The next piece in the jigsaw is an Intentional Christian Community of about 25 people based in West Malling, with a core group of Community members and children, who enable about twelve guests (men and women of all ages) to come and live in the Community because they have experienced a crisis in their lives (of homelessness, addiction, mental illness, breakdown, etc). The Community is made up of people from a huge variety of backgrounds, ‘from all faiths and none and many cultures and races’. The three pillars of this Community’s life are welcome (hospitality is shown to all comers), work (nobody is paid but everybody is expected to contribute to the life and chores of the community and its six acre smallholding), and worship (the Community prays four times day on a voluntary basis). Everybody is expected to eat together. I met Father Peter Barnett, who is in charge of the Community. Indeed, he respected the first pillar by immediately offering me an excellent cup of tea. The Community is based in part of an Anglican Abbey. They pray in what they call the Barn Chapel but which is, in fact, a wonderful Mediaeval Tithe Barn. When Brian Bennett, who was so instrumental (pardon the pun) in organising the concert, asked Father Peter if the Band could use the Barn, Father Peter enthusiastically agreed, even though this involved taking down the altar temporarily! It made for a very special venue, as I hope the photograph makes clear.
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