Bartimaeus…

 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 (relief sculpture left by Charles McCollough). 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.

 …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 gospel ministry can find support to discern leadings of the Spirit;
  
  
• a non profit organizational vehicle that promotes gospel practices of mutual aid, restorative justice, Sabbath economics, bioregional sustainability, nonviolence and social change;
 
• 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 several project areas: 

·         Theological Animation:  Ched Myers, an ecumenical Mennonite activist, in involved in popular education, writing and organizing, in order to help nurture church renewal and faith-based movements working for peace, justice and radical discipleship.  You can find his many publications at www.ChedMyers.org.  

·        Restorative Justice:  Elaine Enns, a Mennonite, is a mediator, educator, writer and trainer in restorative justice, conflict transformation and experiments in historical truth and reconciliation.  She provides services for victims and offenders, and churches and organizations in conflict. 

·        Bartimaeus Institutes:  These intensive seminars are held several times a year at the BCM base in Oak View, CA.  They focus variously on biblical literacy, social analysis and key issues such as ecojustice, nonviolence, undoing racism, Anabaptism and Christian anarchism and social movement history.  BCM also sponsors internships for young leaders looking to deepen and broaden their discipleship. 

·        Sustainable Lifestyle:  BCM practices and promotes green building, intensive small scale food gardening, native habitat restoration and bioregional alliances for protecting watershed health. 

·        Communications and Collaborations: As a “community supported ministry,” BCM sends a monthly E-News to its share-partners.  We publish a wide variety of books and pamphlets, and maintain two blogs.  BCM staff and volunteers also work with two national ventures:   

o   the Word and World School and Mentorship Program for faith-based activists (see more at www.wordandworld.org); and  

o   the Sabbath Economics Collaborative, a circle of theologians, educators and activists working for economic justice (www.sabbatheconomics.org). 

BCM is governed by a board which meets bi-monthly, chaired by Rick Kidd.  We are incorporated as a registered 501C(3) non-profit organization in California. BCM’s office is located in Oak View, California.  We are helped by interns and contract consultants.