Some of you will know this already, but Mandy and I have been contemplating living in community with 2 other couples from our church. I have hesitated in writing about this endeavor here because I was still unsure whether this would actually happen, but last night the 6 of us signed a lease to live together for at least the next year.
Over the next 2-3 weeks we will slowly be moving into a 5 bedroom, 3 bathroom house in a neighborhood of Seattle called Northgate. Northgate is a bit further from downtown Seattle than we originally intended, but renting this house will allow us to save a lot of money each month and will afford us great community with our housemates. We understand how difficult this experiment will be at times, so we thought it necessary to have a house with ample space to "get away" from the rest of the community to recharge ourselves emotional and spiritually.
A number of months ago Shane Claiborne (a writer & speaker who lives in community in Philadephia) spoke at our church. One of the couples purchased one of Shane's DVDs and the 6 of us met the next week to watch it and have dinner together. Out of that meal and conversation, this idea of communal living was birthed. All 6 of us desperately want to take seriously the life and message of Jesus and feel that a large part of that calling is to a life of simplicity, humility, sacrifice, and surrender. I think we will experience all of these throughout this next year. Please be praying for us as we begin this exciting yet terrifying experiment.
Sounds like quite the decision!
ReplyDeleteDid you also draw up a house document? One that will have the rules of the house and how conflicts are handled. Kind of a play book for how you all envision this going. If you do have that great! if you don't I would work it out before you move in! Blessings there man!
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