“A Place for Sabbath Feast”

Living the Sabbath: Discovering the Rhythms of Rest and Delight (Norman Wirzba, 2006) is the most down-to-earth book on sabbath I have found so far. It is part of the Christian Practice of Everyday Life series.

The book has two parts. The first, called Setting a Sabbath Context, contains such chapters as The Practice of Delight and The Decline of Delight. The second part is called The Sabbath in Practical Context and contains such chapters as Work and the Sabbath, Sabbath at Home, and Sabbath Environmentalism.

Below I have included a quote from the chapter Sabbath at Home. In it, the author builds a compelling case for community “focal practices,” which among other things is a great bit of terminology. Less confusing-sounding than charism, less committal that mission, less clunky than core value. The paragraph captures my own feelings on Sabbath perfectly.

A Place for Sabbath Feast:

“For Sabbath people, it will not be enough simply to resist cultural forms and expectations. We also need to develop positive practices that will draw us closer to each other. Albert Borgmann has wisely suggested that homes and communities recover what he calls “focal practices;” the set of personal and communal habits that bring people into regular and sympathetic face-to-face contact. In our time of hyperreality, when relationships are increasingly mediated by technological gadgets and automobiles, and when speed overwhelms our capacity for attention and patience,  a focal practice compels us to take stock of how we live from and through each other. These are practices like neighborhood Little League and a community orchestra, activities that bring us into closer contact with each other so that we can directly see how we need and benefit each other and thus really ought to make more time to celebrate and enjoy what we live together.”

Fresh Food!

Last night we had one of the best meals of the year so far. What made it so good? All of the ingredients for it were foraged from within walking distance to our house. Only 3 items were purchased at a store, and even those three were from the Co-Op, so were still local and organic. I got so much joy from gathering and preparing this delicious meal of salad and smoothies. Here is what it consisted of:

• romaine lettuce from our garden
• purselane from our garden and a garden a few block away (purselane is a “weed” that is native to India and has recently started growing in PA. It’s leaves are succulent and full of more antioxidants than any other leafy green!)
• spinach from a local farm that I purchased at the Co-Op
• day lily petals from local day lilies that I picked on a bike ride (yes, day lilies are 100% edible and quite delicious)
• nasturtium flowers from our garden (this is an edible flower that has peppery leaves and flowers)
• roasted chicken that I got from a local farm that sells their chickens at the Co-Op
• radish flowers (these taste a bit like cucumbers)
• cornflowers aka bachelor buttons (edible wildflowers)
• locally made cheese from the Co-Op
• raspberries that Kari and I picked at a local garden
• frozen blueberries from here in PA
• basil, cilantro and other herbs that came from our garden and one nearby
• homemade dressings
• yogurt from a nearby farm

So, this meal not only tasted delicious, it also had little impact on the earth. It brings me great joy to eat good food that cares for both my body and for Creation. I have perhaps been getting a bit spoiled by the ease of eating locally grown organic foods here in PA. What have you been eating lately?

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The FEC: Part 1

Each of us here at Formation House are presenting seminars to the rest of the group on the topics of our choice. So far, Amber has presented on the Liturgical Year, Scott has presented on Conflict in Community, Dave has presented on his and Karen’s recent visit to Reba Place, and I have presented on the Federation of Egalitarian Communities.

My goal was to get a feel for the whole North American Intentional Community landscape, but that topic was way too broad. In my research I found the FEC, an interesting (but manageably-sized) federation of secular intentional communities. A condensed version of my presentation is below.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Part I: An Overview of the FEC

Intro:

The FEC is a network of communal groups across North America. The communities range from small agricultural homesteads to village-like communities to urban group houses.

The FEC provides access to a catastrophic health care fund, called PEACH, a Labor Exchange program, called LEX, and support for recruitment and outreach.

Principles/Values

• Holds resources in common.
• Assumes responsibility for the needs of its members.
• Practices non-violence.
• Uses a form of decision making in which members have an equal opportunity to participate.
• Actively works to establish the equality of all people.
• Acts to conserve natural resources for present and future.
• Creates processes for group communication.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Part II:

Next Post: Full Member Communities

The FEC: Part 2

Acorn Community Farm

• Population: 24 adults
• Founded: 1993
• 72 acres in rural Virginia
• “A community of work and play, and distributing rare heirloom seed varieties.”

“We are interested in meeting people experienced in community-building, communication and facilitation, and interested in building a dynamic, supportive social culture.”

Twin Oaks

• Population: 90 adults, 13 children
• Founded: 1967
• 400 acres in rural Virginia
• A long-term, stable community based on rich culture and diverse economy.

Twin Oaks is the oldest and largest of the Federation communities. It was originally founded by a group inspired by B. F. Skinner’s fictional book Walden Two.

East Wind Community

• Population: 65 adults, 11 children
• Founded: 1973
• 1,045 acers in rural Missouri
• Doing things ourselves, individual freedom, stewarding our beautiful land.

What does East Wind Community do with 1,045 acres? They have a garden, a 1/8 acre herb garden, a 1.5 acre orchard, a 140 acre ranch, and 850 acres of oak and hickory forest.

Sandhill Farm

• Population: 7 adults, 1 child, 1 toddler
• Founded: 1974
• 135 acres in rural Missouri
• “Organic homestead & child-friendly family of friends with current openings for new members.”

Sandhill produces a big sorghum crop every year. “Not only is sorghum syrup our biggest agricultural income source, it’s also one of our main social events of the year.”

