We should become peasants.

[Justin Kissel]

I apologize for the imprecision in the poll options, I tried to keep them as short as I could and am sorry for this. Option #3 does allow for businesses from the home, all it says is merely that secular jobs outside the community are permitted. In other words, if you don't have a business, instead of farming you can get a secular job.

[Julianna]

Maybe you could explain the differences betweeen 1 2 3 and 4 clearlier?

[OKBasil]

Nicholas,

There is land around the church for building homes, as I remember. The current OCA priest has a home a very short distance from the temple and there is a separate building used as a church hall.

[Justin Kissel]

I suppose I should have done this from the beginning

1) Reclusive, Amish-like, no modern conveniences, self-sufficient, agriculturally based, etc.
This is the first option discussed over on the other thread. In this option, the community would be essentially self sufficient. We'd do our own farming and keeping of animals, make our own soap and candles and clothes and whatnot. We wouldn't have phones or indoor plumbing or anything of that kind. The "jobs" would be keeping ourselves alive! The men would farm and do other jobs, the women clean, cook, sew, make things, etc. We wouldn't have vehicles, and we would essentially be without everything modern.

2) Semi-reclusive, both farming & business, some modern conveniences, etc.
In this option, there would be perhaps indoor plumbing to a limited degree (maybe shared), electricity and other such things to a limited degree. Farming would be less necessary, and money could be gotten through home business. This would necessitate more contact with the outside world, though we would still be reclusive. There would maybe be a car, and other such modern things, but they would be limited to small numbers, and for community use.

3) Quiet (but not reclusive), normal modern conveniences, normal secular jobs permitted, etc.
In this option, we would have things like phones and so forth, though they would perhaps be of limited or community-only use. Cars, electricity, indoor plumbing, etc. would be had by all (or those who wanted it at least). Secular jobs would be allowed, though obviously some farming (during the summer especially) and some home business is perfectly acceptable.. and in fact would be the best way to do things.. it's just that in this option, if a home business wasn't possible for someone, since they wouldn't be farming large scale, they'd go out and get a secular job.

4) Missionary, all the normal modern conveniences, secular jobs permitted, etc.
This is essentially like the last option, only with missionary intent involved. We would want to be "reaching out" to the community. We would have everything from modern life that would help us in this missionary work, and secular jobs would be permitted again.

Justin

[Mary Kissel]

thankyou Justin for posting what the 4 choices meant... I misread the choice that i chose.... i still want #2 though because I like the idea of being semi-reclusive...i do have a question though...how many families would be needed if we were to go with #2? Could you maybe tell us that for all 4 choices just so we have an idea about it. Also, would there be any farming in any of the other choices? I know there would be some in #2 but what about the other choices? Thanks

MaryCecilia

[尼古拉前执事]

Basil,

That is a very nice church, I looked it up on the web. In fact it looks like a more modern version of my church. But, I wonder, would it be more practical to set up around the mission church that ROCOR already has in OK? It is also at the edge of a town and is low in numbers. Just a thought to bat around.

[Justin Kissel]

All,

I think some of the ideas brought up of late would be great alternatives to consider, but they raise some questions. Would the priest at the mission be "into" the community thing? Also, while I love the idea of having a Church "right off the bat," we'd need a great deal more money to start in such a way. For the price we'd probably be paying for the Church and the land (that price not including any place for us to stay) we could probably buy enough land and facilities to more than easily supply our base group. And of course, before we start making any serious plans (before we go beyond talk and into actual action) we need to get the bishop's blessing (the bishop of the place we will be living in, I assume).

Mary,

do have a question though...how many families would be needed if we were to go with #2? Could you maybe tell us that for all 4 choices just so we have an idea about it.

I'd say we would need about a dozen and a half people (with at least ten adults) for the second option; I think we'd need about a dozen people for the third option (with at least 7 adults). Right now (guesstimating), we seem to have about 5 adults interested and 3 children. If everyone currently showing interest were willing to go forward with this sometime down the road, I'd say that we'd need at least another three families for the 2nd option, and at least one more family for the third option.

Also, would there be any farming in any of the other choices? I know there would be some in #2 but what about the other choices? Thanks

Option 1 would be primarily farming (For the men leastwise), taking care of farm animals, etc. In option 3 and 4, there probably wouldn't be the time or resources for farming, though I think if a couple people had some gardens (maybe 100 sq ft. each) that'd be a good idea.