December 2023
building a village for peace ~ one cabin at a time
Friends
Wishing you a blessed and peaceful Advent season as we prepare our hearts to celebrate the birth of Jesus. More than ever the world needs celebration. The world needs the birth of peace. The world needs God's love. Much of the world suffers at this time the pains of war, violence, hunger, poverty. Bethlehem itself is under Israeli occupation and the Palestinian people are being slaughtered by the Israeli army as we speak. So, how can we celebrate? Truth is we must celebrate the birth of the Prince of Peace whose love and wisdom can end war and bring a just peace to the middle east and everywhere.
So here in Community of Peace we pray and work for peace. At the present moment we are doing two things to help bring peace. We are growing stuff and we are building stuff! As we grieve the suffering of the world we also are grateful for the things we can do to nurture peace. Ever since I have lived here young people have advised me to do two things to bring peace: grow stuff; build stuff. And so this is what we are doing. Joyfully. Strategically.
Chickens! Gardens! Mushrooms! Cabins! Next week we receive 36 chicks and with the help of Chris, newly arrived, we will begin our chicken business. Thanks to Evrim, our amazing Woofer, we now have an expanded outside garden and mushrooms starting to grow indoors. Ever grateful to Michael who has built three new rooms, completed one lovely little cabin and is about to begin a second cabin. We are follwoing the advice of young folks who say: build stuff and grow stuff!
This is our way of saying PEACE ON EARTH. It's time. Jesus calls us to build a new world where violence and war will be no more. Here in Louisa, VA we seek to build a little community that follows Jesus and his teachings. We seek to love the world each day as we work together, eat together, sing and pray together and live our lives learning how to live together in peace. It is an adventure. It's a kind of school where we are continually learning.
So, please continue to support this little expression of God's love where we continue to welcome those in need - individuals and families - providing a safe space for the broken-hearted. Your prayers and financial support are needed now. We remain grateful to you for sustaining this good work of peacemaking in the world. Please consider an end of the year donation. Thank you!
Grace and Peace,
Blessed Christmas!
Br. Stefan
Christmas
~ Anon
Every time a hand reaches out
To help another....that is Christmas
Every time someone puts anger aside
And strives for understanding
That is Christmas
Every time people forget their differences
And realize their love for each other
That is Christmas
May this Christmas bring us
Closer to the spirit of human understanding
Closer to the blessing of peace!
All of us at Community of Peace wish all of you a hopeful and joyous Christmas and blessings for the new year. PEACE
Evrim
My stay at Community of Peace was my first adventure in an intentional community. I had the opportunity to visit the community on my travels to the South. What I found here was a very inviting group of people who were dedicated to their vision of serving God and helping the world. My stay involved helping to build the community. I worked to build garden space. I showed the community how to build oyster mushrooms bags, but more importantly I learned how a community is maintained through discussions, mutual understanding, and compromise. I came to Community of Peace as a wwoofer (world wide opportunities on organic farms) but I left as a friend. I look forward to my next visit.
Tim
I am reveling in the growth I see here at CPL. The first cabin is completed and a family is moving into it next week. Our garden has been expanded. And, the place is prepared for the chickens coming next week. The growth in all of us characters, individually and collectively, has been amazing. And no end in site for continuing growth in all ways.
WALKING PATHS TROUGH BEAUTIFUL FOREST - UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Michael
Community of Peace is a place for healing, growing and recharging the mind and spirits. There are amazing things happening in the community that will be blessing for so many people.
Sharon
I have come across the country from the ragged coast of Oregon to the beautiful hills of Virginia to begin a new chapter of my life in the Community of Peace. This place feels gentle and sacred.
Chris
I come to the Community of Peace for healing, a greater connection to god, the simplicity of living and growing together, and a closer connection to Mother Nature. My goal is to raise a happy productive flock of chickens as a sustainable food source and feathered companions.
Dennis
It is so great to see the community growing. More and more people are interested in what we are doing and that is great. Here is so much to do and I really like that we always help each other out. We need one another and it wouldn’t be the same without so many people willing to work together and create something great. That is what makes community life wonderful.
Ruben
Christmas is near! It’s my first time ever celebrating Christmas without my family. Especially in this time, of being together with your most loved persons, it’s sometimes hard, but on the other side I see how much something like family is worth. A friend of mine said to me “I know it sounds kitschy, but love has no limits”.
Barb
November and the first half of this month was chock full of work, prayer and play. The first cabin was completed, a second ready to begin. Growing mushrooms is happening, Chickens and maybe ducks are coming. We still pasture 5 cows and we’re considering sheep and a very large dog. We have our first house dog, a Chihuahua mix named who came with Sharon. Two of us made vows: I’m now a novice monk. We celebrated three Birthdays and last weekend we hosted Songtuary, an interspiritual vocal community. It sounds like a lot of hustle and bustle, yet when visitors come here, they invariably say they find welcome and peace.
Events
NEW - Saturday Mindfulness Group 10 - 11 am (see flyer below)
Contemplative Nature Walks for all ages” - We offer Contemplative nature walks led by Tim every Saturday at 11:00 am followed by lunch at noon and Sung Prayer at 1:00 pm. 2 - 4 pm is free time to walk, explore . . .
NEW - Full day Contemplative offerings facilitated by Sarah Jane, Tim and Barb beginning December 30th.
Now that our cow barn has a new floor we are looking forward to hosting our first Event in this unique venue.
NEW - Young Adult Forest Camps - One in Spring, One in Summer: dates TBD (see flyer below) We’re excited to offer this program to teach forestry and gardening skills and much more to young people ages 18-35. We have some excellent and knowledgeable instructors in the community, others will be brought in for the event.
More outdoor experiences - like evenings around the fire circle are being planned. We will let you know as they are scheduled.
Daily sung prayer morning (8am), midday (1pm) and evening (7pm).
We are now listed on the HIPCAMP website www.Hipcamp.com. Bring your tent or borrow one of ours. Camp in our beautiful forest, walk the trails, explore or relax by the pond. Enjoy the deep peace of being in the wilderness. Campers are welcome to join us at sung prayer or our occasional gatherings around a lovely fire for story telling, music and sharing at our fire circle near the pond. Enjoy walking our beautiful labyrinth.
If you have questions or to schedule a time to visit us or a time for Br. Stefan to visit you (flyer below), email us at communityofpeaceva@gmail.com or call (540)500-9729.
Br. Stefan’s scheduled weekend retreats and concerts are listed below in date order:
Taize worship at Saint Luke on Saturday March 2, 2024 at 5 pm at Saint Luke Episcopal Church in Mount Joy, PA.
Concert at Saint Paul Episcopal Church in Columbia, PA, Friday March 1, 7pm.
Workshop on Saturday morning March 2 at Saint Paul or Saint Luke,
Worship at the two churches, St. Paul, Saint Luke on Sunday morning March 3.
We hope to see you soon!
