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1 May 2024
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Description
Blessings! And thank you for coming to our profile! We are forming a Monastic Interfaith Christ-centered Intentional Community in Louisa, VA. That's a lot of words! I'll explain.
The vision for this community is creating a monastic intentional community where people can practice their faith through Sung Prayer, meditation and dialogue with fellow humans. We envision there being space for monks to practice their life-long commitment to God/The Source/Creator as well as space for any person who wants to be closer to their spirituality through the modalities listed above, while living in community. We envision openness for all types of residents, be it intentional community members, monks, volunteers or visitors and we are open to every type of person. Come as you are.
Our Pillars:
1)Radical Welcoming
2)Sung Prayer
3)Learning to Dialogue
4)Service
We participate in Sung Prayer, led by Brother Stefan (a Christian Monk) 3x a day, followed by a community meal and conversation (unless we are practicing silence). Brother Stefan is the founder and creator of this forming intentional community based off of the principles of the Taize Community in France, and we need help to grow it!
We are in the very beginning stages of growing this vision, so there is a lot of work to be done and a lot of space to practice your faith, silence, retreat, conversation, expression, whatever nurtures your relationship with the Self and the Source.
We have a beautiful property that is 260 acres of mostly wooded landscape along with gorgeous rolling hills, and several structures already built including the retreat center and a large pond.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
You will be able to have the space to give yourself a retreat. You can join in on our Sung Prayer (led by a talented musician), meditation and have wonderful conversations with good people about how to be human in this world. You will have the opportunity to go deeper with your practice and deeper with your relationship to God. We have a very large property, so you are free to explore and commune with nature. We do not have a ton of projects at the very beginning, and we respect and value an even pace, so there is a lot of space for you to take in the stillness here. We hold retreats sometimes, so you will get to be a part of those as well!
Help
Roles to Fill:
Workaway Housekeeper Request
Our Christian monastic community that sings and prays three times a day. We seek to live out a life of mutual respect. We are on 260 acres of fields, woods and a nice creek, in a rural setting 6 miles from the small town of Louisa, VA.
We are looking for one special worker to serve as community housekeeper and cook. We require a week minimum visit. The work can usually be done in 20 hours a week, with 2 days off a week, though it might occasionally call for a little extra. We will provide a private space for you to stay in and your food and basic needs (toothpaste and such).
Work includes cooking the supper meal for our community up to 4 nights a week, food shopping, and general cleaning to keep the place looking nice.
If you do not have a vehicle, we will pickup and drop you off at Charlottesville, VA bus, train or airport. A community vehicle will also take you into Louisa for food shopping. Please have an exit strategy in the case you or we find that this is not a compatible fit.
Our website, , will give you a good overview of our contemplative,
monastic lifestyle. We especially value quiet and silence at certain times.
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Accommodation
Right now we have room for 1 person. We have a small room or cubicle with a bunkbed for your private space while you are here. You would share the bathrooms, kitchen and rest of the retreat center as 'your house'. Our times of silence and prayer must be observed by all throughout the house. We make some accommodation for the dietary preferences of each individual, though we generally have community food and meals.
What else ...
We read from several sacred texts including the bible. We speak the names Jesus and God often and believe we can learn a great deal about how to create Peace on our Earth from their words. If this bothers you to a great extent, this might not be a great fit. If you are semi-closed to this but still somewhat open, this might be a good place for you. On the other hand we are interfaith and accept all people and have no dogma about who's going here or who's going there. We accept every person's personal relationship to their Higher Power.
We are in the middle of an intentional community mecca! There are several other intentional communities right in the area who are doing really great and interesting things. You can take tours of them and make friends as they often hold gatherings.
We are very rural so it would help if you had a car. We do have two bikes available and we go into town, which is about 15 minutes away, a couple times a week.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
We have 260 acres with some lovely meadow space for camper parking. No hookups
Can possibly accept pets
Peaceful dogs are welcome.
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
