Bethlehem Farm
Our Catholic intentional community hosts volunteer groups for service retreat weeks while providing home repair in the local community, as well as ministries of gardening, hospitality, working with the National Park Service, and visiting friends and neighbors. We do all of this with our hearts centered in prayer, and with our bodies mindful of God's gift of creation.
Bethlehem Farm is a Catholic community in Appalachia that transforms lives, through service with the local community and the teaching of sustainable practices
We invite volunteers to join us in living out the Gospel cornerstones of
prayer, community, simplicity and service.
We envision the purpose of Bethlehem Farm to:
+ be a center of reflection and prayer in the service of action, inspired by the Eucharist and open to the Spirit.
+ work with people and empower people to address local needs, especially low-income home repair, but remaining open to God ‚’s call for us to other ministries.
+ form a ‚"contrast community ‚" that chooses to build with God ‚’s plans in mind, rather than blindly following a culture that promotes pleasure, wealth, and power.
+ pray in both traditional and creative ways in order to foster spiritual growth, keep the focus on Christ, and mutually encourage one another
+ encourage metanoia in ourselves, our volunteers, and the community we serve, with emphasis on the Eucharist as a sign of the coming of the Kingdom of God
+ form an intentional Christian community of trust, commitment, faithfulness, and challenge in the spirit of the Apostles
+ be an authentic local community that seeks to ‚‘be the change we wish to see in the world ‚’ and which, therefore, supports sustainable practices
+ embody genuine Catholic beliefs to counter existing misconceptions regarding the Catholic Church and its people, letting our actions witness to our faith
+ strive to be one Body in Christ by pursuing ecumenical ventures and always giving a favorable interpretation to others ‚’ views as a sign of mutual respect
