Koinonia Briefly

January 2007
a monthly e-news publication

To keep you up-to-date with news from the farm, we’ll be sending Koinonia Briefly to you each and every month.

Happy New Year to you from all of us at the farm!

Did You Know?

Elder Koinonian David Castle has just finished a new book, Waymarks for the Journey, which touches on many of his famous “Rules of Thumb.” The text is beautifully illustrated by Koinonian Jo Knox. Congratulations, Dave and Jo—we can’t wait to read it! As soon as it is published, we will send out information about how to get a copy.

Please pray for Imogene Harris, our chaplain & farmer Norris Harris’s wife, who has recently had surgery removing one foot due to complications from diabetes. Please also hold in your hearts the family of MaryRuth Weir, a former Koinonian who together with her husband Ed provided decades of hospitality to the loved ones of death row prisoners at New Hope House in Jackson, Georgia. MaryRuth passed away last month and will be long remembered for her “rebellious kindness.” We hold all those who are ill, in pain, or in need of care in our hearts.

We thank all of you who have supported our work in 2006. So many purchased products, gave donations or both. We are grateful. A growing number of friends support us on a monthly basis either by purchasing or donating; this monthly support helps us tremendously with planning. To find out more about pledging monthly, please contact Marilyn Marble at (229) 924-0391.

This news flash just arrived as we were about to send out this month’s Koinonia Briefly E-News! Cotton Patch Gospel Musical is now available on DVD. Click here to order your's today!

Reaching Out

December 3 found Koinonia Director Bren Dubay speaking at two morning services at the First Unitarian Church of Austin. That evening, after a showing of Briars in the Cotton Patch for members of the congregation and their friends, she was happy to participate in a question and answer session about Koinonia’s life today. Click here to read the beautiful words sent by Pastor Jack Harris-Bonham in follow-up. To arrange for Bren (and other Koinonians, too) to come speak to your church, group, club, at a special event, etc., please call Marilyn Marble at 229 924-0391.

Also on the speaking trail last month, Sanders Thornburgh led the worship service at Jubilee Partners on December 10. We always look forward to visiting Koinonia’s sister communities and sharing in their lives of prayer, work, study, service and fellowship.

This year, we were able to continue Heart to Heart work even through the thick of our busy Christmas bakery season. J. and Brendan have been working at LaTonya Anderson’s house, doing extensive remodeling, and continue this month. The going is slow, but the work is good.

To this end, Koinonia is in great need of Georgia-licensed contractors, plumbers and electricians who would be willing to donate a small amount of time to help us oversee some important work we will be undertaking in the coming year. If you or someone you know can help us, please call Paul at 718-986-9151.

At the Farm

We have been blessed with many visitors this month, though we still have room for more. We had a wonderful reunion with David Wittkamper, who grew up at Koinonia during its most turbulent years, and with his son Wesley Wittkamper and Wesley’s girlfriend Brittany. Numerous couples came in RVs to bless us with their hard-working ethic, kindness and spirit: Paul and Margaret, Jim and Marilyn, Bernie and Doug, Eric and Jan… And finally, we hosted a kind, generous and musically impressive group from the Christian community Rose Creek Village; it is wonderful to meet people also seeking God’s will in their lives and communities. If you would like to visit us, please write hospitality@koinoniapartners.org.

Coming Soon

Study of our faith is an integral part of life here. In January we are embarking upon a class on The Essene Community and the Teachings of Jesus taught by Michael Grainge, who is also one of our talented farmer/gardeners. And Sanders Thornburgh facilitates Exploring Christian Community beginning January 17th. If you are nearby and would like to join us for these classes, held Thursday evenings at 7:00 and Wednesday mornings at 9:00 respectively, please call Sanders at 229 924 0391.

Also, please mark your calendars for April 12-15. Koinonia is thrilled to be partnering with the New Monastic Movement by hosting our first "School for Conversion" (SFC) this spring (April 13-15, 2007). Participants will interact within the daily routine of Koinonia while studying the biblical and theological foundations of new monastic communal demonstrations. Christianity will be articulated in new and vibrant ways while intentional community will be explored as a model for discipleship. Whether you are a new believer, a seasoned follower of Jesus, or a spiritual seeker exploring the Christian way of life for the first time, we invite you to join us for this special weekend of encountering, deepening and renewing relationship with God. For more details and to register for the School at Koinonia, click here.

It is hard to believe, but the end of 2007 will be here before we know it. Do you know about the Pension Reform Bill signed in August 2006? In tax years 2006 and 2007 only, this bill provides an exclusion from gross income for gifts of up to $100,000 directly from an IRA to a qualified charity. Koinonia has been blessed with so much generosity throughout the years. Thank you! Click here to read more about various ways to donate.

Do you feel called to live in community? Come explore the possibility at Koinonia. As our community grows, we are looking for people interested in the spiritual journey and possessing the following talents: maintenance/construction, operating programs for youth, sales & marketing, sustainable farming, office and program administration, computer & graphics skills, mechanical skills.

We hope you enjoy Koinonia Briefly and share it with your friends. You receive these monthly updates by request, because you placed an order from Koinonia, or because one of our community members added your name. If you have suggestions for improvements, please let us know at . If you would like to be removed from the list, please follow the instructions below.