Communities
Residential Communities
Maker’s Guild Residential Community are places where family and friends live next to or very near one another and commit to sharing life together in alignment with the Maker’s Guild Core Commitments. The structure allows both for privacy and strengthening the durability of an ongoing community. The Maker’s Guild Communities include some shared spaces, such as a gardens, a bunkhouse, or a multi-purpose barn with event space and an art studio, as well as an industrial kitchen for making wine, beer, cheese, meats, etc. Maker’s Guild Residential Communities host a variety of workshops, retreats, and other creative and community gatherings.
Affiliate Communities
Maker’s Guild Affiliate Communities are new or existing intentional communities that align strongly with the mission, vision, and Core Commitments of the Maker’s Guild, and include at least one (1) Maker’s Guild Member, but are not considered a Maker’s Guild Residential Community. Affiliate Communities are places where the Maker’s Guild Core Commitments are lived out, and have the potential to become a full Maker’s Guild Residential Community.
Participation
Members
Maker’s Guild Members living in a Residential Community commit to living out the Maker’s Guild Core Commitments and Rule of Life in their daily practice, as they live in intentional community with other Maker’s Guild Members. For those who want to join the Maker’s Guild, but cannot commit to live on-site in a Maker’s Guild Residential Community, they can decide to become a Maker’s Guild Member wherever they live. These off-site Maker’s Guild Members commit to living out the Maker’s Guild Core Commitments and Rule of Life in their daily practice within their local community, thereby, inspiring authentic communities of Christ-centered makers within their context.
Guests
Maker’s Guild Residential Communities aim to provide space for both shorter and longer-term guests. Shorter-term guests may come for day events or retreats, or for 2 to 10 day workshops or retreats. Longer-term guests may stay for several months as apprentices. They may help operate a small farm, and or help facilitate workshops and retreats.
Apprentices
Maker’s Guild Apprentices are longer-term volunteers who want to learn and contribute to the Maker’s Guild. They live on-site within a Maker’s Guild Residential Community for 1-13 months in order to absorb the culture, values, and practices of the community, and adhere to the Maker’s Guild Rule of Life during their apprenticeship.
Friends
Maker’s Guild Friends support the mission and vision of the Maker’s Guild through use of the Maker’s Guild Services and Resources and through financial giving. Friends actively support the existence of the Maker’s Guild, but do not necessarily commit to becoming a Maker’s Guild Member and therefore, do not formally adhere to the Maker’s Guild Rule of Life. Friends benefit from certain Services and Resources not available to Guests of the Maker’s Guild.
Inspiring a Global Community of Makers
The Maker’s Guild cultivates a global community of like-minded makers through technology and physical presence. We partner with universities, centers, networks, churches, and other like-minded communities, to provide workshops and retreats in various locations.
Maker’s Guild Book Club
The Maker’s Guild Book Club is an intentional space set aside to take a deeper dive into ideas and themes relevant to Intentional Christian Community alongside a cohort of like-minded ‘makers’.