dozens of meetings with world religious leaders, he discovered a thread of competition, a focus on expanding individual denominations, and little institutional commitment to building bridges. But in those ate the grassroots of the world’s religions, he found a deep desire for cooperation and peace. From this inspiration, the vision for URI took shape: a supported network connecting people across religions and cultures in the service of peace and justice.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the United Religions Initiative is to promote enduring, daily interfaith cooperation, to end religiously motivated violence and to create cultures of peace, justice and healing for the Earth and all living beings.

VISION

URI envisions a world at peace, sustained by engaged and interconnected communities committed to respect for diversity, nonviolent resolution of conflict and social, political, economic and environmental justice.

MISSION

URI is a global grassroots interfaith network that cultivates peace and justice by engaging people to bridge religious and cultural differences and work together for the good of their communities and the world.

We implement our mission through local and global initiatives that build the capacity of our more than 600 member groups and organizations, called Cooperation Circles, to engage in community action such as conflict resolution and reconciliation, environmental sustainability, education, women’s and youth programs, and advocacy for human rights.

Cooperation Circles are unique to URI’s organizational design. Click here to learn more about URI’s charter, structure and history.

Abbey of HOPE leadership

The Abbey is organized having a working leadership circle/Board of Directors with an advisory council for the Abbey for the Clinical Pastoral Training. Our current Board members are listed below:

Rev. Lori Whittemore, MDiv,BCCC

Founder, Director

Lori Whittemore graduated from Bangor Theological Seminary in 2010 and was ordained by Chaplaincy Institute of Maine in 2014 as an interfaith chaplain and community minister. She serves as a hospice chaplain at Hospice of Southern Maine and is a volunteer chaplain for the American Red Cross. She is the founder of the Abbey of HOPE. Contact: lori@abbeyofhope.com

 

Location

Portland, ME, USA

 

Website

http://www.abbeyofhope.com/