The Poplar Place is an urban household with four adults (Jacquie, David, Benj, and Kayla, as of Feb 2025). Of the original members that started this community in January 2018 (also four), two still remain, and the rest of us came at different points in time, attracted to the unique concoction and intersection of community, faith, values, and action that would be nearly impossible to pull off individually. Because of the size limit of our community (ideally between 4-6), and the equal partnership of each member, the shape and character of the Poplar Place changes noticeably between each iteration, marked by new members and departures. Each member is an essential, valued, and molding force to what makes us the Poplar Place.
The first couple years the community settled into the southwest area of Lancaster City known as Cabbage Hill, learning the unique personality of the neighborhood, its inhabitants, and its strengths/needs. After a half-year discernment in 2020, we’ve narrowed in on 5 interrelated themes we’ve committed to investing in (feel free to ask for more specifics):
FAITH: We are broadly Christian, expressing a range of beliefs/commitments, but share an ardent desire to grow in our relationship to God. We are also united in recognizing the frequent failures of the church in facilitating the vision of love it so often preaches, and work to both own/repair the damage of institutional Christianity while also hoping to present an alternative, more beautiful vision of what the Christian life can look like.
LIBERATION: We are committed to growing into a greater awareness of the infinite beauty, value, and gift of each person. As part of this, we do what we can to confront the pervasive narratives that seek to suppress this truth, in ourselves and our community, be it language, behavior, policies, or legislation. For us, this has ranged from protesting with BLM, housing justice, to being visible queer allies.
HOSPITALITY: We desire our home to be a beautiful, welcoming space for all who would visit us, whether for a meal (we make damn good meals), and evening, or short-term stays (emergency housing)
NEIGHBORHOOD: We all have different jobs that’ve ranged from mental health, housing, refugee resettlement, to working in a French bakery. What unites them is a commitment to connecting to and serving the people of our city. We also have hosted block events to connect the neighborhood.
CREATION CARE: To date our most laborious category; this includes committing to a plant-based diet (for most of us this is conditional, we’ll accept vegetarian hospitality, and eat anything that would’ve otherwise been wasted), living locally, our expansive backyard garden, leading a neighborhood composting initiative, maintaining a free food/goods stand just outside our house, and caring for the strays and other wildlife in our vicinity.
We’re a plant-based Christian community committed to a shared vision of shalom (a Hebrew word meaning peace, harmony, wholeness, completeness, prosperity, welfare and tranquility). Our mission is to cultivate a meaningful love, respect, and care for all life, from our neighbors, refugees, and homeless to the street cats and birds who grace our garden (except the spotted lantern flies)
Our house consists of 5 bedrooms (though one you have to walk through another to get to it), and, as one might expect, fits 5 most comfortably, though in cases of a couple joining the community or emergency housing (which we occasionally provide), can fit up to 6.
Keep in mind we’re looking for community members who are able to commit to one year. That’s a big ask, so below is the discernment process we’d go through to get there.
1. Text Kayla for more information, to express interest, and/or to tell us a little about yourself.
2. Afterword, we’d set up a casual get-to-know-each-other meeting, either by zoom, or, if you live close by, in person over dinner (Our food is something we take tremendous pride in).
3. If our values are aligned and there’s mutual chemistry, we’d invite you to join us in some of our community activities (Sunday devotions, movie night, gardening, etc.)
4. After a time, we’ll have another discussion where you’ll be able to ask more in-depth questions about community life/particulars of our “Rule of Life” (a monastic term) and vice versa.
5. Assuming there aren’t irreconcilable differences/barriers, we’d invite you to stay with us for a month, cost free, where all of us will further discern life together and the prospect of committing for a year.
6. At the end of the month, if we extend an invitation, and if you’ll have us, we’ll throw a celebration officially welcoming you as a member of the Poplar Place (and by default, a player on team Poplar Paupers)
Quick COVID note: Our community is quite conscientious about protecting our community; we have guidelines that we revisit every month or two, and all of us are vaccinated. We expect any prospective members to be vaccinated as well.
You can text Kayla at 978-621-4109
The whole membership decides collectively.
Everyone must agree before moving forward.
Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.
Because our membership only ranges between 3-6, all major community decisions are consensus driven.
Members maintain separate personal finances with minimal sharing.
Regular fees: $175
Labor: Yes (2 hrs/week)
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed
Whenever a community member is experiencing financial stress we try to support that person. That same mindset extends out into the community.
Common House, Garden(s), Greenhouse(s), Vehicle Share, Library, Fire pit, Internet
Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace
A residential project: people live here as their primary home.
An institution, business, network, or project that isn’t a residence (e.g. a learning center, farm, or network with no one living there full-time).
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