Jane Gerdsen and I are interested in finding ways of fostering community among young adults in the Diocese of Southern Ohio, so we’re launching an online monthly meet-up called “The Well.” Maybe you went to Procter Summer Camp. Maybe you were a counselor there. Maybe you’ve participated in Moveable Feasts in Cincinnati, or have lived in one of the intentional communities. Maybe you’ve been involved in one of the Diocese’s campus ministries or arts programs. Whatever the case, you all have one thing in common – participation in the Young Adult Retreats at Procter over the last five years. If you liked the community that gathered during the retreat(s) you attended, this is a way of extending that community, seeing old friends, and meeting new ones. It’s also a way of being supported in your faith by seekers, questioners, and believers who will be open and honest and care about each other.
Here’s how it will work. The Bishop got me a fancy shmancy Adobe Connect account, which allows for web video conferencing for up to a hundred people without having to download any software. We’ll use Adobe Connect for monthly online gatherings in which we 1) pray; 2) check-in with each other; 3) discuss some of the big questions; and, 4) have an opportunity to plan in-person get togethers.
It’s hard to find a time that will work for everyone, so to start off we’ll see if it works to meet on the third Monday of every month at 8:00 PM. This is an experiment, of course, and experiments require tinkering, so if that time doesn’t work out, we’ll find another one. This is also a collaborative effort, which means that we’ll develop our practices as we go, letting some fall away if they’re not useful, and adopting others that we haven’t even thought of yet.
I really hope you’ll join The Well, and that you’re able to attend the first online gathering on March 16th at 8:00 PM! If you’d like to join us, please e-mail me at kstevens@praxiscommunities.org.
Photo: At the well – Martiros Saryan, 1908