Lessons in community and leadership

Above: L'Arche community members gather for a monthly community gathering. Since COVID, our community hasn't had a consistent rhythm for gathering all together – a trademark of L'Arche communities – until last month. As our community grows, this monthly time together is more important than ever. 

On the spectrum between “start before you’re ready and figure it out as you go,” to “before starting, make a plan with every possible outcome accounted for,” I veer towards the latter.

There’s value in both approaches, but too much of either carries risk. I’m grateful to have colleagues who take the “start before you’re ready” approach – together, we make a good team. 

A small but important opportunity came up recently to commit to something before I felt ready: the revival of our community’s monthly gatherings. 

It’s typical of any L’Arche community to have a weekly or monthly gathering of some sort. It’s an important opportunity for togetherness, storytelling, and a reminder that we’re part of something bigger than our day-to-day responsibilities. 

Since COVID, our community hasn’t found a way back into that rhythm. We’ve outgrown our own spaces – so where would we host it? Scheduling is tricky, since not everyone is available all at the same time – so when is the right time? Everyone’s busy, and I’m weary to add another “thing” into the schedule – so how do we make sure it’s worth everyone’s time? These are simple quandaries, really, but they were enough to block the path forward. 

The truth is, though, that coming together in an intentional way – building a sense of belonging and community – is what makes L’Arche so special. For many years, our community was small, so there wasn’t a need to coordinate a monthly gathering, since we lived “togetherness” everyday.

But as our community grows, it’s becoming more and more essential to prioritize this time together. There comes a time when you have to decide that something is important, and commit to it. 

At last, we crossed over that threshold – last month marked our inaugural monthly community gathering since COVID. 

Core members, assistants and volunteers gathered at Stone Church for a time of reflection, sharing news and photos, a small group activity and a shared meal together. The air in the room felt like spring: full of fresh potential, a gentle excitement and a reminder of the value of togetherness.

It was a poignant reminder of why this community is so special, and why what we do – and how we live it – is so important. As it turns out, adding that additional “thing” on the schedule may have been exactly what we needed.

With gratitude,

Rachel Vander Vennen
Community Leader & Executive Director