Cohousing-L Mailing List: Need some ideas

[PattyMara (PattyMara]

Hi All,
Tierra Nueva Cohousing (central California coast) has scheduled our first 
"Community Living" gathering for the residents.  After nearly 10 years of 
business meetings, which have been weekly for the past 7 years, we have 
decided to try a new format.  Starting this month we have switched to 
business meetings on the first and third Thursdays,  where we will discuss 
only business issues.  Then starting in June we will have a monthly Sunday 
morning gathering to deal with the personal and relationship issues that have 
arisen from living in community.  

As part of the facilitator team for these gatherings I need some feedback 
from the list on how you would, or have structured such meetings with your 
community.  We want to present a balanced agenda of celebrating the positive, 
as well as working with the problems and disappointments that have surfaced.  
We are asking for suggestions from the residents on what they need to talk 
about and process.    

Any suggestions on how you have created safe "containers" for this kind of 
personal processing between residents?  Thanks in advance,

Patty Mara Gourley
Tierra Nueva, Oceano, CA