**9/22/2019** – Updates on Cohousing Initiatives & Membership Profiles

Our September 22 meeting will include updates on all of the communities-in-formation, including a special video appearance by Mike Bellamy & Peg Hoh (on their 29th wedding anniversary, no less!). We’ll also demo the new Co-op web site, and discuss how we can create an online listing of interested cohousing participants.

As we did last month, we’ll be meeting at the Princeton IYCC at 2:15 p.m., having the meeting – and then having a potluck starting at 5. Bring something yummy to share.

 

Sunday, September 22, 2019 
Meeting from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. with Potluck at 5:00

Princeton Integral Yoga Community Center
301 N. Harrison Street, Bldg A, Suite 1E, Princeton, NJ 08540*

* The Studio is located in the Princeton Shopping Center above the McCaffery’s Market. As you face the Market from its big parking lot, go to the far right side of the building and take the elevator to the second floor. 

Meanwhile, the proposed NJ Cohousing Development Cooperative has gotten off to a bit of a difficult start. All of the original circles that were set up have met, and have done useful work and had important discussions.

Here, for example, is what the Membership Committee has developed.

What’s now needed is to translate all of this into further action. And frankly we need a lot more in the way of participation by the self-declared members of the Cohousing Development Cooperative.

If you’re one of those who expressed interest but did not join a Circle, or chose to step forward in some other way, now is the time to do so. What that looks like is really up to each of us as individuals, but your voices need to be heard, your needs, interests, and abilities shared, and your commitment fully engaged. Please step forward and be heard, acknowledged, and celebrated.

 

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End of Summer Ecovillage Concert

PartyPoster

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Reminder: Saturday, September 7, 2019: End-of-Summer Party for Cohousing Community

Music, Food, & Community:
Come Celebrate Our Progress on Saturday, Sept 7, 6-10 p.m.

Let’s celebrate our milestone accomplishments with the wider Cohousing Community in NJ and the Region. Could this be an annual affair?

Whether you’ve been involved with Ecovillage New Jersey (EVNJ) — or if you’ve just heard about us, you’re invited to an evening of Music, Great Food & Community!

Saturday, September 7, 6 – 10 pm
8 Revere Drive, Basking Ridge (or Bedminster, depending on GPS)

Live Music + Potluck + BYO
Suggested donation: $10 (tax-deductible if requested)

Our new Cohousing Development Cooperative represents a milestone accomplishment for EVNJ and the surrounding NY/PA/DE region. We are inviting people who’ve gotten us to a new stage in our evolution, from NJ, eastern PA, the Hudson Valley & Metro NY. Community is what we are creating as we foster and build Cohousing and Ecovillage Communities in the region.

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End-of-Summer Party for Cohousing Community

Music, Food, & Community:
Come Celebrate Our Progress on Saturday, Sept 7, 6-10 p.m.

Let’s celebrate our milestone accomplishments with the wider Cohousing Community in NJ and the Region. Could this be an annual affair?

Whether you’ve been involved with Ecovillage New Jersey (EVNJ) — or if you’ve just heard about us, you’re invited to an evening of Music, Great Food & Community!

Saturday, September 7, 6 – 10 pm
8 Revere Drive, Basking Ridge (or Bedminster, depending on GPS)

Live Music + Potluck + BYO
Suggested donation: $10 (tax-deductible if requested)

Our new Cohousing Development Cooperative represents a milestone accomplishment for EVNJ and the surrounding NY/PA/DE region. We are inviting people who’ve gotten us to a new stage in our evolution, from NJ, eastern PA, the Hudson Valley & Metro NY. Community is what we are creating as we foster and build Cohousing and Ecovillage Communities in the region.

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Aug 11—Creating the Organizational Structure to Build Cohousing

The Cohousing Development Cooperative’s Kickoff Meeting
It’s a Working Meeting – Let’s Get Started!

On Sunday, August 11, 2019 at 2:15 p.m., join us in Princeton at the Integral Yoga Community Center (IYCC). Don’t forget that you’re welcome to join in via Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/8283857296).

The goals of this meeting are:

  1. To begin work on a group governance process to ensure that we each have a voice in Ecovillage New Jersey Cohousing Development Cooperative (EV NJCDC) decisions and
  2. To begin developing the organizational structure of the EV NJCDC.

