With the fire of Pentecost and emboldened by the Holy Spirit, we at FutureChurch are engaging in a new project to recognize and celebrate communities that are embodying the mission of Pentecost. Over the next several months, we will continue highlighting communities that have been emboldened to live the Gospel in new and creative ways. Today we introduce you to Able Together.

"Able Together, a ministry of art and spirituality for neurodivergent children, was born out of a deep desire for inclusion. Tired of seeing imaginary lines dividing those who belong in church from those who don’t, the dynamic trio of Pat Pickett, Anna Robbins, and Emrie Rogers began to feel a call to serve the People of God in a new way. 'The Scriptures are very clear,' says Anna. 'We are one body with many parts, and every piece of the body is created in the image of God and is necessary for the building up of the Body of Christ. There’s no one who doesn’t fit or who shouldn’t be there.' But as stories were shared about negative experiences in churches, it became clear that belonging was not always a universal feeling."

Read More about Able Together...

Join FutureChurch as we welcome Dr. Patricia Gabow for a conversation on Catholic healthcare in the United States.

Please Note: originally scheduled for April 29th, this event has been rescheduled to Tuesday, May 6th at 7:00pm ET.

In The Catholic Church and Its Hospitals: A Marriage Made in Heaven, Dr. Patricia Gabow, MD, MACP delves deep into the origins, evolution, and the present-day implications of the Catholic healthcare system in the U.S. This well-researched volume traces Catholic healthcare's lineage from its biblical foundation to the role of courageous women religious in providing care to those in need, to the modern era of bishops' control over hospitals, doctors, and their clinical practice, determining the care that will be provided to millions of Americans.

In her presentation for FutureChurch, Dr. Gabow will focus her remarks on the beginnings of Catholic healthcare in the US – particularly the role of women religious in its noble beginnings; the reach of Catholic health care and the impact of religious directives on women’s, reproductive, and LGBTQ+ healthcare, as well as the impact on the conscience of medical professionals; and finally offer suggestions for meaningful change that could make Catholic healthcare more committed to Catholic Social Teaching.

Patricia A. Gabow, MD, is a national healthcare leader who has focused on the care of vulnerable populations and the institutions that serve them. She spent 40 years at Denver Health, a highly integrated healthcare system and Colorado’s major safety net institution. The last 20 of those years was as CEO, retiring in 2012. She has authored over 130 articles, 36 book chapters, and two previous books books, The Lean Prescription: Powerful Medicine for Our Ailing Healthcare System and TIME’S NOW for Women Healthcare Leaders: A Guide for the Journey.

Over the past year, FutureChurch has been celebrating the work of communities that have been emboldened by the Spirit to live the Gospel in new and creative ways. From intentional living communities, to independent worship spaces, to organizations that are re-envisioning what it means to serve, these trailblazing communities serve as witness that the creative power of the Spirit never ceases.

Meanwhile, in March the Church began a three-year implementation phase for the Synod on Synodality. This implementation phase creates space and a timeline for local churches to begin the process of integrating the Synod’s conclusions and proposals in their own contexts. The implementation phase also creates opportunities to assess the reception of that integration before another global assembly at the Vatican in late 2028.

As the global Church begins implementing the Synod’s conclusions and proposals, many communities- including those highlighted in our Pentecost Project- have already been journeying together in the spirit of synodality in a variety of beautiful ways. These communities offer a valuable witness to the entire People of God about what is possible when communities discern the call of the Spirit together.

Over a series of several panel discussions FutureChurch will create space for these communities to share their synodal principles and practices with us, that we might all benefit from their prophetic styles of liturgy, leadership, discernment and decision making, community building, and living the Gospel in the world.

The first program in the series- Prophetic Styles of Liturgy- will take place on May 27^th at 7:00pm. The program will feature a panel discussion that will highlight the liturgical celebrations of four different communities:

• The Community of St. Hildegard – a community who celebrates hybrid liturgies and is intentional about nurturing and honoring full and active virtual participation
• Washington Home Inclusive Monthly Mass (WHIMM) – a community of friends and neighbors who host inclusive Masses, led by a Roman Catholic Woman Priest, and fellowship in their homes once a month
• Community of St. Peter – a community that formed and incorporated after their beloved parish was closed.
• The Living Beatitudes Community – a community that combined a Dignity chapter with Catholics whose parishes were being closed or merged, whose liturgies are presided by a wide variety of people, lay and ordained.