by Ruth Harvey

 Setting the Loom

Since 1938 the Iona Community has been experimenting with building community. Born out of a time of war and the rumour of war, a thread running through the story of the Iona Community has been one of peace with justice. How might we, rooted in the Christian faith, tell the story of mystery, belonging, redemption and hope in ways and words that speak to the heart of those living with the impact of all that is unjust?

These are our roots. This is our frame. These are our founding threads.

We are not unique. In the same timeframe, communities such as Agape in Italy, Taizé in France and Corrymeela in Ireland emerged. All intentional Chrisitan communities born out of the pain of war, driven by a Christian commitment to the possibility of reconciliation when we live, work and worship together, in community, across all that divides.

We may not be unique. But we each have our own particularity.

The particularity of the Iona Community is framed around the vision and voice of George MacLeod. A Presbyterian, Church of Scotland Minister working in the docklands of Govan in Glasgow, yet educated at elite establishments in England, MacLeod was a glorious paradox of privilege and prophetic determination. He was driven, in those early days, by the possibility of reframing all that faith and church could offer by bringing together trainee clergy and skilled craftsmen, apprenticing them one to the other, to rebuild the living quarters of the ruined Benedictine Monastery of Iona Abbey. Iconic globally as the 6^th century location from where Columba brought the Christian faith to the north of Britain, MacLeod was not only rebuilding the ruined walls, but indeed rebuilding ‘the common life’.

What might it be like, he asked, if ordinary folk committed to living with one another, engaging in ‘a demanding common task’, worshipping and working together, could find unity beyond all that divides? That rhythm of sharing our work, rest and worship with a diverse group of folks at Iona Abbey, week on week, continues still. You can join us in the ongoing experiment in intentional community by staying with us for a week, or volunteering with us for 6–12 weeks. Or you can join our dispersed community by signing up as a member. And so our calling and our commitment to living this very common life continues, nearly 90 years on.

Rev Ruth Harvey is Leader of the Iona Community. Born and brought up in Scotland, Ruth is a Church of Scotland minister and Quaker who now lives in Cumbria. Ruth volunteers with Place for Hope as a Practitioner/ Mediator, having spent time training and working as a mediator in faith-based conflict. For a decade, Ruth was Director of the 'Living Spirituality Network', a project of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, supporting small retreat centres and ecumenical communities focused on prayer and the renewal of worship. Ruth is a former Editor of Coracle, the magazine of the Iona Community. She has travelled extensively, worked with global student Christian movements, and acted as a Congregational Facilitator.

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Image: Caroline Hall on Unsplash