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Handley Cross THE VIBE COMMUNITY @
Another world is possible
Chapter 1
Handley Cross The intersection of the community, the arts, spirituality and care for the environment. A community of ordinary people living radical lives and showing that another world is not only possible but is already here.
Section 1
Handley Cross OVERVIEW
1.Ingleby Barwick is the biggest private
1. The setting
housing estate in Europe with a
2. The community
population of close to 20,000 people. The socio economic demography of the
3. The difficulties
community (and I use that word
4. The Realisation
community loosely) is professional
5. The Vision
managerial. Over the last 10 years it has shown itself to be worryingly insular. There is an over-riding sense that people have everything they need and they live independent existences achieving their life goals. To suggest you have some good news and a different way of living that can benefit them tugs on pride and can challenge their ability to cope with and understand life. However if you scratch the surface of Ingleby Barwick you find an epidemic of broken families, debt, loneliness, lack of purpose and addiction. An estate where the ‘gospel’ of consumption holds sway where people are defined largely by what they have and what they earn. The only real and obvious community that exists on the estate is among the young people who gather each night in groups on the streets forming their identity, trying to break out of the little boxes they are being shoe horned into. Before these young people are sucked onto the conveyer belt of debt, the nuclear family, the smart car and having ‘stuff’ we see glimmers of 2
hope and dreams of freedom. However, reality soon kicks in
radical shift is needed in
and the necessity to conform takes hold.
the structure of our life style to make the
2. After a number of years of
difference obvious. We
community building on the
need to 'show' the
estate we have gathered a
change we are talking
group, a family of committed
about, talk is cheap. For
people who love people and
example: We are keen to help people on the the estate to
are seriously trying to live by
make a smaller footprint on the worlds resources and so WE
the words of Jesus. (the red
need to make a smaller footprint first...We are hoping the
letter words) Living lives of
estate will become a community that love and care for each
love, lives where hope
other and so we must be doing that first...We want the estate
invades every area and
to hear/see the
changes us. We want to show
beautiful story of
our estate that another world is possible. A world not subject
new life, re-
to market forces and attaining wealth, possessions and
creation,
status.
reconciliation
3. However, on such a large
and fulness of life
estate with little or no
in the kingdom of
community, it is difficult
God and find
for a group of people who
their part in it.
live in detached houses
We therefore
with cars and 'stuff' to be
need to be
seen making a difference
demonstrating the outworking of that good news in our lives.
to the world and living alternatively. We believe a
4.
3
We have come to realise that in order
5. Our vision is for a creative community. A community with a
to demonstrate that commitment to
rhythm of life that has Jesus at its centre. Members of the vibe
the co-creation of this world we need
community would live either on site at Handley Cross or in
to engage on some level with a
homes on or near the
communal expression of whole life
estate .
Christianity that involves both journeying together to a deeper understanding of God, combining our resources to look after the earth we have been given and at the same time serving the community of Ingleby Barwick and the wider Teesside area by oering a place of renewal and realignment alongside other people of peace. A community that is living and working together to sustain an ecologically self suďŹƒcient spiritual/creative/ community space open to the wider community to engage in worship, learning, healing and being helped through life struggles. A magical place on the edge of the estate where the treadmill
We aim for the site to become a self sustaining environmentally intelligent centre. Generating green energy, recycling, salvaging, renewing, growing and rearing our own food, storing and up keeping equipment that can be shared by the whole community. (e.g. one lawnmower rather than one for each house) In time generating income and interest from ecotourism, educational visits, well being courses and treatments, coding clubs and residential visits. Coee house, ART studio rent and gallery space, school visits and hosting events.
doesn't operate and a new vision for life can be glimpsed. A
We also aim to
space not reserved for people of a particular theology of even
build
faith but for those engaged with making the world a more
accommodation
beautiful and just place.
for community 4
living at Handley Cross, planned and designed to maximise
programs of study. Also putting on concerts, hacks, creative
eďŹƒciency and togetherness, but with space for solitude and
workshops, dry bar and skate facilities for local young people.
family space and apartment space for singles and young couples.
The hope is that they will become regular visitors which in turn
The site would also act as a venue for creative and performance
allows them to experience what another world might look like
arts as well as a centre for well being and retreat. Where people
before they become fully immersed in consumption
from the estate and all over Teesside can come to renew perspective, work through issues, find space for solitude. The community would continue to work at growing smaller community groups on the estate in houses where people can meet regularly as a 'family' to learn, worship, minister, party and do life together. Also organising larger gatherings at Handley Cross. A regular input from students coming to spend time with the community will keep things fresh and vibrant and help us to achieve some of our self suďŹƒciency aims. Another of our aims is to be a place particularly appropriate and magical for the young people of Ingleby.Working with school groups running experience days in both the arts and ecology to fit in to national curriculum 5
6. Handley Cross is a large house in 8 1/2 acres of land just 5 minute walk from the estate. It is surrounded by woods and has a beautiful south facing vista across the Leven valley.
We will be providing an opportunity for people who want to to commit to living in the community a number of ways to sign up
Details here: http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/
and invest financially to this new life change. However being part
property-28619977.html?premiumA=true
of this venture does not depend on you having money! We will
Some helpful guidelines to help understand the communities' ethos:
also set about applying for housing and eco grants and pursuing opportunities to work with the housing association to investigate having some social housing available on site.
*AďŹƒrming our potential is more important than condemning our brokenness. *Reconciliation is valued over judgement. *Gracious behaviour is more important than right belief. *Inviting questions is to be valued more than supplying answers. *Encouraging personal exploration is more important than communal uniformity. *Meeting needs is more important than maintaining institutions. *Peace is more important than power. *Care more about love and less about sex. *This life is more important than the life-after. (Taken from 'If the church were christian' P Gulley.) 6