Othona is a Christian Community – A place to Live, Learn and be Community
Othona Introduction
Othona is a Christian Community. It is a place where everyone can explore, discover and share in the things that we have in common, rather than the things that separate us. It is a place that celebrates and enables our common unity together, our common unity of faith, interests, experiences, hopes and more.
Othona is an open and inclusive Christian Community, established in 1946. We welcome people of all ages, abilities, backgrounds and beliefs to our centre on the quiet coast of Essex. Through sharing in a daily rhythm of work, worship, study and play, we seek to learn how to live together and learn from each other. In community we explore the relationship between faith and life and encourage one another in caring for the world and its people. It is a place of welcome and acceptance for whoever you are. Othona at Bradwell-on-Sea consists of accommodation for 60 guests in bedrooms and yurts, as well as capacity for people to camp. Our dining facilities can cater for up to 150 people. The average size of most groups is between 40 – 50 people.
Othona Basis and Practice of Faith
Othona’s Christian ethos and heritage has always been and remains to follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ, who we believe is the son of God. By following the teachings and example of Jesus Christ we seek to ensure that all our behaviours and activities demonstrate God’s love.
As a community our Christian ethos is demonstrated through our community way of life and behaviours.
These include:
- Regular worship, prayer, reflections and time together both at the Othona community and at St. Peters Chapel.
- Providing opportunities for people of all faiths and none to explore the Christian faith and their own spirituality through a regular pattern of Work, Worship, Study and Play.
- Serving one another to enable each other to contribute to the community to the best of their own ability.
- Welcome and openness to everyone.
- Supporting and welcoming the most vulnerable and poorest.
- Caring for creation and the natural environment.
- Seeking to provide opportunities for peace and reconciliation wherever possible.
Community
The word Community is made up of two words Common Unity. We firmly believe that Community is God’s idea. Even God is a community, made up of God the Father, God the Son; Jesus, and God the Spirit. Three in one The Trinity is the example of God’s perfect model of Community. When God made man in the creation story, we are told that it was not good for him to be alone, so God created woman, from man, thereby creating the community of the family.
When Jesus started his ministry he established a group of followers, 12 disciples; a community. When Jesus died and rose again and returned to heaven, God sent the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts2) and from that moment the Church was established. The church is a community of believers meeting together to support and care for each other and the wider world. Othona is not a church, but it follows the same principles of the early church community as outlined in Acts 2.
Othona is a place where community is created by all kinds of people coming together to share and create a common unity of faith, care, openness, exploration, ideas, activities, worship, support, hospitality and service.
A traditional model of Christian churches and religious organisations may be illustrated in the following way:
They expect people to Behave in a certain way, for example stand up, sing songs, listen to sermons, and follow rituals and liturgy. Then people are required to Believe the things they teach you and what everyone else believes. Finally, once you Behave in the way they require and Believe the things they believe then you will be allowed to Belong, perhaps into membership or confirmation or another method of acceptance.
However, Othona turns that model around:
Othona is a place to simply be and Belong, everyone is welcome, belonging is the start of sharing common unity to create community. As community is created so then people learn to Behave in a certain way as part of working together and serving one another. Finally, by feeling welcome and belonging and following community behaviours people begin to Believe a Christian faith and message of love, forgiveness, mercy, grace and reconciliation
Opportunity for Living and Learning in Christian Community
We believe that The Othona Community at Bradwell on Sea, Essex can provide a unique opportunity and experience of Christian community for clergy in training, to live, work, explore, learn and develop as part of their training and journey to ordination.
A founding objective of The Othona Community includes ‘the training of theological and other students and laymen and women in the establishment of Christian community centres with an ecumenical purpose.’
Therefore, we welcome the opportunity to work with a Theological College for consideration and collaboration for a student or students to explore joining our residential core staff team. Accommodation, meals, support, teamwork and Christian community living are provided. The student will also play an active part in the community life of Othona including housekeeping, cooking, cleaning, leading chapel services and reflections, pastoral support and more.
To chat further about this opportunity please call Othona Bradwell on 01621 776564 or email bradwell@othona.org