Common Life Community

The goal of the Common Life program is to build community–a common life–among participants so that they can be challenged and supported to live a healing life in the church and in the world.

Participants meet monthly (or every six weeks) in small groups to pray, to reflect on their engagement with five areas of commitment, and to share a simple meal. Each group may choose distinct activities to develop engagement with the five key practices. Some groups view films and read books together. Others undertake special projects.

There are five key spiritual practices on which groups center their common life.

• Engagement for justice

• Attending to the spirit

• Dedication to learning

• Commitment to community

• Retreat

The focus of the Common Life community (CLC) is the intentional commitment to explore and learn about the five practices and to prayerfully support and hold one another accountable to living out these practices in one’s daily life. The network supports members in discerning and doing God’s healing work in the church, community and world. Community members explore what it means to respond to key spiritual challenges of our time. Common Life groups are open to people who are seeking new ways of understanding and living their faith.

The Common Life community is a national ecumenical network of people who share a common life based on Christian principles and tradition and Tatamagouche Centre facilitates the network regionally. This is a program of all of the national Education/Retreat Centres of the United Church of Canada.