Community Visitations

What is a Visitation?

A community visitation is when an intentional community requests a visit from folks from other communities to listen and discern the health of the group. It is something like a community health checkup or community audit in the Body of Christ. 

When are visitations requested?

Visitations may be a regular rhythm- scheduled every 1 to 3 years.  The visitation also may requested as a community assesses a new direction it feels called to take.   

Sometimes a visitation is called for because the community is in crisis and needs outside support to find guidance and meaning in a time of conflict or loss.  In such a case a series of visitations may be helpful.

Who is on the visitation team?

It is important that the visitation be conducted by persons representing communities with compatible visions.  A visitation can be like a blood transfusion, so there must be a “blood type” match. The visitation team is committed to help the community fulfill its mission rather than change it.  The visitation is not something done by outsiders for a passive community, but rather it is an occasion for the community to gather, spend time together and to review its own life with the help of a few experienced outside companions and facilitators.  

What does it look like practically?

Visitations usually are scheduled for about three days, perhaps from a Friday noon through Sunday night–depending on travel needs of the visitation team.