The Art of Community: Seven Principles for Belonging
As far as I’m concerned, the websites themselves that bring members together online become temples as soon as members perceive others there with shared values who care about one another.
Charles Vogl • The Art of Community: Seven Principles for Belonging
Initiation. There should be a welcome routine for new members. This routine encourages them to get involved as quickly as possible and build relationships with other members. This can include an announcement to current members and a specific welcome from an elder (including diaconate). Other members can reach out and find commonalities. The routine
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This may mean that gatekeepers may need to be more concerned about helping visitors feel welcome and find a way inside the community.
Charles Vogl • The Art of Community: Seven Principles for Belonging
“the only individuals who can really meet and master the problems of life . . . are those who show in their striving a tendency to enrich everyone else.”
Charles Vogl • The Art of Community: Seven Principles for Belonging
The most powerful journey reflects “maturation” of growing concern for others.
Charles Vogl • The Art of Community: Seven Principles for Belonging
The diaconate are people who have more authority in the community than other members. The diaconate should also have more wisdom about the community, but that’s a best-case scenario. Their opinions are more valued than those of other members.
Charles Vogl • The Art of Community: Seven Principles for Belonging
Visitor: May have concern for no one else, seeks novelty or fun experiences. Novice: Concern for individual self, seeks personal achievement and legitimacy. Member: Concern for one’s peer group, seeks success and respect for the group. Elder: Concern for everyone in the tribe everywhere, seeks the whole tribe’s success and respect. Principal elder:
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It’s important to identify the diaconate, even an informal one, because new and maturing members will want to know what the values are and what’s permitted (that is, what allows one to stay in the group).
Charles Vogl • The Art of Community: Seven Principles for Belonging
How can we better recognize & lift up our diaconate?
There are at least three ways people seek success: Relative, Personal Maximization, and Community Maximization. In our own lives, we may default to one of these orientations at different times and areas in our lives. How we each seek success at work, in our family, or through philanthropy may look very different.