| Koinonia
Hi Dotti,
I heard about your travels and work through Soulforce's e-newsletter. I
live at an intentional Christian community in Americus, Georgia, called
Koinonia. I'm one of the hospitality coordinators here and would like to
let you both know that you're welcome to stop through here on a visit
during your journey.
If you came here you could work and live alongside us for however long
you would like to stay--from an afternoon to two weeks--and engage
people informally, as we all do. There would also be the possibility of
speaking to our community (and any friends--we could make the event
public) as a group--we'd have to set that up. We are about 20 long-term
members, 7 year-commitment members, 6 interns, plus however many
visitors we have any given day.
Our community does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race,
religion, sexual orientation, beliefs or any other difference that has
been used to prevent people from coming together and sharing their
lives. We have a pretty amazing history-- I attached a brief description
of our community below. However, although we welcome everyone, I know
that our members have different levels of understanding and opinions on
LGBT people and their rights. We are everything from Baptist to African
Methodist Episcopal to Quaker to atheist to Messianic Jew, from ages 4
to 81, black and white, formally educated and street educated, from
wealth and from poverty. So our diversity of belief is not surprising. I
think that a visit might spark some interesting discussions and, as you
say, "wrestling" with the issues... which seems to be what you're all
about. I think you would probably also have a wonderful time here.
Anyway, just let me know if you would like to stop in sometime.
Peace,
Ann
Ann Karp
Koinonia Community
1324 GA Highway 49 S
Americus, GA 31719
229 924 0391
volunteer@koinoniapartners.org
www.koinoniapartners.org
*What is Koinonia?*
/Koinonia/—from the ancient Greek, usually translated as fellowship or
community.
*The Koinonia Mission:* Koinonia is an intentional Christian community
striving to be a “demonstration plot for the Kingdom of God.” Members
“preach” Jesus’ gospel through the way we live. We choose to model our
shared life after the early Christian communities as described in the
Acts of the Apostles, not to withdraw from the world but rather to serve
God and humankind more fully. Our community mission is to offer
opportunities for spiritual renewal and to work for social justice by
serving our neighbors and participating in projects that foster peace
and reconciliation throughout the world.
Koinonia was founded in 1942 by Clarence Jordan. Its principal work in
early days was to provide resources and education for impoverished
sharecroppers in the area, and farm workers it hired were paid equally,
eating and worshipping together regardless of race. For its belief in
this brotherhood, as well as for its pacifism and economic sharing, the
community endured persecution (including boycotts, threats, sabotage,
and bullets). Koinonia survived to become the birthplace of Habitat for
Humanity and several other social justice projects: Jubilee Partners,
New Hope House, and the Prison & Jail Project.
Our 573 acres of land in rural Georgia are home to large pecan orchards;
fields of crops; an organic garden; two villages of Partnership Housing;
wooded areas including a Peace Trail; and the main farm, with a museum,
store, woodshop and ceramic shop, bakery, dining hall, office, and
community housing. Koinonia operates its farm, bakery, and mail order
business in order to support our ministries and sustain our community.
Our ministries include a community outreach center with programs for
youth and elders; assistance to our neighbors on home repair projects; a
community intern program helping people experience the Koinonia way;
local social justice projects; and classes and seminars on peace and
justice issues, Koinonia history, and aspects of faith. We are sustained
by donations, sales of our products, farm revenues, and the labor and
prayers of our community and its supporters.
We live as a community, making time to pray, study, work and serve
together daily. We care about the earth and strive to live simply and
sustainably.
Year-round, people and groups share in Koinonia’s life, work, and
open-minded worship by coming to visit, retreat, or serve as interns. We
are open to people of all faiths. We have guest housing and RV
accessibility. Visitors and interns serve alongside our community
members in baking and shipping mail order products, farm and garden and
grounds work, office tasks, serving children and seniors at our
community outreach center, helping with the upkeep of our buildings and
the homes of our neighbors, etc.
As Koinonia moves into its sixth decade, our vision is to continue
living the legacy of Clarence Jordan and the early Koinonians,
responding to the same spirit that moved our founders, as we adapt to
the challenges and struggles of the twenty-first century.
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