Dwelling Place (Podcast)

In this episode, Sorcha graces us with her sharp mind, gift for clear communication, and spiritual attentiveness as she reflects on her experience of living with several intentional Christian communities: Taizé (France), Poverello (Belgium), the St. Damien Community (Belgium), the Community of St. Anselm (London), and the Nazareth Community (London). Sorcha vividly describes each community, naming...

Pete Ward was heavily involved in the early stages of the now global 24/7 prayer movement and played a key part in developing the closely associated dispersed community, the Order of the Mustard Seed. Most recently, heeding to God’s call has led Pete and his wife, Andrea, to establish the Poeima community and retreat house in Loweswater, Cumbria. In this episode, Pete takes us on a spiritual journ...

Englewood Church is a 130-year-old church congregation on the Near Eastside of Indianapolis, IN (USA). Around the mid-1990s, the congregation transitioned to being intentionally locally rooted, with members deliberately relocating to be closer to the church. 80% of the congregation now live in the immediate neighbouring blocks to the church. Whilst not technically an intentional Christian communit...

In this interview Mark shares of Amistad Catholic Worker’s 30 yr journey - from moving into the neighbourhood and sweeping the sidewalk to get to know people, to opening their backyard and house as a place of refuge and community for the formerly unhoused. Listen in for an exploration of homelessness in the US, what radical hospitality can look like today, and to hear the wisened reflections of a...

CRECHE - the Charles River Episcopal Co-Housing Endeavor - is a “nonprofit organization that creates and supports a network of mixed-income, inter-generational co-housing communities in partnership with The Episcopal Church”. In providing church-affiliated community housing, CRECHE helps individuals secure long-term affordable housing amid the hostile Boston housing/rental market and provides oppo...

This October 2024 I had the utmost privilege and joy of attending the Nurturing Communities Network gathering on the beautiful sprawling grounds of Camp Loucon, Kentucky. I am incredibly grateful to the organisers for giving me the opportunity to present my research and to the many who expressed interest in my workshop. You have empowered me on this journey - thank you! I am always cautious of rep...

Craig Lodge is a House of Prayer, “a place of hospitality, healing and spiritual revival… with a special care for the formation of young people” and with “ a vision that all people have the opportunity to encounter the saving love of God”. Craig Lodge also runs a 9-month formation programme for 18-30 year-olds, to equip, move, grow and empower “spirit-filled evangelizers for the renewal of the Chu...

“Shane Claiborne is a prominent speaker, activist, and best-selling author.  Shane worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta, and founded The Simple Way in Philadelphia.  He heads up Red Letter Christians, a movement of folks who are committed to living "as if Jesus meant the things he said." Shane is a champion for grace which has led him to jail advocating for the homeless, and to places like Iraq a...

Bloomington Catholic Worker is an ecumenical intentional Christian community in southern Indiana, USA. Built upon the tradition of the Catholic Worker movement, the community lives a life of prayer, voluntary poverty, pacifism and living out the works of mercy. As part of living deeply into this way of life and love, the community extends hospitality to the unhoused and has an emphasis on intentio...

Koinonia was founded by Clarence and Florence Jordan and Martin and Mabel England in 1942 as a “demonstration plot for the Kingdom of God.” At a time when racial segregation was expected and violently upheld, Koinonia controversially lived an interracial communal life where blacks and whites were paid equally and lived together. Today, Koinonia remains an interracial community attracting people fr...

Koinonia was founded by Clarence and Florence Jordan and Martin and Mabel England in 1942 as a “demonstration plot for the Kingdom of God.” At a time when racial segregation was expected and violently upheld, Koinonia controversially lived an interracial communal life where blacks and whites were paid equally and lived together. Listen to this interview with the wonderfully gentle and vibrant Sue...

The Blackfriars Community is a dispersed new monastic community in London, founded in response to a struggling parish. 2 years old, it is a small but flourishing community with an emphasis on contemplative prayer and seeks to be a place of welcome for all, including the ‘un-churched’ and spiritual seekers. In this interview, Ian shares more on the Blackfriars Community whilst also generously shari...

