Conclusion
An Evolving and Deepening Sacred-Centered Community
The Community of Freedom Gathering’s success connects back to the Institute’s origins and John Fetzer’s belief in the power of collective spiritual inquiry and practice. Since the inception of the weekly all staff gathering in 2012, the community has grown and evolved alongside the Fetzer Institute’s mission and strategy. 2020 was an inflection point for the COFG: the pandemic brought renewed purpose to Fetzer’s spiritual community and new leadership, and structural and organizational conditions set it on a path toward increasing impact. In years that followed, Fetzer’s sacred-centered community and organizational culture have become deeply valued by staff and mission-critical for the organization.
Positive evolution and impact is happening in both inner and outer worlds. Staff report unequivocal signs of spiritual growth, more honest relationships with colleagues, and a unique appreciation for their workplace. At work, there is a distinct sense of sacred hospitality and shared commitment to living into Fetzer’s mission of building the spiritual foundation for a loving world. The effects of the COFG extend beyond the walls of the Institute, with a clear majority of staff reporting that the weekly convening is helping them contribute to broader societal transformation.
Sacred-centered organizational community and culture comes with inherent tensions, requiring leaders and all staff to balance individual and collective needs, sacred space and workplace realities, and inner spiritual formation and transformation with outward action and care for the world.
Fetzer’s Community of Freedom Gathering will never be a static or completed project. The gathering, the community, and the organizational culture will continue to thrive by adapting to dynamic needs at every level, from the individual to global society, all the while centering sacred love and being guided by Fetzer’s purpose “to awaken into and serve Spirit for the transformation of self and society.”