OUR MISSION

THE 787 COLLECTIVE GATHERS AND RESOURCES AUSTIN-AREA CONGREGATIONS SEEKING TO ENGAGE WITH YOUNG ADULTS THROUGH CREATIVE VENTURES THAT DEEPEN LOVE FOR GOD, SELF AND OTHERS.

Why does the
Collective exist?

The Collective exists to discover new and innovative methods for bridging Christian communities and young adults in ways that will transform both populations.

THE PROCESS

The 787 Collective encourages congregations to spend time discerning whether they feel called to walk with people in their twenties. If a congregation does discern a calling, the 787 Collective supports them with educational and financial support.

Get Started

We invite you to a process of narrating the story of your congregation, doing something new, and becoming part of a learning community.

CREATIVE VENTURES

Studio

787 Studio events are open to all. They engage not only the mind, but the creative spirit. We will challenge our usual ways of relating by entering the sacred space of making—making art, writing music, improvising, crafting plays, dancing and more.

YOUNG ADULT GATHERINGS

The 787 Artist’s Colony will be a contemplative space for the individual work of spiritual transformation needed to listen deeply and with an open-heart, to let go of presumed certainty, and to follow the surprising calls of the Holy.

COMMUNAL DINNERS

The ritual of breaking bread together is essential to the life of the community and gives Collective members a chance to engage in fellowship, share learning, and create a gathering space for all those that share in the joys and struggles of our work.

NEWS, EVENTS AND IDEAS

Young Adults in the Borderlands: Sara

While Sara is originally from Virginia, she moved to Guatemala in 2016 to work for Mennonite Central Committee. In 2020 she moved to Tucson to work for Kino Border Initiative after ending her first (but not last) stint in Guatemala. The following objects below represent the story of Sara’s life from her childhood in Virginia…

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Jóvenes en la Frontera: Brenda

Nuestra primera joven que queremos presentar es Brenda. Brenda es de la ciudad de Tucson, Arizona, y trabaja en iniciativas de salud fronteriza y como educadora de salud comunitaria en la región fronteriza de Arizona. Como mujer mexicoamericana de primera generación, busca inspirar a otras mexicoamericanas de primera generación para crear cambios positivos en sus…

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Young Adults in the Borderlands: Brenda

Our first young adult that we want to highlight is Brenda. Brenda is a native of Tucson, AZ, and works in border health initiatives and as a community health educator in the Arizona border region. As a first generation Mexican-American woman she seeks to inspire other first generation Mexican-Americans to create positive changes in their…

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Jóvenes en la Frontera: La Introducción

En el pasado, el trabajo del colectivo 787 ha sido ayudar a involucrar a los jóvenes con las iglesias. Pero, en una de nuestras platicas recientes de los jóvenes en la frontera, ¿una de nuestras panelistas nos hizo la pregunta de por qué las iglesias quieren participar con los jóvenes? ¿Es solo porque las iglesias…

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Young Adults in the Borderlands: Introduction

In the past the work of 787 collective has been to help engage congregations to connect with young adults, but, in one of our recent discussions with Young Adults in the Borderlands, one of our panelists brought up the question of why do churches want to engage with young adults? Is it just because they are…

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A Welcoming of the Lunar New Year

Dear Ones, I write to you on the Lunar New Year, a tradition that is not endemic to my culture, but one that I’ve come to value for a number of reasons.   I often feel that I start the calendar year with ideas of what the year SHOULD be, and by the time Lunar New…

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Death and Faith in 2020

The following is my response to the 787’s prompt to contemplate death and faith in 2020. It is divided into four sections, each accompanied by a piece of music. If for whatever reason you can’t read all this, I recommend you simply listen to the music. It does a much finer job of expressing what…

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God Help Me To Be Free

God help me to be free.God I want to be seen for me. God please be with me…May I not meet a fate such as what we’ve seen. With black hands tied in pleasant knots in front of me,I pray they’ll know I’m not threatening, and as kind as can be. Let my lungs expand…

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Danse Macabre Introduction

As I write this, it is November 11, 2020. It is approximately six months later than we’d hope to start this series, which is something I now lovingly call “pandemic time.” That is, nothing happens as planned or on schedule in this pandemic. Today is Veteran’s Day, a day we remember people willing to face…

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ABOUT US

The 787 Collective gathers congregations primarily within the 787 zip codes who seek to engage young adults through creative ventures that deepen love for God, self, and others. Funded by The Lilly Endowment Inc. and Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary through Education Beyond the Walls, the 787 Collective is dedicated to creating a vibrant network of authentic and empowering relationships between Austin congregations and young adult communities through innovation, collaboration, and service.