Cohousing-L Mailing List: Religon in Cohousing: an update on the Mennonite project

[Rob Sandelin (Exchange) (Robsan]

I spoke with my contact from the now infamous Mennonite cohousing group. =
 He got a good laugh about people being concerned about cohousing and =
religon.  To them, cohousing is just a better way to organize a =
neighborhood, and they have no interest or concern about any =
"movements".   BTW, I have agreed, actually quite a long while ago that =
I would not in any way "advertise" their community, and I was relieved =
that my contact agreed that opening up a general example  of religious =
based cohousing by using them was OK.  She also said I could spead more =
info, just not any contact info - They are sold out and then some, and =
don't need any recruiting or other publicity.

So for those who live in fear the somehow the religous folks are going =
to "taint" cohousing, at least in this case you need not worry.  They =
would never call themselves cohousing anymore than most places call =
themselves "Weeping WIllow Condo".

>From my contacts perspective, cohousing is a very good way for them to =
organize physically and operationally as a community.  Their =
commonhouse, while serving meals and meetings, is really a church where =
they do their religous thing.  It is resident organized and managed, =
democratically controlled, Yada yada. In other words, by every known =
definition I could think of, it's a cohousing development.   It looks =
like a fish, smells like a fish, and swims like a fish.  Why aint it a =
fish?  Because people don't want to call it cohousing makes it not?  =
Hmmmmm.

BTW, they got their permits and start construction on the commonhouse =
this weekend.  Guess what?  They are building it themselves so they can =
keep the costs affordable as well as self funding.  No banks, no =
mortgage interest.  Yikes!  Three members are loaning everyone who needs =
money the cost of the materials of their houses. =20

Rob Sandelin
Image prayer in your commonhouse if you can
Sharingwood