AGENDA ==> Continue reading

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Deepening Our Foundations

On July 14 twenty-four people registered their interest in joining the Cohousing Development Cooperative, and three more have since signed up online. Several of us, constituting the “agenda circle” for the group[*], have been hard at work planning the August 11 meeting as a first opportunity to practice sociocracy (or dynamic governance), which most people see as the best way to run a neighborhood or a cooperative over the long run anyway.

In the process, we’ve taken a crash course in the model, thanks to Rosemarie Stupel’s series of bite-size videos and other presentations, which I propose to post online for the benefit of all co-op members.

This would be part of a new web site, for co-op members, where we can post profiles, projects, and activities — essentially an intranet, accessible to and usable by everyone in the organization.

It’s worth pausing for a moment to recognize just how remarkable it is, that this number of people have already committed to working together to create a collaborative community development organization. Our proposal for the cooperative is posted here, along with a form that people can use to express their interest in joining the organization. But there’s so much more that we can do, if we’re willing to approach it imaginatively and systematically, in order to move most effectively into action.

Continue reading

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Aug 11: Let’s Develop the Organizational Structure to Build Cohousing and Ecovillage Communities

Can you provide a ride to the event from North Jersey?

The Cohousing Development Cooperative’s Kickoff Meeting
It’s a Working Meeting – Let’s Get Started!

On Sunday, August 11, 2019 at 2:30, join us in Princeton at the Integral Yoga Community Center (IYCC). At this working meeting, we’ll focus on two important efforts:

  • Learning about the sociocracy decision-making process and beginning to incorporate elements of sociocracy as we move on to the rest of the meeting.  Many cohousing communities use sociocracy (also known as dynamic governance) as the tool to facilitate meetings and make decisions, so this presentation will be an important introduction to sociocracy and a way to add this new skill to your cohousing toolbox.

  • Beginning the process of developing the structure of the Ecovillage New Jersey Cohousing Development Cooperative (EVNJ CDC). Setting up the mechanics of the EVNJ CDC is essential to creating a strong umbrella organization to help and guide the cohousing projects currently in their infancy in NJ and those that will come later. The framework of the EVNJ CDC won’t be built in a day, but we’ll be able to tackle some critical questions at the meeting.

You’ll hear more about the agenda as the Agenda Committee develops it over the next couple of weeks.  If you’re not able to attend in person, you’re welcome to join in via Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/8283857296).

Sunday, August 11, 2019  –
Meeting from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m. with Potluck at 5:00 

(Be sure to note that having the potluck following the meeting
is a change from earlier meetings).  

Bring something edible to share — preferably something healthy!

Whether you’re ready, now, to live in an intentional community… or you may want to live in one, someday… or you just like the idea and want to contribute your support… Come and be part of making cohousing/ecovillage living REAL in NJ and the region!

Princeton Integral Yoga Community Center
301 N. Harrison Street, Bldg A, Suite 1E, Princeton, NJ 08540*

* The Studio is located in the Princeton Shopping Center above the McCaffery’s Market. As you face the Market from its big parking lot, go to the far right side of the building and take the elevator to the second floor.

RSVP HERE

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An Ambitious Agenda for Sunday’s Meetup in Princeton

 

Hope to see you Sunday at IYCC in Princeton . . .

An Ambitious Agenda for this Sunday’s Meetup

We’ve set an ambitious agenda for the day:

  • A “Cohousing 101” presentation straight from last month’s national conference in Portland, OR
  • Proposals regarding the idea of forming a Cohousing Development Cooperative (toward fostering a whole network of cohousing neighborhoods, ecovillages, and cooperative enterprises in our state)
  • Check-in re: projects in progress (Princeton area initiative, Trenton ecovillage neighborhood)

Please bring a dish to share for the potluck which will start at 2:30. Discussion is slated for 3:15 to 5:30.

Ambitious? Well, after all, the planet and its people do need saving . . .

Can’t join us in person? Join us by Zoom from 3:15-5:30 on the 14th. (See details below)

We now also have Zoom organizing calls weekly.
Let us know if you’d like to be invited.

Whether you’re ready, now, to live in an intentional community…
or you may want to live in one, someday…
or you just like the idea and want to contribute your support…

Come and be part of making cohousing/ecovillage living REAL in NJ and the region!

