Reframing Aspects of Neighborly House
Some of our practices stay the same but others will need to be reconsidered. Below are aspects of Neighborly House that need reframing. Bold indicates “Members-Only” spaces.
Commitments
Only Members make commitments.
Meeting Needs
Previously, the idea was “Members Give > Members Vote > Members Receive.” This will change to “Givers Vote > All Receive.” We will continue to mention this during announcements just like before and give everyone a chance to express their need. Members only decide how to use surplus funds.
Membership/Pilgrimage
Many people will be Guests. Only those who feel led to become a Covenant Member will become what we call a Practicing Member; taking the posture of an apprentice as they are guided through the 12-month Pilgrimage.
Prayer Wall
This will be for members only behind the Member portal. Accessible only to Practicing and Covenant Members. See Group-Texts for more on this.
Cubbies
Only for Members who want one to store their stuff/mugs here.
Housekeeping
Instead of meeting monthly after the Sabbath gathering, we will do Housekeeping on the last Thursday of the month during the Table Fellowship. Members only.
Butter Chicken Night
For consistency, I suggest we potluck on the fourth Sunday just like the rest. This shaves quite a bit off of our budget. I added the potluck themes to our calendar. Since Italian was the runner-up, it has taken the place of Indian. I know. I’m crying too.
Debit Card
Only Members have access to the shared debit card.
Table Fellowship
Previously this was a weekly rotation of members getting paired up. Now, we will all gather each Thursday night and the rotation will be between Member’s spaces. Host at home, parks, wherever. Hosts should be intentional about creating space for spiritual intimacy among members.
Rhythms
All people, members or not, are invited to participate in our Rhythms. This includes dinner with and support for our refugee family, Breakfast Brigade, and our Christ Room guests.
Calendar
The calendar is now public. It will not include Member’s only events.
Book Club
We recently decided to begin working through the Pilgrimage books together on Sundays. Being that Members are the only people who are working through those books, my suggestion is that we move that to Table Fellowship where only members are gathered.
Voting
As previously stated, all givers can vote on needs. All other voting is left up to members only.
Library
The Library of shared possessions will be available only to those who have made a commitment to the community. Members only.
Handbook
This is no longer given to anyone interested in our community unless they ask. It’s introduced at the beginning of one’s Pilgrimage.
Children
All members are acting as hired sitters from the time we gather until the eucharist. At that time, background-checked parents will be on a rotating schedule to watch and teach kids.
Group-Texts
We will open this up to anyone who wants to be kept in the loop and so they can express prayer needs, but we will also create a private Members only group-text as well to preserve vulnerability among committed individuals.
Study
In August we can begin our Heaven & Earth study as planned. Until then, I suggest we study the Sermon on the Mount together.
Reframing the Convo
Changing Sundays will require that we reframe the invitation and the conversation that follows. Here’s an example of how I imagine a conversation might sound.
Hypothetical Conversations
You: Come to the Neighborly House Sabbath gathering on Sunday!
Them: What’s Neighborly House?
You: We are an intentional community that practices the way of Jesus together.
Them: Intentional Community?
You: Intentional Communities are groups of people that share common rhythms of life. As Christians, our rhythms are formed by Jesus’ life. We practice Redistribution, Hospitality, and Communion together. The Sabbath gathering on Sunday is one of the more laid-back ways we practice Communion; resting, delighting in God and each other, and celebrating his goodness.
Them: What does the Sabbath gathering look like?
You: We swim 3-5, potluck + worship 5-7:30. Don’t feel pressured as a first-time guest to bring anything but our shared calendar has the potluck themes posted if you must.
Them: Do I need to make any commitments before checking it out?
You: Nope. Join as much or as little as it blesses you. You are welcome to our weekly Sunday gatherings, our monthly Welcome Party where we hang out with a local refugee family, and our monthly Breakfast Brigade where we serve breakfast to day laborers, many of whom are experiencing homelessness. We also partner with a community in Ngamwa, Kenya to provide safe drinking water, food, and access to education.