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The Onion

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 Onion

Family

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.

Visitors

Then we have "Visitors." These are people who come to check things out for a day or week -- wanderers, volunteers, summer groups.

Guests

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."

Nomads & Novitates

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.

Partners

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.

Life Partners

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.