About Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries


Bartimaeus...
barty
In the story of the poor man Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46-52), Mark’s gospel gives us an archetypal portrait of the journey from “blindness” to faith. We believe that Christians should stand for compassion and equity, and against all forms of oppression and violence in these difficult times. To do this we must face our personal and political blindness to the realities of human suffering, as well as to God’s horizons of justice. We are a group of believers committed to revisioning the relationship between the Word and our world, in order to help animate and build capacity for communities of discipleship and justice.

More on Bartimaeus

...Cooperative...
Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries (BCM) was founded in 1998 as an ecumenical experiment in discipleship and mutual aid. We offer:
  • a circle where persons called to "dis-established" gospel ministry can find support to discern leadings of the Spirit;

  • an organizational vehicle that promotes gospel practices of mutual aid, reconciliation, Sabbath economics, nonviolence and social justice;

  • an umbrella structure that facilitates capacity-building among people of faith committed to the work of peace and justice organizing, church renewal and wholistic discipleship.

...Ministries.
BCM currently has four staff members working in three primary project areas:
  1. Theological Animation: Ched Myers, an ecumenical activist, travels widely in an evangelistic ministry of teaching, writing and organizing, in order to help nurture faith-based movements working for peace, justice and radical discipleship. Matthew Colwell is a Presbyterian pastor who works as a program partner with BCM, ministering through individual discipleship, community building, preaching, teaching, and building technological support for non-traditional gospel ministries.

  3. Restorative Justice: Elaine Enns, a Mennonite, is a mediator, educator and trainer in conflict transformation and restorative justice, providing services for victims and offenders, churches and organizations. She also works currently as BCM's Administrative Coordinator.

  5. Moving Money for Social Change: Peg Rosenkrands, a Presbyterian/Episcopalian, works with small faith based non profit groups on sustainable fundraising strategies, with groups and individuals on strategic investing and giving, and coordinates the Bartimaeus Covenant Investor Community.

We are supported by Communications Coordinator Eric DeBode, bookkeeper Lissa Hogoboom and technology consultant Zachary Abbott.

BCM is governed by a community board, which meets monthly, chaired by Rick Kidd. BCM staff and board also work closely with a variety of Sponsored and Collaborative Projects, as well as other groups throughout California, around North America and in many other countries; visit our links page. We are incorporated as a registered 501C(3) non-profit organization in California.

Administration

BCM's administration hub office, located in Oak View, California, functions as the "trunk" of our BCM tree. It is the center of our communications, bookeeping, donor development, and database management. Our program staff and board members in Los Angeles, Detroit, and Pasadena are all tied in to this office through a virtual private network.

We have recently downsized significantly. Elaine Enns is now Administrative Coordinator, assisted by Communications Coordinator Eric DeBode, bookkeeper Lissa Hogoboom and tech consultant Zachary Abbott.

Past Staff

Karen Hooks recently left after 3 years of service, and is now working with the Special Olympics in Orange County. Adrianne Hall was an assistant, as was Brian Hooks (in graduate school), Cath Robson (now with the Little Flower Catholic Worker in Virginia); and Shady Hakim (working as Middle East educator for AFSC, and a current BCM board member).

Past tech consultants have included Carlos Pelaez and Jeremy Rempel (both now doing graduate studies). Mandy Yun was our bookkeeper for 3 years. Sandy Lejeune, a former program staff, now is a manager at Fairview Gardens organic and educational farm in Goleta, CA.

Faithful volunteers
Those helping out along the way with projects, mailings and committee work have included BCM board member Gloria Kinsler, Evelyn Harris of St. Luke's Presbyterian Church, Marty Coleman of All Saints Pasadena, and local friends Jessica Mena (Alhambra) and Courtney Johnson (Pasadena), MacKenzie Hall-Solomon and Liquetta Shamblee (Monrovia), Ross Kinsler (Altadena), Allyson Morehead (Los Angeles) and Laurel Myers-Mackenzie (Glendora).

We value all who have labored with us.


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