Grace and peace!

We are delighted to have you visit our web site. Here you will find basic information about who we are — enough information, we hope, to give you an accurate sense of the spirit of our Order and purpose as followers of Christ after the examples of Francis and Clare of Assisi.

The Order of Ecumenical Franciscans is a body of Christians who maintain a devotion to Sts. Francis and Clare and their interpretation of the gospel life. We are a diverse group — male and female, single and partnered/married, clergy and laity, liberal and conservative, straight and gay — with varied abilities and disabilities. Our members' church affiliations include free churches and mainline Protestant denominations, as well as Anglican and Catholic communions.

We are a dispersed community, living in our own homes, in the world, throughout the world. We participate in our local faith communities while remaining connected to our brothers and sisters in the Order via various communication technologies (mail, email, phone, internet, etc.) and through face-to-face gatherings, including an annual Chapter/Convocation. We bind ourselves to one another in lives of mutual support and accountability, following a common Rule and participating in a structure of accountability within the Order. Each member is also expected to maintain fruitful relationships with a local spiritual director and with his or her local faith community.

There are many ways to follow Christ; we are practitioners of a joy-filled Franciscan spirituality, deeply informed by tradition, made relevant for the 21st century, and open to all Christians, regardless of church or denominational identity. Franciscan spirituality integrates contemplative and active dimensions. We immerse ourselves in fertile and transformative lives of prayer. Profoundly aware of the depth of God's love for us, we go out into the world in lives of compassionate action, passionately committed to liberation and justice for all God's children, especially those who have been marginalized by a society of greed and despair. Our love and compassion extends to all of creation, understanding ourselves as called to relationships of kinship with the non-human others with whom we share this astonishing universe and beloved blue-green planet.

Make yourself at home here. Explore freely. If you have more questions about OEF, we hope you will contact us!

Peace and all good to you!

Nancy Menning, minister general