“The Foundry” Intentional Christian Community at Crossnore School & Children’s Home in Winston-Salem offers young adults from varying backgrounds and life experiences the opportunity to create a residential community that exemplifies the love of Jesus Christ; is held together through intentional practices of corporate prayer, fellowship, and relational care; and advances Kingdom work of justice, reconciliation, and compassion through shared service projects.
The community will consist of young adults, some of whom are graduate students or young professionals, and others who are recent alumni of the Crossnore program looking for a healthy, nurturing community as they transition out of foster care. The community will create and live by a “rule of life” to guide their sharing of life, work, and prayer.
An on-site prior will be responsible for tending to the emotional and spiritual health of the community. The prior serves as the convener and spiritual guide of the community, mediating, as appropriate, any conflicts or difficult decisions affecting the health of the community. In addition, the prior works with a supervising regional abbess or abbot, appointed by the Missional Wisdom Foundation (a visioning partner), in both the recruitment of new community residents and in developing the long term strategic vision for the community.
Community Partner
Crossnore School & Children’s Home is non-profit residential foster care home for children in crisis from North Carolina. With two campuses – one located on 85 acres in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountain town of Crossnore, NC, and the second located on 212 rolling acres on the edge of downtown Winston-Salem, NC. Crossnore School & Children’s Home offers a holistic approach to treating the whole child emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. Crossnore’s theory of change model is unique to the organization.
The mission of Crossnore School & Children’s Home is to grow healthy futures for children and families by providing a Christian sanctuary of hope and healing.
Service will be a key component of the missional life of the community. In addition to embodying the core Christian commitments of justice, reconciliation, and compassion, service work occasions the deepening of the community’s identity and sense of shared purpose. The several food justice-related ministries on the Crossnore campus will constitute a focal point of the Intentional Community’s community engagement and service, particularly the work of the Crossnore Farm, which provides healthy food to local food justice ministries.
New Story United Methodist Church, the worshipping community on the Crossnore campus, will serve as the anchor church for the Intentional Community and will offer opportunities for disciple formation. Our hope is that the Intentional Community residents will look to New Story for counsel, guidance, and spiritual support, and will contribute actively to the life of that congregation.
Interested in living in The Foundry House?
The Foundry House is open to single and married students and young adults in transition (ages 21-30) depending upon availability of housing. At full capacity, the community will have no more than 8-10 individuals. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis as space is available.
Would you like more information?
Rev. Dr. Shonda Jones, School of Divinity Liaison
Rev. Sarah S. Howell-Miller, Prioress
“The vision for the Intentional Community program is to make disciples among millennial young adults from varied backgrounds through the faithful practice of intentional Christian community. As they learn to live together under a rule of life and participate in shared discipleship, residents will grow in ways that will allow them to impact their communities in powerful ways. This may include both secular and spiritual leadership, community organizing, significant volunteer experiences, and more. ” Rev. Dr. John Senior, Collaborative Director, Director of the Art of Ministry Program, and Assistant Professor of Practical Theology and Religious Leadership
This program is made possible through funding awarded by the Reynolda Ministries Fund of the United Methodist Foundation of Western North Carolina.