Many of us have individual and family traditions that we practice in advent, but how do communities celebrate this season in their life together?
This month we wanted to highlight how different communities celebrate advent.
Julius Besler: Advocate, Co-worker, Schemer of Good Deeds, and Prophet of God
Julius in the Clearing Household around 2014. He is in the middle with a red sweater.
This is an excerpt from David Janzen's upcoming book Seven Radical Elders.
I wake up this morning with both a heavy and a grateful heart because my compassionate friend, faithful mentor, best advocate, inspired co-worker, unstoppable imaginer of new projects Julius Besler, is dying.
Read more"Community First" in 21st Century Austin
In 2013 David Janzen in one of his Nurturing Communities missives reported on his visits with several Texas communities. Steven Hebbard, a young, “energetic and creative community organizer,” had taken him outside of Austin and showed him plans for a a new, model community for more than 200 formerly homeless people and volunteers.
Read more"Valle Nuevo" in El Salvador
Just how difficult can it be to transition leadership of a community from one generation to the next?
Pastor (that is his Spanish name, not his title) is always respectful of the youth who have begun to emerge as leaders in this rural community of campesinos in northern El Salvador who had to flee their country in front of government death squads during the civil war…
Read more"Koinonia Farm" in Southwest Georgia
Seventeen promises, at least by my count. Steve had made 17 promises by the time the ceremony for becoming a covenanted member of Koinonia Farm was completed.
Read moreOhio River Valley Catholic Worker Gathering
Psalm 133:1 “How good and pleasant it is when we dwell together in unity.”
What a rich time of fellowship was had at the Ohio River Valley Catholic Worker & Christian Intentional Community Gathering hosted the Bloomington Catholic Worker.
Read moreEvidence of Christian Community Part III- Alterna Community
Alterna is a small Christian community that has endured tragedy over the recent years, and yet, has sought to hear God’s leading through mourning and grief. Alterna always has had a strong presence with immigrants from Mexico and Central America.
Read moreEvidence of Christian Community Part II- Jubiliee Partners
Jubilee Partners
Jubilee’s property is a lively and beautiful place—with scattered homes, gardens, pond, animals, a cemetery and a unique carousel—it’s not these tangibles spaces that will endure after several seasons, but rather the stories of changed lives and a peculiar people who lived a life so generous and hospitable.
Read moreEvidence of Christian Community Part I- Grace and Main
Josh and Jessica Hearne, part of Grace and Main welcomed us warmly, and after a visit in their home took us on a tour of Danville and the five other Grace and Main households. They told us their story of how they grew out of a simple bible study in which people began asking honest questions about how to be disciples of Jesus in this out-of-the-way, economically depressed, small town.
Read moreAcademic Articles from Nurturing Community Leaders..
This past year we had the opportunity to have not one but THREE of our steering committee members featured in an academic theological journal writing on the intentional community movement: Alden Bass, Kent Smith and Charles Moore!
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