Presence and Bewilderment: Steps...

Plans for developing this "beautiful life":

-Gather email addresses of interested folks into a listserv
-Send updates to listserv

(happened) -Gather folks who have expressed interest in being part of all of this -in June 2012
-Let the energy of those connections take shape, simmer, take on a life of their own (Faith and Light group?, other regularly-meeting group?)

(happening) -While I become trained and formed by established and forming L'arche communities.

-Plan an official energy-stoking, inspirational gathering in Nashville - to stir and gauge interest - perhaps a retreat, workshop, conference on the writings/lives of Henri Nouwen or Jean Vanier, led by someone(s) who know/knew either of them well
-Form an exploratory group to begin meeting on a monthly basis, to pray together, study/read L'Arche writings, explore L'Arche spirituality in other ways, and visit L'Arche communities
-Form a board
-Build community with persons of all abilities
-Fundraise toward an executive director
-Friend-raise and build connections to help resource and inspire whatever tangible plans are discerned (toward land? toward building? toward staff? toward other programming costs?)

My tentative, personal plans for the next few years of my life are:
check - Through November 2011: Stay in my house with my guys through Progress, Inc. in Nashville, Write UM commissioning papers, Help start Sunday school and worship for adults with intellectual disabilities at Edgehill UMC

check - December 2011: Home in TX for the holidays

check - January-May 2012: L'arche Harbor House in Jacksonville, FL, plus Commissioning interviews in Nashville

check - June 2012: Gather belongings in TX and Nashville, Commissioning at Annual Conference in Nashville, L'arche Int'l Gathering in Atlanta, Move-in with new L'arche Atlanta community

check - June 2012-?: L'arche Atlanta, Visit Camphill community in Pennsylvania

At some point, I may land back in Nashville to help contribute to what I've called (for lack of an organizational name at this point) "a beautiful life in Nashville" (with adults with intellectual disabilities).

June 2015: Ordination as a Deacon in Full Connection in TN conference

About Jessica

From Texas, via Arkansas, Chile, and DC, I completed a Master of Divinity program at Vanderbilt Divinity School in 2010. I am now a provisional Deacon in the United Methodist Church in the Tennessee Conference.

After a year and a half of work as a Live-in Companion with 2 men with intellectual disabilities through a secular agency in Nashville, sharing life and being formed by L'Arche communities in Jacksonville, FL and Mobile, AL, I am now sharing life as House Coordinator in our newly founded L'Arche Atlanta.

What are intellectual and developmental disabilities?

Intellectual disability: formerly known as mental retardation, is characterized by impaired intellectual functioning and limited adaptive behavior.

Developmental disability: a condition that is significant and ongoing, begins before age 22, and substantially limits functioning in daily activities of living (may or may not include intellectual functioning). Some physical disabilities would fit in this category. So does autism (primarily social adaptive), though it can be accompanied by intellectual disability.

Examples of developmental disabilities include autism, brain injury, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, spina bifida, and Williams syndrome.