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The onion is how we view growth and structure in our community. Please read through this before asking to come and visit. It will, hopefully, clear up some questions that you may have. There are two articles that brooke and Shane wrote after we created the onion (on our retreat two years ago) and a diagram of the onion itself. The journey deeper into the simple way is not simply about time - about putting in enough hours. As people journey into the community, we will be intentional about learning and growing together. Then, after a certain time, we can decide together if this is the right place for you.
W h y S t r u c t u r e by bes
We were not wrong... those first epic meetings we had to figure out what the simple way was; those first terminal meetings where we decided with the righteousness that hopefully you only hold on to from age 15- 22 (any longer than that, it turns to foolishness) that we did not want any structure in the simple way. We believed in love. (I still believe in love.) We believed that love could conquer everything. We took the beginning, open, risk-filled baby steps on the journey. We were not wrong... but we could have done it all better.
On our retreat this August we worked really hard on the next bigger steps in the journey. We looked back at the last three and a half years and we saw the trail blazed within ourselves. We saw the broken relationships and the miracle ones that have lasted and grown. We had a very honest time. When we started I really believed that love was better and wiser than structure and that I just wanted to be free to love and be loved. I realized I was right- but that isn't the whole picture. In a garden you can't just mix up all your seeds and throw them on the ground- some things should not grow together or they may grow too close and fight for nutrients they both need. Even if you tend it, your garden will not produce as much as it is capable of. Someone said at the retreat- we create a structure that gives us more room to love not a structure that makes it easier to love. Easier to love... please.
It still scares me to death- I've seen so many beautiful things sucked of their life and vibrancies through organization- rational, safe decisions. We are not looking for a way to make things safe, but a way to support each other so that we can give more, risk more. The simple way is about relationships, and that is a risk, and that can't be put on a schedule or given a title. Hello, my name is brooke, and I'm scared of organization - but I'm excited too. Our idea of a lot of structure is most people's definition of chaos. It is good stuff though. We now meet in small groups, and have a clearer understanding of how we grow. We are challenging ourselves to take better care of ourselves and each other. We have created a structure that puts the community first. Because if we can't love each other well, then why and how could we even try with our neighbors.
Thanks with riding with us on for these first couple years- the new structure probably won't mean that we will return your call sooner- I hope it means that we can say yes more. |
The Onion by Shane
We call them layers. As we have matured grown over the past few years, we have developed several different layers of communal commitment (we say "layers" because "levels" connotes a progressive movement upward, which is not the case). We believe defining these expectations and accountability will allow for a healthier family as we grow together, rather than people feeling they need to take on more responsibility than they are comfortable with, or not feeling the freedom to take more responsibility. This new skeletal structure for our community will allow more intentionality for people entering in and transitioning out of our community. It is not something that we are imposing from the outside, but something that has emerged from our midst. The structure itself works no miraculous healing, but hopefully it will facilitate the space for wholeness to take place. And in fact it is nothing new. We are just putting words to something that has existed in fragments of ambiguity.
As you can imagine, at each layer we have different commitments, expectations and accountability. The broadest layer is "Family" -- that is you -- our supporters, relatives, Board members, neighbors... everyone who takes care of us and is on this adventure with us. Then we have "Visitors." These are people who come to check things out for a day or week -- wanderers, volunteers, summer groups. Then we have "Guests." These are folks who come to stay longer and observe, help out, experience community life. At this layer people do a significant amount of reading and education, and commit to "Love God, Love People, and Follow Jesus." Next there is a layer consisting of two groups: "Nomads" and "novitiates". Both of these share deeply in communal life and work, perhaps living with us a year or so. They commit to our Foundations and Functionality commitments. Nomads do all of this with the goal of taking what they experience elsewhere, and starting another intentional community or joining an existing one. Novitiates are intentionally working their way deeper into the simply way family with the idea of continuing to live here. Finally, there are "Partners," those of us who have committed a large chunk of our lives to the simple way. Partners share the decision-making and vision-casting. They take vows to one another (not just to the simple way vision), and they are in rotating (every three months) small groups together to help facilitate community health and functionality. There is one more layer still in the formation stage (as none of us are there yet), which would be life partners who are sharing a common pool and who have committed their lives together.
So that's it. Please pray for us during this exciting but challenging time of transition and implementation. We will be defining our commitments and expectations within this new framework. |
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We are the simple way, a community of faith.
Each of us is created for community, and in the image of community. And yet everything in the world tries to rob us of this Divine gift.
The life of the simple way is the story of that struggle to love and to be loved.
The most radical thing we do is choose to love each other... again and again.
If you are a seeker of the Way, may our story feed you hope... or at least keep you from making all the same mistakes.
"Life in community is no less than a necessity for us, an inescapable 'must'... all life created by God exists in communal order and works toward community." -- Eberhard Arnold
Contact Info
Our mailing address is:
The Simple Way
PO Box 14751
Philadelphia, PA 19134
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Potter Street Community
Camden House
New Jerusalem
Rutba House (New Monasticism)
Yes! And... CAMP
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Jamie Moffett
Dotted Line Shirts (T-Shirt company)
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