Community

What is community? 

A community, in its broadest sense, is a group of individuals bound together by a shared aspect, which could be anything from location to beliefs, interests, goals, or values. For instance, a geographical community pertains to those living within the same area or region, such as a neighborhood or city. In today’s digital age, online communities have flourished, bringing together individuals on websites, forums, and social media based on shared interests or goals. There are also cultural or ethnic communities, which comprise individuals of similar cultural, ethnic, or racial backgrounds, often connected by shared traditions, languages, and values.  Interest-based communities, on the other hand, revolve around shared  passions, from gaming to literature. Intentional communities are unique in that they involve individuals consciously choosing to come together based on a common purpose or shared values. Expanding the perspective to the natural world, the term community can also describe ecosystems, which are assemblages of different species interacting in a specific locale. Regardless of its form, the essence of a community is a sense of belonging, where members typically feel a mutual connection and shared identity.

Community for Nechama Spiritual Center

Community for us is our shared values. We share the following principles that bring us together with like-minded others.

1. 1. The inherent worth and dignity, the sacred spark of the soul of every person;
   2. Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
   3. Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our community;
   4. A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
   5. The right of conscience and the use of the egalitarian process within our community and in society at large;
   6. The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
   7. Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.
   (Adapted from the Unitarian Universalist’s website)