Ed Loring, one of the founders of the Open Door Community (ODC) in Atlanta, celebrated his 85th birthday last week in Baltimore. The event was held in his back yard. Above is a picture of Michael, Ed and I at that event.

We sat in a circle and Ed introduced all of us – about 20 – some from as far away as Germany and others right down the street. We then stood in a circle for the blessing after which we sang a song. Murphy – Ed’s wife wasn’t there to lead us in a song like she has in the past – so another member of the circle got us started.

The ODC began on Ponce-de-Leon Street in Atlanta in 1981 when Rob and Carolyn Johnson along with Ed and his wife Murphy Davis shared their possessions and incomes. What can I say about it? My words won’t do it justice.

It was a Christian community known as the Protestant Catholic Worker. They managed to get the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta to buy the former women’s shelter from the Salvation Army. The building was huge and at one time, over 30 members lived in the house. They were middle class folks who decided to give up their way of life and live in community. Folks living on the streets of Atlanta joined them. Resident volunteers spent time there as well. The theology of Matthew 25 under-girded the community.

They had a soup kitchen that eventually operated six days each week. They offered showers and a public bathroom. They had a clothes closet where people could go to receive needed clothes. The front room had supplies such as hats, gloves, a few clothes, aspirin and other needed items. The person on “phone and door” answered both.

The ODC was supported from donations, and they didn’t seek funding outside the church because they wanted to work for the justice of Jesus. They didn’t want to be beholden to anyone. They didn’t accept government funds so they could protest government actions and protest they did.

Their most memorable action was when they took over the abandoned Imperial Hotel downtown until the city agreed to build more housing units for those on the streets. The action ended when Ed and Murphy and others who chose to be arrested were led out in handcuffs. The city committed to adding more than 1000 housing units. For more information on this see Terry Easton’s book Raising Our Voices, Breaking the Chain.

The community closed in Atlanta in 2017 partly due to the fatigue of the partners – Ed Loring and Murphy Davis, Gladys and Dick Rustay, Calvin and Neila Kimbrough. The building was sold by the Presbytery to build more condos in an already gentrified area of Atlanta. Ed and Murphy moved to Baltimore to be near their daughter Hannah. David Payne joined them in the move. They continued protesting when they saw injustice in the Baltimore area. Sadly, Murphy passed away after a twenty-five-year struggle with cancer in 2020.

After my traumatic brain injury in 1996, I volunteered there. I believed in their mission and wanted to be part of it. I wasn’t driving at the time, and we lived in a little apartment a short bus ride away. I tried to work in the community but when you have 30 folks living in one house all doing jobs along with volunteers from various organizations, the chaos was palpable. I just couldn’t manage the stimulation that early in my recovery.

On the left is a picture of Ed protesting in Washington D.C. He is on the right holding the “Stop Zionism” sign. Even at his age he still takes the time to get the message out on the streets. I so admire his audacity and commitment to justice.

Before my accident, I met my husband Michael at the ODC when I brought a group from the church I was serving at the time to volunteer in the soup kitchen. Michael was a Resident Volunteer leading the soup kitchen and somehow, we connected. I can’t remember if I started cooking grits for their breakfast on Butler street before or after I met him.

In order to serve breakfast at the Butler Street AME church – another ministry of the ODC – I got up at 4 AM on my day off from church and drove to the community and entered with my key. No one was awake except for Ralph Dukes who made the coffee. I stirred three huge pots of grits and boiled 300 eggs. At 6am we went to the church and served grits, boiled eggs, orange slices coffee and a vitamin pill to 200-300 people most who worked in the Labor pools and had nowhere else to eat.

They also publish a newspaper called Hospitality. Michael edited it for many years even after he finished his time as a resident volunteer. You can read copies of it at https://opendoorcommunity.org . Put Hospitality in the search bar on the right side of the page and the issues of the newspaper will come up. The last issue – March/April – contains much information about Ed and the ODC in general including an excellent article written by Nibs Stroupe.

Ed, Murphy and the Open Door Community influenced a great many people during its 35- year ministry in Atlanta. Ed continues his justice work even now. Happy birthday Ed!