Skyhouse/Dancing Rabbit

• Population: 3 adults
• Founded: 1997
• 280 acres in rural Missouri
• “An income-sharing group within a larger ecovillage, dedicated to sustainability.”

The principal mission of Skyhouse is to support and nurture its membership… Another important Skyhouse goal is to support the development of Dancing Rabbit in whatever way possible.

Emma Goldman Finishing School

• Population: 10 adults
• Founded: 1996
• Urban Seattle
• “A social justice commune in the heart of Seattle.”

“Our community is based on the principles of societal change, egalitarianism, non-violence, ecology, simplicity, and community living.”

Intentional Community Book List (UPDATED)

We started this list one year ago, so it is time for an update. People have been sending in their recommendations for “must read” books about community. Your contribution is still needed!

• permaculture
• simple living
• social issues
• business and legal
• classics
• monastic
• new monasticism
• spiritual practices
• philosophy/ethics
• community how-to

A Sabbath Resolve

Living in community is a good way to learn about oneself. The Formation House curriculum, the Strengths and Values Small Group we participated in, and the general rock tumbler/fish bowl nature of intentional community have all afforded me many opportunities for self-reflection.

This year I have identified something that I am excited to focus on in the future. This thing will inform the rhythms I will seek to create for myself.

Sabbath is just a pause. It is a time to reflect, gather, celebrate, and prepare for the meaningful work ahead. It does not have to be a whole day, and it does not even have to be called “sabbath.”

While the concept of sabbath is counterculture, I know from practicing Sabbath with Amber (we started out celebrating it quarterly and now we celebrate it once a month) that Sabbath observation is a life-giving practice for me and is relatively easy to implement.

* * * * *

Moreover, I think Sabbath would make a good charism for a community.

Whether you call it a charism, focus, mission, core value, purpose, emphasis, or just “thing we do,” every community needs one sooner or later. Like a tent pole, a charism helps to give definition and form to community without being too ridged. It informs the rhythms a community will seek to establish and lays the groundwork for long-term cohesion.

Often, a community’s charisms emerge from the talents, values, and desires of its members. In fact, individuals often have charisms just as communities do.

Here at Formation House, we have been holding meetings to discuss what the members want to focus on next year. Someone voiced the desire to simply have more opportunities to spend time together.

Ironically, while community life is about more than doing the grocery shopping and figuring out an equitable way to do housework, it has been precisely those things that have taken up the bulk of our community time and energy—at the expense of hanging out and/or doing any number of other things together.

In this context, it is clear that a community must be thoughtful about what it wants its charism to be.

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Having Sabbath as a charism makes a lot of sense for a community. Celebration is a perfect focal point for people to gather around. It is also a minimalistic charism in that it leaves lots of room for other charisms to grow.

Sabbath could be any day of the week (it does not have to be Sunday) and it could be as frequently or as occasionally as desired. It could be a neighborhood badminton tournament in the backyard. It could be dinner and a movie. It could be a planned day with no chores/obligations. It could be baking a cake just to celebrate life.

Again, to me Sabbath is a time to reflect, gather, celebrate, and prepare for the meaningful work ahead. Reflecting, gathering, celebrating and preparing does not happen on its own. That is why I am excited to practice Sabbath in my personal life and to promote it to anyone who will listen.

Vacation Time

Sorry for being so lax in our updates lately. Things are getting busy as our time in Pittsburgh wraps up. We will write more on that very soon. We are fresh off of vacation and ready to finish up our AmeriCorps terms and get things together for our journey across five states back to Missouri.

Where did we go on vacation, you ask? We decided we wanted to see as much of this area as possible before we moved, so we decided to visit Niagara Falls which is only a four hour drive from Pittsburgh. On our way back we stayed in Erie, PA along Lake Erie and then finished up our vacation camping with AmeriCorps.

Niagara Falls was beautiful. About a year ago we visited a waterfall in Thailand when we visited our friend Kayla. This reminded us of that, but Niagara was about twenty times bigger. We got to see them lit up at night with their pretty colors too. We stayed in Niagara, Ontario Canada at a great Bed and Breakfast where we had breakfast with a couple from Australia, a couple from Ohio and a couple from Ireland. I could have just listened to them talk all day with their distinct accents. We were staying within walking distance to the falls, so I got to take a walk to see them in the morning. We also rode the Maid of the Mist, like good tourists. We are so glad we ended up doing this boat ride. It really showed us the power of the Falls as we were at the base of the Horseshoe Falls in what felt like a tropical storm of wind and water that made it difficult to keep our free ponchos on. Our time in Niagara was beautiful and we are so glad we were able to go.

The next day we stayed at a different bed and breakfast in Erie, PA that is now our favorite B&B thus far. Erie was quite different than Niagara in a number of ways. Niagara was very developed and felt pretty touristy with lights, casinos, people from all over the world, and all of the Hard Rock Cafe’s and Planet Hollywoods a tourist could want. Erie only had local restaurants that were way more our style than the upscale pricey places in Niagara. There was also few hotels and tourist traps. All in all, Erie was more up our alley. We spent the day at Presque Isle State Park hanging out on the beach one day. I have never visited a beach at a lake where I actually felt like I was at a beach. I have also never visited a beach that had no people on it. We got both of these things in one place at the beach in Erie. It was so relaxing and peaceful to have almost the whole beach to ourselves!

Our trip concluded with a night of camping one last time with our fellow AmeriCorps members. Thanks to Jay’s clever ingenuity with tarp placement, we were one of the only tents that stayed dry on the inside when it rained the whole night through.

Enjoy the pictures below of our adventures together! We will write more reflective entries about our nature experiences soon after we sleep off the vacation.

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