Skip to content
  • About
  • Donate
  • Become a LVCer
  • 202-387-3222

Lutheran Volunteer CorpsBuilding Community, Living Simply and Sustainably, Working for Justice

Primary Navigation Menu

Menu
  • About
    • The Program
      • Program Days
      • Serve In-Person or Virtually!
      • Partners
    • Mission & Values
    • Journey to an Inclusive Community
    • History
    • Board of Directors (2022)
      • Join the Board
    • Leadership Team
    • Join The Team
    • COVID-19 RESOURCES
    • Financial Reports
    • EVENTS
  • Fellowships
    • Start Here
    • Application & Matching Timeline
    • FAQ
    • Second Year Fellows
    • Participant Guide
    • Placement Positions
    • Sneak Peek: Fellowship Reference
    • Seminary Interest
    • LVC CITY PAGES
  • Become a Placement
    • Start Here
    • Application & Matching Timeline
    • Placement Eligibility
    • FAQ
    • For Posting on Placement Job Boards
  • LVC Hike-a-Thon!
  • Diversity.Equity.Inclusion.Welcome!
  • Connect
    • Meet our 2022-23 Volunteers!
    • Alumni Hires
    • Support House Communities
    • NEWS & UPDATES
    • Blog
    • Resources
    • LVC Alumni
      • Alumni Scholarships
      • Facebook Groups
  • Donate
    • How to Donate
    • Donor Appreciation Wall
    • Shauna Malone Memorial Scholarship

A Recipe for Intentional Community

A Recipe for Intentional Community

During this year’s fall retreat, LVC Volunteers from the Dorothy Day House in Milwaukee shared a recipe for their “stone soup”—a chili recipe that represents the dynamics of their intentional community. One of the housemates, Martha Sudermann, shares her reflections on intentional community along with her house’s recipe. Enjoy!

Pictured: Martha Sudermann, Urban Ecology Center, Milwaukee, 2015-16

How has your perception of life in intentional community changed since you began your year with LVC?

“I tried not to have too many lofty expectations for life in community… there are so many variables at play when living with six other people.

I am continually reminded of the importance of open communication and learning to accept that life in community can and should be challenging. I am reminded that my assumptions and perspectives are not the only ways to see the world. This can be a challenge but also a great opportunity for growth.”

How does the chili recipe relate to how you all at the Dorothy Day House live and serve together?

“Food plays a central role in our community. Many of our meals involve sautéing onions, and almost as soon as the onions hit the warm olive oil, the smell draws people into the kitchen. For this reason, we created a recipe as part of our house covenant where each of the ingredients represents something important to our community. Onions represent community, while a spice represents each of the house members since each one is needed to make a dynamic and interesting chili. We often use the crock-pot to ease dinner preparations, and the chili is best after a long, slow day of cooking. In the same way, it takes time and effort for our community to begin to meld and for our relationships with one another to become more complex.”


Dorothy Day Stone Soup: A chili recipe for 7 servings of social justice and community

Ingredients: black beans for sustainability, vegetable broth for spirituality, tomatoes for vulnerability, onions for community, corn for hilarity, bell peppers for music, sugar for house member Amy Sowers, chili powder for house member Ankita Sarawagi, salt for house member Karl Anliker, cumin for house member Julia Roche, garlic for house member Alex Macdonald, black pepper for house member Amelia Gamboa, and mustard seed for house member Martha Sudermann.

Directions: Combine all ingredients in crock-pot, allow sufficient time for flavors to develop. Or, use a pot on the stove, sautéing onions first, then adding in tomatoes, broth, and cooked or canned beans. Serve with rice for hearty conversation and cheese for some Milwaukee magic.

This story originally written for the November 2015 Leader Letter.

2015-11-28
By: Deirdre Bagley
On: November 28, 2015
In: Leader Letter, Newsletter, Volunteer Profile
Tagged: Community, Milwaukee, Recipe, Volunteer
Previous Post: Discerning the Voice of Vocation
Next Post: Prophets of a Future Not Our Own

Donate Today!

Something is wrong.
Instagram token error.

lutheranvolunteercorps

Follow
Load More
Tweets by LVCorps

Recent News

Happy Holidays!

November 30, 2022 /

LVCer’s Immigration Service Continues Beyond the Service Year

April 19, 2022 /

LVC Staff

February 14, 2022 /

Meet Kabrina Bass

January 27, 2022 /

Volunteering at the MN Racial Justice Summit

November 29, 2021 /

Find a Story

Tags

alum Alumni Profile application Baltimore Bay Area Casa Romero Chicago Community community organizing Concordia College Cultivate Justice donor ELCA Food Justice fundraising Hillstrom House History Justice Just Speak Leader Letter LIFE in Service Living LVC Values Luther College Luther Place luther Seminary Milwaukee Minneapolis National Orientation Newsletter New Staff Omaha Protest Recipe retreat Seattle serve Tacoma Travel Twin Cities Vocation Formation Volunteer Volunteer Profile Volunteer Spotlight Washington DC Wilmington

Lutheran Volunteer Corps

1226 Vermont Ave NW
Washington, DC 20005
202-387-3222
operations@lutheranvolunteercorps.org

Follow Us on Facebook

Lutheran Volunteer Corps (LVC)

1 day ago

Lutheran Volunteer Corps (LVC)

A New RIC Community: Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp (Fort Collins, CO)

www.reconcilingworks.org

Help ReconcilingWorks welcome the newest Reconciling in Christ (RIC) community: Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp (Fort Collins, CO). Their welcome statement reads: “Sky Ranch Lutheran Camp is committe...
View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Lutheran Volunteer Corps (LVC)

5 days ago

Lutheran Volunteer Corps (LVC)

Photo

View on Facebook
· Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linked In Share by Email

Designed using Responsive Brix Child WordPress Theme. Powered by WordPress.