What forms do intentional/religious communities take? What is the intention to the gathering? Do we gather for community or for service? These kinds of questions have and will be continually asked and acted upon. A look at four of the intentional/religious communities that gather at 1272 Delaware can perhaps shine a light upon some of these questions.
Quakers gather on Sunday morning for a relatively traditional religious service within their tradition. Christian communities traditionally gather on Sunday morning. Traditional religious
communities serve both self and other, it is focused both inwardly and outwardly. One intention of Quaker fellowship is to gather in silence. Within this there is the awareness/
anticipation that the sacred silence may be broken. In some ways, the human voice breaking silence is an outburst, a voice within community dialogue leading to democratic consensus idealized as egalitarian by many. (Economic equality was considered in previous parts). Quaker ideals of justice and spirituality are acted upon through local, state, national and international committees.
Food for All/Hunger Solutions administers a food pantry on Tuesday morning and Wednesday afternoon. The intention of this community is to address hunger and food security. There are two pillars to this; service and advocacy. Providing food to people is a fundamental act of mercy and service that the diverse religious communities that make up the Network of Religious Communities can all agree upon. Caring for its citizens is a fundamental act of government. Advocating for sustained anti-poverty efforts, like reducing hunger, by means of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is the second pillar of this community.
Rahama (Resources And Help Against Marital Abuse) is a service oriented community. Rahama is also an Arabic word for mercy. The intention of the gathering of this community is outlined in their title. Women who are victims of domestic abuse are assisted in a number of ways by social workers and language teachers (most of the women are new to this country and culture). Counseling, support, and navigating societal rules, culture and assistance and providing literacy are some of the ways. A rich exchange of culture and women’s empowerment manifests naturally.
Buffalo Zen Dharma community gathers once a month for a half day silent meditation. It is rooted in a Japanese Zen tradition. They sit upright on mats and fade into silence and maintain the silence, with some rigor of posture and focus. This is considered an idealized form in practice akin to the finger pointing toward the moon; the disciplined practice towards a perfect consciousness, a nothingness, a bliss. Some may inwardly point towards the third eye between the two seeing as one eyes and some towards the heartbeat, the blood flowing through the heart, the consciousness of universal love. All of which is facilitated by the structure of gathered unbroken silence.
Some characteristics of these various communities may overlap and provide synergy, while others may expand possibilities and meaning. Some may practice silence, consciousness and healing and others may see service as the alleviation of suffering and advocacy of a more just social order.
Knowledge of various spiritual efforts through communities that gather in the same building is an empowerment and gives depth of meaning and service to each particular community. Collective or individual effort and consciousness are two practices within a larger network; we gather separately under one roof. Jesus claimed that “In my Father’s house there are many mansions.” (John 14:2) There is a multiplicity of meaning and service and worship; it is the diversity within life itself.