Intentional Quaker Community in London
An open letter from Mark Russ
I have been a Quaker for the last 10 years. Seeing each other for an hour or two on a Sunday doesn’t feel enough for me. I want a deeper, meaningful experience in committed spiritual living. My partner and I are greatly attracted to intentional community. Books that have excited us include Utopian Dreams by Tobias Jones, Testament of Devotion by Thomas Kelly, The Irresistible Revolution by Shaine Claiborne and Take This Bread by Sara Miles as well as the writings of early Friends and the Bible.
I would like to share a vision with you of the type of community I long to be a part of. I hope for an intentional community of people in London that:
▪ Support each other in daily spiritual practice
▪ Commit to spiritual growth through group study and prayer
▪ Is centered on the person of Jesus
▪ Have a covenanted relationship with each other
▪ See the community as family
▪ Discern each others gifts and liberate each other to follow these leadings
▪ Practices discernment (in the Quaker sense) in community decision making
▪ Share food, practicing a fellowship of the table
▪ Focus on hospitality to friend, enemy and stranger
▪ Practically engage with people in the local neighourhood
▪ Share economic resources with each other and the needy among us – perhaps even moving towards a common purse
▪ Are creative, curious and experimental
▪ Support committed couples (both same and opposite sex) and honours singleness
▪ Is both Quaker and part of the wider church
▪ Commit to peacemaking and conflict resolution within the community
(www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/mar/27/life-less-ordinary-tobias-jones)
▪ Is sustainable
The first step towards a community of this nature is to meet together, share some food, tell our stories and discern the next step.
If you would like to be part of this exploration, please get in touch via the Contact form below.
Yours in friendship
Mark Russ