Freedom Church of the Poor

The Freedom Church of the Poor is a spiritual and political home for movement leaders. We believe in the fundamental dignity and value of all life and in a world of justice and abundance where all can thrive. We gather as a community of faith to support and care for each other. We commit to realizing the abundant world that God promises by identifying, developing, and uniting leaders who will build a movement to end poverty led by the poor. In this community and through our commitment to this struggle we also seek to re-discover and share a vision and a practice of religion that is rooted in truth, justice, and love.

FCOP
A popular African-American Spiritual, this song is used during Lent by Christian communities and in the season of Struggle and Lament by the Freedom Church of the Poor. The lyrics were first re-written by Rogers from Picture the Homeless during their Potter’s Field Campaign—an effort that sought to expose how the dignity denied to unhoused people in life is also denied in death, as many are buried in mass, unmarked graves with no place for loved ones to visit. Rogers sang, “Were you there when they buried all the poor?” to affirm that where God stands is with and among the poor.

ANNOUNCING OUR LENTEN SERIES 2025 

On The Way: Struggle & Lament w/ Freedom Church of the Poor

This Lenten season (Struggle and Lament) each of our Sunday services will focus on one of these final days of the last week of Jesus’ life. Each of these final days hold deep insights about the “way” that was revealed through Jesus’ life, his ministry, suffering, death, and ultimately, resurrection.  This way leads to direct confrontation with a system of domination. It leads to violence and death, but it also leads to clarity about how we get organized and fight meaningfully and effectively for God’s promise of justice, love, and abundance for all. As the Freedom Church of the Poor we will gather for these seven Sundays to learn how to organize against the forces arrayed against our people today and to refine our tactics and strategy for building a broad social movement. Drawing primarily from the Gospel of Mark – a wartime Gospel that anticipated the forthcoming brutality of the Roman Army –  we will gather as a political and spiritual community to sing, to lament, to pray, and to strengthen our collectivity by holding and caring for each other. We know that Jesus came not to condemn us, but to teach us how to fight for the justice and liberation of all of God’s children here on Earth. 

Season Overview

  • Wednesday, March 5th – Ash Wednesday (Isaiah 58:1-10)
  • Sunday, March 9th – Day 1, Palm Sunday (Mark 11:1-11)
  • Sunday, March 16th – Day 2, Monday: Overturning the Tables (Mark 11:12-19)
  • Sunday, March 23rd – Day 3, Tuesday: What God? Who Speaks for God? (Mark 11:27-13:37)
  • Sunday, March 30th – Day 4, Wednesday: Discipleship (Mark 14:1-11)
  • Sunday, April 6th – Day 5, Thursday: The Kingdom of God (Mark 14:12-72)
  • Sunday, April 13th – Day 6, Friday:  Participation Not Substitution, Life Not Death (Mark 15:1-47)

Special Holy Week Services

  • April 15th Turning Tables Tuesday
  • April 17th Maundy Thursday  
  • April 18th Good Friday  
  • Saturday, Apr 19th – Day 7, Saturday: The Sabbath, a Taste of What is to Come (Daniel 12:2-3; Sibylline Oracles (3:751-55, 781-84); Matthew 27:51-53)
  • Sunday, April 20th  – Easter Sunday: Pesach (Mark 16:1-8)

Sunday Services are available via Zoom Room + Live Stream* starting at  6:00 PM ET | 5:00 PM CT | 3:00 PM PT *Live-streamed Services will only be live for the first 30 minutes and then Zoom only for open reflections. Bible Study (Zoom Room Only) Wednesdays, March 5th-  April 9th 3:00 PM PT | 5:00 PM CT | 6:00 PM ET *Spanish Interpretation Available | Interpretación en español

Freedom Church of the Poor gathers online every Sunday at 6pm ET | 5pm CT | 3pm PT via zoom and other social media platforms.