the nature of community (let it burn)

found this wonderful piece (on the buring man website) on the natue or true community.
many churches can't touch this, but i think COTA is on this path, but what buring man does as gemporary, we seek to do ongoing... pray we keep growing into this kind of community at COTA.


QUOTES ON COMMUNITY FROM THE BURNING MAN WEBSITE -PREPARATION PAGE;

Because many people only know a world shaped by institutions, service workers and commercial transactions, they may not even recognize the signs of a community. Here are a few indications:

Capacity-
Communities are built on the recognition of the unique abilities of every member. Commerce and the public service sector define us on the basis of deficiency and need.

Collective Effort-
Community is cooperative - uniting us as varied members of one body. When, by contrast, we consume a service, we're made passive. 50 million people may view a television program or consume a beverage in complete isolation from one another.

Informality-
In the community, transactions of value take place without money, advertising, or hype. Care emerges in place of structured service.

Stories
-In universities, people know through studies. In businesses and bureaucracies, people know by reports. In communities, people know by stories.

Celebration
-Community activities incorporate celebration, parties and other social events. The line between work and play is blurred and the human nature of everyday life becomes part of the way you work. You will know that you are in a community if you often hear laughter and singing.

see the original here