

The Fellowship was founded in 1935 in opposition to President Franklin D. Goodwill Industries soon occupied a city block, where they repaired and processed discarded clothing and furniture and converted "waste to wages".

Vereide was a Norwegian immigrant who founded Goodwill Industries in Seattle in 1916 to assist the city's unemployed Scandinavian immigrant population. The Fellowship Foundation traces its roots to its founder, Abraham Vereide, a Methodist clergyman and social innovator, who organized a month of prayer meetings in 1934 in San Francisco. 8 Handling of politicians' extramarital affairs.7 Relationships with other organizations.In Newsweek, Lisa Miller wrote that rather than calling themselves "Christians", as they describe themselves, they are brought together by common love for the teachings of Jesus and that all approaches to "loving Jesus" are acceptable. Prior to that, he had a leadership role in the organization and had spoken at the Russian prayer breakfast. ĭoug Burleigh is a key figure in the organization and has taken over organizing the National Prayer Breakfast since the death of his father-in-law, Doug Coe. Many United States senators and congressmen have publicly acknowledged working with the Fellowship or are documented as having worked together to pass or influence legislation. The group's known participants include ranking United States government officials, corporate executives, heads of religious and humanitarian aid organizations, and ambassadors and high-ranking politicians from across the world. Eisenhower has participated in at least one National Prayer Breakfast during his term. Every sitting United States president since Dwight D.

The Fellowship holds one regular public event each year, the National Prayer Breakfast, which is in Washington, D.C. The Fellowship's former leader, the late Douglas Coe, and others have explained the organization's desire for secrecy by citing biblical admonitions against public displays of good works, insisting they would not be able to tackle diplomatically sensitive missions if they drew public attention. They shun publicity and its members share a vow of secrecy. The Fellowship has been described as one of the most politically well-connected and most secretly funded ministries in the United States. The stated purpose of The Fellowship is to provide a fellowship forum for decision makers to share in Bible studies, prayer meetings, worship of God, and to experience spiritual affirmation and support. The Fellowship, also known as The Family and the International Foundation, is a U.S.-based religious and political organization founded in 1935 by Abraham Vereide.