The Nazareth Community is a dipersed new monastic community based out of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London. 5 years old, and 240 members strong (non-residential), the community take annual vows committing to the community’s rule of life, which is compatible with a range of lifestyles, from full-time professionals to the homeless. In this interview Revd Richard Carter, founder of the community, shar...

The 41 Community is suited in large 4-storey London terrace which houses 10 young professionals who intentionally live together. Sharing in daily and weekly rhythms of meals, fun and housework, the 41 Community offers those working full-time somewhere to call home, belong and grow as individuals in the context of local and wider community. Initially owned by an individual, and now hosted by a coup...

Drawing on community connections and curious friends, on Sunday 9th July a group of us gathered for Sunday lunch in London as a convening of community-minded people. Post a marvellous roast, we gathered over tea and homemade cookies to question and explore community living together, making the most of the collective wisdom and experience in the room. This recorded 8-way conversation starts with a...

And so my community travels are starting to come to a close… (though not quite!). Very briefly (3hrs!) stopping over in Cambridge for lunch on my way back up North, Chris suggested he could interview me as a conclusion to this special season, satiating his curiosity whilst offering me a space of reflection - I gladly took up his suggestion! In this laughter-filled chat, Chris probes into my commun...

“Since 1958, the Pilsdon Community has been offering a refuge to people in crisis, welcoming those from all backgrounds and from many different walks of life – whether young or old, rich or poor. Pilsdon is a community that shares a common life of prayer, hospitality and work, providing an environment of acceptance and friendship where people can begin to rebuild their lives.” ( as taken from the...

Revd Canon Jonathan Herbert has spent over 25 years living in community, split across the Pilsdon community and Hilfield Friary. He is an environmental activist, CofE chaplain to gypsies and travellers for the Salisbury diocese and author of “Accompaniment, Community and Nature: Overcoming Isolation, Marginalisation and Alienation Through Meaningful Connection”.Listen in for a gentle interview wit...

Hilfield Friary is home to a mixed community of both monastics (Anglican Franciscans of the order of the Society of St. Francis [SSF]) and lay people. Together they share in a life of work and prayer with an emphasis on care for the environment and hospitality. In this conversation under an apple tree, 11-year long member Kerri gives an in-depth overview of Hilfield Friary and what it’s like to be...

Windsor Hill Wood started with the Jones family wanting to extend their home as place of refuge, especially for people in most need of it. From its humble informal beginnings in 2010, Windsor Hill Wood has become an ever more established community and charity, having become a second home and significant place of growth and recovery for many. In this easy-to-listen-to conversation (under the beech...

The Catholic Worker Movement was founded in America during the great depression by a small group of individuals, including Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin. Having started out as a newspaper in 1933, the Catholic Worker Movement is now a global collection of autonomous communities striving to live out the gospel’s call for social justice by extending hospitality to the poor and most in need, and engag...

Due to a problem with the mics, this interview was conducted over phone. I apologise for the consequently lower audio quality, but I believe the wisdom shared is more than worth it! The Chemin Neuf community was founded in France post-Vatican II, drawing on both Ignatian and charismatic spirituality. 50 years on, it now stands as a worldwide, ~ 2400-member strong community of single men and women,...

LoveBristol is a “church and a charity with a passion for caring for (local) community in creative and inspiring ways”. They are incredibly active and present, supporting multiple local initiatives and social enterprises. They have also pioneered an impressive network of 10+ Christian community houses for people of all ages in Bristol. In this podcast, community member Sophie gives a comprehensive...

This interview was recorded in a cafe with the background noise having subsequently been edited out. This has unfortunately lowered the audio quality but the wisdom shared is worth it! Mim Skinner, amongst many any other fascinating things, is author of the book “Living Together: Searching for Community in a Fractured World”. In this book she recounts her experiences of, and insights into, a varie...

In this interview, Revd Dr Al Barrett shares what inspired the creation of the Hodge Hill/Common Ground Community and how they have gone about setting up and nurturing the community over time. Listen for a wonderful and gentle insight into the setting up of community houses, and their gift and relevance to the Church and the world today and beyond. 10 years ago, the Birmingham parish of St Philip...