Community

So to continue my mini-series on the Core Covenant, here is the excerpt on Community.

André House is a Christian community gathered in service of the poor. We come as individuals with unique gifts, to build community reflective of the reign of God. We strive to work and live collaboratively, valuing the contribution of each individual, supporting and challenging each other in love.

Individuals in Community
· We encourage each other to develop our personal gifts and charisms in service to the community.
· We encourage people to be open to new experiences and to share in all aspects of the work, even that which is not immediately appealing.


Hospitality
We are a community of hospitality in the Christian tradition, welcoming a variety of people, recognizing that we all come together with gifts to be shared.

· We encourage each other to be welcoming, inviting others to share the life and the work.
· We encourage each other to get to know the extended André House community: guests, neighbors, volunteers, friends, benefactors, and others.


Core Community Common Life
We commit ourselves to the work of community, not just the ministry to the volunteers and poor, but to each other. This takes time and work, which brings moments of both struggle and joy.

· We encourage people to listen selflessly, attending to the needs and concerns of each other and to challenge with compassion.
· We encourage people to be honest about their needs, voicing them in appropriate ways.
· We expect that individuals share responsibility for our common life in the houses. Love in community is expressed through mutual respect in the simple acts of living together.
· We expect each other to use days off and free time in ways that allow us to return to the work and community refreshed.
· The holidays are special times of increased work and celebration of community. Therefore we expect that all members of the Core Community be present Thanksgiving through Christmas.

Outside Relationships and Commitments

Core Community members will sometimes have commitments and relationships outside of André House that may positively or negatively affect the work and life.

· We expect that André House be one’s primary community and commitment. We expect that the common good be considered in all outside relationships.
· We expect that outside school or work be discussed with the Core Community in advance at the beginning of the year.
· We expect openness to frank dialogue with community members if conflict arises over these issues.
· Romantic/exclusive relationships are especially challenging for community. We expect openness to frank discussion and sensitivity to the needs of the community. We expect that romantic interests not be overnight guests in our houses.

Community life will challenge us and call us to forget ourselves in the face of a greater need. In this process we will know the cross, but only through that journey we come to the joys that are beyond.