Spaces For Encounter is an ecumenically intended Franciscan Solidarity Table serving Southern California and based in Long Beach, CA.  We are affiliated with the Franciscan Action Network and draw inspiration from the historically influential Franciscan traditions and heritage in California.   It was envisioned to teach contemplative practices to increase our awareness of how our encounters with God, with each other, our institutions and the natural world are spaces available to grow our capacity to bring more aliveness to our lives and others.

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The purpose of the Solidarity Table is to organize local groups of Franciscans and Franciscan hearted people around its core practice of the Circle Table Process, a communal contemplative practice to build relationships and local community and to advocate with the Franciscan family in the areas of peace, justice, and the care of creation. These qualities are intrinsic to the Franciscan charism. We propose to help each group to deepen its knowledge and spiritual awareness of the Franciscan tradition from which these values come.  

The Franciscan Solidarity Tables are open not only to professed Franciscans but also Franciscan-Hearted people who want to know more about Francis and Clare's radical way of living out the Gospel and want to grow in that spiritually through action and contemplation. It is intended to be a space that is ecumenical where potentially people from any Franciscan tradition - (Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Episcopal and Ecumenical) and Franciscan-Hearted people can come together to pray and build relationships to collaborate on projects and events that live the Gospel in action.