Sunday, July 14, 2019 Potluck starting at 2:30
Meeting from 3:15 to 5:30

Princeton Integral Yoga Community Center
301 N. Harrison Street, Bldg A, Suite 1E, Princeton, NJ 08540

Bring something edible to share — preferably something healthy!

Zoom details: Join Zoom Meeting https://zoom.us/j/8283857296.
Dial by your location +1 646 558 8656 US (New York) or +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) Meeting ID: 828 385 7296

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Sunday, July 14: Getting Organized to Build Cohousing

Photo by Aziz Acharki on Unsplash

The weather forecast for July 14 is hot and hotter. So hit the beach in the morning and then come join us in Princeton at the very-cool Integral Yoga Community Center (IYCC).

New Ecovillage New Jersey Organization
+ 2 Cohousing Neighborhoods in the works

On Sunday, July 14, 2019 at 2:30, join us in Princeton at the Integral Yoga Community Center (IYCC). At this meeting we’ll hear reports from two clusters of people who are already in action to build intentional neighborhoods — one in Princeton and one in Trenton.

We’ve transitioned from being an “Interest Group” to a commitment-based organization that’s a resource for building real cohousing neighborhoods. We’ll discuss the most effective organizational form, including becoming a Cooperative. We’ll discover our individual and collective skills and appoint people to new team and leadership roles and responsibilities.

Over 30 of us learned a lot from our Workshop with Chuck Durrett in early June. In addition to the details of the process, we learned that we CAN do this — and we’ve already made huge leaps forward!

Can’t join us in person? Join us by Zoom from 3:30-5:30 on the 14th (details below)

We now also have Zoom organizing calls every
Wednesday night at 8:30 p.m.
Let us know if you’d like to be invited.

The Meetups will remain opportunities to attract and retain new members, educate the community, and offer people the opportunity to work with us, shoulder to shoulder, to build neighborhoods where people thrive.

Whether you’re ready, now, to live in an intentional community…
or you may want to live in one, someday…
or you just like the idea and want to contribute your support…

Come and be part of making cohousing/ecovillage living REAL in NJ and the region!

Sunday, July 14, 2019 Potluck starting at 2:30
Meeting from 3:15 to 5:30

Princeton Integral Yoga Community Center
301 N. Harrison Street, Bldg A, Suite 1E, Princeton, NJ 08540

Bring something edible to share — preferably something healthy!

RSVP HERE

 

Zoom details:

Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/8283857296

One tap mobile
+16465588656,,8283857296# US (New York)
+16699006833,,8283857296# US (San Jose)

Dial by your location
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 828 385 7296

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June 15, 2:30-6 p.m. Enlightened and Energized . . . Let’s Move Forward!

Note: To join remotely, use this link to launch Zoom at 3:15 p.m.:
https://zoom.us/j/8283857296
Or dial in:    
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 828 385 7296

Our June Meetup will provide an opportunity to de-brief in the wake of the 6/5 “Making It Real” workshop — and assimilate what we learned. If you weren’t able to attend the workshop, this will be a chance to hear about what transpired.

Saturday, June 15, 2019
2:30 PM to 6:00 PM
Princeton Integral Yoga Community Center
301 N Harrison St #1E · Princeton, NJ

So: assimilate, consolidate, organize, commit, and move forward! But only after enjoying together a potluck late-lunch starting at 2:30. Please bring a dish to share.

We’d also like to acknowledge all those who made the Workshop happen:

  • To Chuck and the Cohousing Company, for giving of himself and his firm so generously, and making this day possible, and the possibility of cohousing in NJ and the region.
  • To Steve, for always being there for decisions, input, financing the breakfast, scholarships, and the many volunteers that helped this event possible, Alice, Maggie, Jo-Anne, Larry,
  • To Princeton Integral Yoga Community Center, for hosting our Meetups and allowing us to call them our home base, for the time being — it’s a great partnership

And to our sponsors:

Possible Planet (www.PossiblePlanet.org
Ecovillage Alliance (www.Ecovillagers.org)
Lynn Gaffney Architect (www.lynngaffney.com)
Cohousing Opportunities Group (www.cohousing.group)
Princeton Integral Yoga Community Center (www.iyccprinceton.org)
Blackthorn Restaurant & Irish Pub (http://blackthornpub.com/new-brunswick/)
The Cohousing Company (http://www.cohousingco.com)

      

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