I'm an inveterate local-community builder (one who has, by the way, benefited from your practical advice in "Building the Benedict Option"!), and I have a rather bespoke question for the community — how might one take advantage of the first month or two of *moving into* a new neighborhood to meet one's neighbors?
(The context of this is that my wife and I are buying our first house, and don't want to waste the opportunity. We have two teens and one baby. Our specific neighborhood is a rather small, a loop of about 80 houses, and it seems possible to actually learn most of the people's names. Oh, and we're open to entirely oddball ideas!)
What a wonderful, inspiring story. I can't match you as a community builder, but my own story of my Benedict Option community is told in this post, which given your interests you may enjoy:
But people also need stories! And the story making craft has atrophied in this age of decadence. Who will revive it? Who will step up to the challenge?!
This is a fascinating post to me because it is both wrong in my experience and observation, and I suspect that my view is very gendered. You don't need to prompt people to share needs if they're getting together for a shared project of some sort. Whether it's a political project, an art project, historical recreation, or a particularly intense and all-consuming workplace, sharing needs comes naturally out of having a shared task or goal that you are committed to, to the other extent those needs interfere with the project. And yet I still feel in the places I am thinking of it is the working together, trade, and assistance, not the vulnerability, that creates community.
I'm an inveterate local-community builder (one who has, by the way, benefited from your practical advice in "Building the Benedict Option"!), and I have a rather bespoke question for the community — how might one take advantage of the first month or two of *moving into* a new neighborhood to meet one's neighbors?
(The context of this is that my wife and I are buying our first house, and don't want to waste the opportunity. We have two teens and one baby. Our specific neighborhood is a rather small, a loop of about 80 houses, and it seems possible to actually learn most of the people's names. Oh, and we're open to entirely oddball ideas!)
What a wonderful, inspiring story. I can't match you as a community builder, but my own story of my Benedict Option community is told in this post, which given your interests you may enjoy:
https://open.substack.com/pub/lancelotfinn/p/the-benedict-option
Would you like to found a community of writers like the Inklings? I have to ask that when I meet people like you.
I like this way of putting it:
"We're traditional in theology and morals, but experimental in lifestyle."
I admire the Inklings, but I'll admit I have more of a yen to build up my community of/friendships as readers than writers.
But people also need stories! And the story making craft has atrophied in this age of decadence. Who will revive it? Who will step up to the challenge?!
However, I don't want to pressure you! :)
Well, my husband is writing beautiful children's books :)
https://amzn.to/3Zdo4Uu
This is a fascinating post to me because it is both wrong in my experience and observation, and I suspect that my view is very gendered. You don't need to prompt people to share needs if they're getting together for a shared project of some sort. Whether it's a political project, an art project, historical recreation, or a particularly intense and all-consuming workplace, sharing needs comes naturally out of having a shared task or goal that you are committed to, to the other extent those needs interfere with the project. And yet I still feel in the places I am thinking of it is the working together, trade, and assistance, not the vulnerability, that creates community.