I have been moved by a book by Sebastian Junger, “Tribes: On Homecoming and Belonging” (see 5/17/18 blog).  As a single woman whose life work as a pastor called me to move from place to place, I discovered a way to describe the community that sustains me. 

                  Your TRIBE is the people you take responsibility for,

                            the people you help feed and help protect,

                           the people you make significant sacrifices for.     

     I became a member of River Song Cohousing  because here I find people committed to forming a community. See a drone view of our land near the bike path along the Willamette River in Eugene, Oregon on our website  https://riversongcohousing.org/.  You can see the land and our plans under OUR SITE!

      Currently we are seeking 15 more households interested in living in cohousing with us in Eugene, as soon as possible.  We have 7 full members, and 7 more associate.  I want us to build next summer, which means taking 21 households to the bank in the spring, to get a Construction loan. 

What is Cohousing?   I often say, is ‘independent living in intentional community.”  Visit cohousing.org.

 There are 28 units planned, some flats, some townhouses.  We are already community.   Here are snapshots of community as we, with diverse lives, are intentionally reaching out to care for one another.

• Last summer, a picnic on the land celebrated with music and food.
• When one of us was in an accident,  her many “tribes” reached out to help with food, transportation, comfort, including Oakleigh Meadow Cohousing.  A  meal in the midst of physical and emotional trauma is a gift of community.
• A birthday party drew former and current OMC members together in a local pub to celebrate another year of living, loving and community making.  Almost every meeting, someone brings snacks, even warm peach pie!

• October 10 a new baby was born to one of our families.  Messages of welcome and delight danced over our social network sites.  Again, a number of table ready meals began to show up on the doorstep of this busy household.
• A fund raiser for Immigration is happening here in Eugene. I asked and found another OMC member is attending.  Building community, for me, includes practicing my religious and political commitments to make our neighborhood safe and welcoming for everyone.

     Junger calls “tribe”,  is another word for the Community that is the foundation of our cohousing.  We are not just building community, we are community.