The Interfaith Resource Center for Peace and Justice
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Peace and Justice
intentional cohousing notices
Dear friends and supporters of the Harrisburg Catholic Worker house,
I'm writing from our new e-mail address to invite you all to our informal fall open house, which will be held on Saturday, September 5th, between 9:30 am and 12:00 pm, including a group prayer at 11 am. Come by for to see our vegetable and flower gardens at their peak, or stop by just to catch up on the goings on of the house and neighborhood.
Since the latest update last fall (or so Naed says), the house has taken in five different guys for varying durations, in addition to our usual clothing, produce, furniture, and gardening hospitalities. In March, Naed traveled to Guatemala and El Salvador as a part of an international delegation for the purpose of monitoring and reporting fraud pertaining to the presidential election in El Salvador.
Following graduation from Messiah College in May, I (Francis Eanes) have been living in the house, helping facilitate a summer gardening program in the neighborhood. Parterning with Allison Hill Community Ministries, I started a garden on one of Hunter street's vacant lots (between 13th and 14th streets) and taught gardening lessons to the participating kids. The garden's produce (watermelons, pumpkins, carrots, onions, radishes, lettuce, tomatoes, eggplant, beans, squash, and various herbs) goes to the kids, their families, and to members of Allison Hill Community Ministries' food pantry.
In June, Joe Cassamasima (former teacher at Nativity School, across the street from us) moved in to help the Joshua Group (next door to us). In addition to tutoring the kids in the program and offering GED preparation, Joe is developing a curriculum that will integrate philosophy-based critical thinking skills into the current tutoring curriculum.
We hope to see you all Saturday. Pick an apple in the back yard 'n stay a while!
Francis, Joe, and Naed
Join our exploratory dialogue to create a sustainable cohousing community in NEPA.
A cohousing community is a kind of intentional community composed of private homes with full kitchens, supplemented by extensive common facilities. A cohousing community is planned, owned and managed by the residents, groups of people who want more interaction with their neighbours. Common facilities vary but usually include a large kitchen and dining room where residents can take turns cooking for the community. Other facilities may include a laundry, pool, child care facilities, offices, internet access, game room, TV room, tool room or a gym. Through spatial design and shared social and management activities, cohousing facilitates intergenerational interaction among neighbours, for the social and practical benefits. There are also economic and environmental benefits to sharing resources, space and items.
This initiative is still an idea, but an idea that is worthy of further discussion.
We will be advancing the notion of intentional communal living by exploring the advantage of residency and privacy in a shared common facility.
We will explore the possibility of a life style that manages through consensus decision making.
Our vision is to create relationships in a co-housing community as an extension of our families.
If you are open to an ever widening range of diverse members and strive to understand other's differences, if you believe the best course of action is motivated by kindness, if you are willing to share both physical items such as resources as well as less the tangible ones like meals, responsibilities, experiences and each other's lives -- then join us, we will work towards lifestyles that are sustainable, adaptable and responsive to environmental and household challenges.
We are now seeking individuals and households who would be interested in becoming a part of this idea and assisting in the ongoing growth and development of our community through this new initiative.
The Peace & Justice Center's snail-mail: 63 NORTH FRANKLIN ST WILKES-BARRE PA 18701-1317
The Peace & Justice Center's phone: (570) 823-9977
Drinking coffee is a political act!
Making Peace through Justice and a warm cup of your favorite brew – a project sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy in cooperation with Equal Exchange, an Interfaith Fair Trade Company
Enjoy delicious beverages and candy bars knowing you are providing a just wage for the farmers and their families in Latin America, Africa, and Asia; protecting their health and yours because no poisonous chemicals are used in the growing and processing. As an added bonus you are providing a healthy safe environment for earth’s many other creatures.
If you wish to add a donation for the Peace Center in Wilkes-Barre,
It would be much appreciated!
SALE: FAIR TRADE PRODUCTS
Enjoy delicious beverages and snacks knowing that you are helping to provide a just wage for the farmers and their families in Latin America, Africa, Asia and the United States, protecting their health and yours because no chemicals are used in the growing and processing and providing a healthy, safe environment for earth’s many other creatures.
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On Monday, September 8, 2008, we gathered to express our gratitude to Liz!
The Wyoming Valley Peace and Justice community took advantage of this opportunity to thank Liz for her many years of dedication to Peace and Justice.
THANK YOU! Elizabeth “Liz” Egan-Rivera
(Plenty of time for you to send in your donation to honor Liz!)
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Peace and Justice Center:
Please accept the enclosed donation of $______ in honor of Elizabeth “Liz” Egan-Rivera’s many years of dedicated and productive service to the cause of Peace and Justice in the Wyoming Valley.
Name ________________________________________________________________________
