While at West Malling Abbey yesterday, I wandered over to the Pilsdon community to meet with Peter Barnett in the afternoon. They inhabit the part of the Abbey that was built for the monks. The barn has been converted to a chapel and I took a photo as I found it to be a very special and stunning place.

I had an hour chatting with Peter about community and in particular how you build and maintain community. I was interested here as this is a mixed community where people join for as long or as little as they like. There is no requirement to leave in a set time, and there is no lifetime commitment as with the Benedictines and Franciscans who I have also spoken to about community.

For Pilsdon eating together (which is a rule, everyone having a responsibility, respect and sensitive ledership seem to be the keys to bulding and maintaining healthy community. The eating thing has been something that has been on my mind for quite a while. It’s amazing how many times Jesus eats with people.

There is something special and uniting, maybe even sacramental, about eating together. Interestingly other religions seems to have focused in on this as does Alpha – although they seem to have missed out on ending the meal with the meal of meals as Bishop Lindsay pointed out the other day.