Freedom Rising: Dismantling Fascism with Fierce Love

The time to act is now: When freedom rises, we all flourish. This spring, join scholars, artists, prophets and organizers for a three-day conference to diagnose what’s tearing the country apart, learn how to cultivate wholeness in the middle of oppressive systems, and build a movement that will get us all free.

We believe in the power of love. Period.

Need Care?

You are not alone. Whatever you’re carrying, we will hold it with you.

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Help Middle Rise

Help us rebuild our church and invest in Just Love. Period.

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Worship with Us!

Experience a celebration as diverse as a NYC subway that feels like a warm hug.

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Lent

Spiritual Wisdom for the Wilderness

Lent marks the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. It’s an opportunity to reflect on what sustains our faith through the wilderness. To many in our community, it feels like we’ve been moving through an extended Lent ever since our sanctuary burned down. So this lenten season, we invite you to seek spiritual wisdom for what can sustain this journey. How do we repair, rebuild, reclaim, restore ourselves and our neighbors? How can we find rest and joy along the way? We’ll ask these questions together as we move toward fierce love together.

 

 

Journey with Us

In Memoriam

Honoring Achebe Powell

Achebe Betty Powell died on February 21. Powell spent her life organizing for justice and equality, building God’s reign on Earth. As a groundbreaking Black lesbian activist in the 70’s and 80’s, she was a much sought-after speaker and trainer, and a leader in how to transform principles into policy. She was also a beloved member of Middle Church. She was scheduled to speak at our Freedom Rising gathering. As we mourn, we will dedicate April’s conference in her honor and donate 10% of all ticket sales to the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, which she co-founded.

 

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Be a part of the RISING

Help Middle Rise

After a devastating six-alarm fire in 2020, Middle Church is called to the rising. Learn how you can be part of this urgent opportunity to rebuild our church and invest in Just Love. Period.

 

Rise With Us

April 28-30 | New York City

Freedom Rising: Dismantling Fascism with Fierce Love

The time to act is now: When freedom rises, we all flourish. This spring, join some of the nation’s most prophetic leaders to diagnose what’s tearing the country apart, learn how to cultivate wholeness in the middle of oppressive systems, and build an agenda that will help all of us get free.

Click below to learn more and buy your ticket today!

 

Get your ticket today!

It Starts With Us

With ferocious courage, Middle Church listens deeply to the intersectional injustices unfolding in this present moment. Now more than ever, we need each other. Fierce Love starts with us.

March 26th Worship Celebration

Sermon: “Everyday Prophets,” by Rev. Amanda Hambrick Ashcraft

Get Involved

Volunteer & Serve

Our faith reminds us that we are inextricably bound together; our liberation is linked to each other. Tied up together. We are the hands, feet, and heartbeat of God.

Get Involved Today!

Welcome Home

Community Groups

Our groups range in size, meeting structure and location, but all value deep connection and the desire to build, organize, and sustain ourselves as we work to bring about love and justice in the world.

 

Find Your Community!

Let’s Keep Each Other Safe

Middle’s COVID Guidelines

Loving our neighbors well, looks like ensuring our collective health and safety. Learn how Middle is loving our neighbors in this moment, and how you can partner in that work.

Middle COVID Guidelines

Available Now!

Fierce Love

Inspired by the Ubuntu philosophy “I am who I am because we are who we are” and explained through stories from her own life, Dr. Lewis details the nine daily practices necessary for transforming ourselves, our communities, and our world at large. From learning to put down our emotional baggage to speaking truth to power to resisting joyfully, Dr. Lewis gives readers a renewed sense of the power they have to create caring communities; to stand up for the vulnerable; and to change our shared story from one of anxiety, anger, and divisiveness to one of mindfulness, compassion, and unity.

Jacqui’s Fierce Love is a manifesto for all generations, a universalist’s vision for mending our broken hearts and fractured world.

Order Yours Today!

Join

Do you yearn to not just belong, but be celebrated for exactly who you are? Do you want a community of folks committed to radical love and justice? Wherever you live, you can call Middle Church home.

Give

This movement needs you! We need your time and talent, but we also need your resources. Make a contribution today and help us be midwives to love and justice.

December 5, 2020

A six-alarm fire spread from the building next door and destroyed our beautiful sanctuary. But no fire can stop revolutionary love! Learn how we’re rising from the ashes, and what you can do to help.

Find Your People!

Middle hosts small groups for everything from beginning ukulele lessons, to Queer Black Men in the Middle and our Voting Reform team. And all of them have options to gather virtually! Join the groups that best fit your passion, and the love you want to offer the world.

Liberative Learning

How do you change the world? First, you change yourself. Part of how we fulfill our commitment to God’s gospel of liberation is by training leaders with the skills you’ll need to bring freedom wherever you go. Thousands have participated in our digital courses. Will join them?

What We Believe

Middle is on a mission to reclaim and reframe Christianity—to realign our faith with Jesus’ teaching and take it back from the folks who have stolen it. We do this work joyfully, fueled by the Spirit, and strengthened by the community we create with one another.

Watch & Learn

Middle’s worship is a joyful, diverse celebration that gives a taste of what heaven feels like—an experience to soothe your soul and fill you with God’s liberatory fire! Every week is different, but what remains constant is how we tell the story of love through transformative art.

Do Justice

Faith comes alive when our love radiates outwards. At Middle, we’re committed to building an intersectional movement that both addresses the particular needs of different communities and unites us in common solidarity. This is God’s work, and we hope you’ll join us in it.