Emmanuel House is an intentional community affiliated with us through the Charles River Episcopal Co-Housing Endeavor (hereafter Creche), which is a network of mixed-income, inter-generational, faith-rooted intentional communities living in service to their neighborhoods and in relationship with a nearby congregation.
Currently there are five Creche houses:
- Our own intentional community is located on St. Luke’s Road in Allston. Emmanuel House’s members are committed to cultivating community space for contemplative practice, community gardening, and hospitality.
- St. Mary’s House in Dorchester is affiliated with St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, a vibrant Afro-Caribbean congregation in Upham’s Corner.
- Trinity House in Newton Center, affiliated with Trinity Parish, is dedicated to the care and formation of graduate students at Boston College, particularly Protestant and queer students.
- Seventy-Seven is an inter-religious community in Jamaica Plain with a mission of hospitality to those in need of temporary housing.
- The Jubilee House is affiliated with New Roots AME Church and includes a multi-use venue for restoration, spiritual practice, and cultivating authentic relationships while centering Black spiritual traditions.
Residents of Emmanuel House live in a dynamic relationship with our congregation as part of their rhythm of life. Residents have been busy serving on the Vestry and other committees as well as baking Communion bread, and helping Julian Bullitt with building-maintenance activities. They have also hosted Lenten dinners and topical discussion groups. 
Our rector, The Rev. Pamela L. Werntz, describes Creche and its role in the congregation this way:
The innovative, compelling and creative vision of Creche is to make the oldest, most fundamental component of Christianity—the household (oikonomia)—accessible to people who are yearning to live more fully into their baptismal promises in daily life. Even in these early days, our plans to extend the mission of the Church to households, and the neighborhoods in which they are situated, is reinvigorating and inspiring other parish households to grow in their own Christian identity. The Creche model is scalable and transferable to any place where people of faith want to live more authentically and deeply. This work is thrilling.
The Executive Director of Creche, The Rev. Isaac Everett, serves at our altar and in our pulpit from time to time. Creche is an independent 501c3 that continues to grow and launch new communities – please visit their website if you’d like to make a tax-deductible donation!
Keep a look out in This Week @ Emmanuel for upcoming events hosted by the houses and Creche’s website for more information.