The Haw Creek House - An Intentional Community

Reflections from Patty Club, a resident and missionary at Haw Creek House. My adolescent daughter and I currently live in the Haw Creek House, which is an intentional community located in Asheville, N.C. This community is hosted by Bethesda United Methodist Church and also supported by East Asheville United Methodist Church. A question that is often asked is, “What is an intentional community?” An intentional community is a group of individuals who share the same home and choose to engage in a rule of life which includes prayer, worship, service, and other practices designed to deepen our relationship with Christ. People who live in the house are expected to engage in ministries of hospitality in the neighborhood, learn about the theory and practices of emerging and new monastic ministries, and participate in the worship and mission of the missional community. Another often-asked question is, “Can I participate in an intentional community if I don’t live in the house?” Anyone can participate in the ministry of the house! The Haw Creek House has a community garden, members participate in ministries of our supporting churches, and we have plans for a sewing ministry to be launched this spring. Intentional communities provide opportunities for growth in a number of ways in a supportive environment. It is an opportunity to learn how to connect with the local community, work in partnership with others, and use your gifts to be the hands and feet of Christ. Residents of intentional communities are usually expected to commit to the rule of life, the ministries of the house, and sharing house responsibilities in a collaborative manner. The Haw Creek House is a female-only house. The Haw Creek House does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, denomination, national origin, age, sexual orientation, or veteran status. The Haw Creek House in Asheville, N.C., was inspired by the new monasticism movement. To learn more about this movement, check out the Missional Wisdom Foundation (http://missionalwisdom.com/) on the Web or read Longing for Spring by Elaine Heath and Scott Kisker. To learn more about The Haw Creek House in Asheville, please contact Patty Clubb at hawcreekhouse@gmail.com or (828) 989-7548.