Creating alongside others for half a day is a sweet taste of heaven. Elisa Lambert shows us how to make it happen.
When the Anselm Society recently held its first Common Room gathering, those unfamiliar with the concept asked about its foundational principles. In this post, the woman behind the idea shares the why and the how of creating a Common Room to which all are invited — to write, read, sew, paint, sketch, or daydream.
By Elisa Lambert
One of the best things that happened to my writing was other people.
Not just their feedback or accountability, though both have been valuable, but their presence. Creating alongside others has taken my hypothetical book from discarded drafts to 50 pages of tangible work. It has renewed life into my work in a way nothing else had. This is the opportunity the Anselm Society is encouraging through its new Common Room gathering.
What the heck is a Common Room, you ask? If you are picturing a castle, with wooden tables, roaring fire, an eclectic assortment of surprisingly comfortable furniture, and people scribbling with quill pens, that’s what we’re picturing too. We cannot conjure quite as cool a setting, but we can gather people who want to virtually scribble with quill pens and dedicate time for creativity. The heart of this event is the understanding that everything we have comes from above (celebration and wonder) and should be returned to others in some way (participation).
If you are not local and would like to start your own Common Room (and we hope you do), here are some key principles to consider.
1. Warmth and Hospitality Are More than They Seem
When we gather, it is an opportunity to share mini Kingdom appetizers that invite others to the great future feast. Hospitality then is not merely about the gathering, but about what the gathering is participating in. We can echo the future Kingdom in the way we welcome others and make intentional space for them.
2. Don’t Underestimate the Importance of Food
Part of reveling in the goodness of God is by feasting (eating together with enjoyment). God often uses food as a reminder of how He sustains us daily. Yet food is not just practical, it is also delicious. It reminds us of God’s abundance and turns our eye back to the one who gives good gifts. Furthermore, pausing reminds us we were made for love, not toil. Besides, it’s very nearly a fact that any creative endeavor can be improved with a tasty beverage and some snacks.
3. Center the Time in Purpose with Prayer
Dedicating gatherings such as a Common Room through prayer reminds us that creativity is from God, for God, and for one another. It recenters our small stories and our small makings into the Great Story and God’s great makings. When we dedicate time with prayer, we remind one another of Heaven and place our creativity back into its origin of wholeness and purpose.
4. Create Space for Conversation and Participation
Encouraging participation by giving others ownership, sharing work, and seeking one another’s reflections on the work is another valuable aspect of cocreation. This can be built into the Common Room time, and it can be achieved through supplementary feedback groups. Participation can also include sharing the planning of these events among the group.
5. Be Willing to Be Unproductive
Of all the things the Common Room is, it is most certainly not about being productive. Wait, didn’t I just say something about writing 50 pages? There is an underlying drumbeat these days demanding everything you do must triumph – you cannot just create; your works must make you famous or rich. Defying this soul-stealing beat means reclaiming creativity as valuable for its own sake, as a person made like God. This means embracing the subpar things we’ll make as we learn; we do not have to be DaVinci or Hugo. Rather, we encourage one other to make things aimed towards the good, not merely towards the bestselling or most popular.
These principles form a foundation for a Common Room.
How shall you build from there?
Depending upon your circle of participants, the location could be a coffeehouse, a library meeting room, or a home. It would be great to have silent areas as well as spaces where quiet conversation is possible. How often you meet depends upon the group’s needs and capacity, but once a month might be a good starting point. And of course, as principle #2 implies, snacks are essential.
Finally, consider small gestures of hospitality, like preparing dedicated workspaces, or leaving out pens, paper, and watercolors. My sister even has a sign on her door that says, “Yay! You’re here!” Intention is key, but it can be simple.
A Common Room gathering is a small echo of a greater song. It participates in God’s Kingdom by using our gifts to respond to the goodness of God. As we do so, we create little Kingdom outposts along the way for the weary and wondering alike. So, what are you waiting for? We look forward to seeing what you make.
Elisa Lambert is an Anselm member and Colorado mountain wanderer. By day she is a policy analyst, and by night she dabbles in writing, painting, music, and as many "mini Kingdom appetizers" as she can get her hands on. She is one of the people who planned Anselm's new Common Room events, a new Anselm Society community gathering based on the "Scriptorium" events at Pusy House Oxford, and the older monastic tradition of setting aside special rooms for the copying of manuscripts.