The Eco-Commoning Project

What is the Eco-commoning project?

The Eco-Commoning Project is a partnership project between Community Innovation Hub and Eco-Commons. The Project aims to shift the social, political, economic and spiritual mindset from an individualistic-capitalist system of thought to a relational; or eco-commons way-of-life . The Eco-Commoning Project lifts up the values of local, cooperative, equitable and sustainable in order to envision communities of faith as radical Changemakers and Innovators in this area.

The Eco-Commoning Project  conference

Registration for June is on its way!

 

Join us online to think creatively about commoning, social innovation and social enterprise in communities of faith. Take part in an interactive key-note presentation from Rev Dr Ted Reeve and The Very Rev Bill Phipps on how the social/economic theory of commoning applies to spirituality and communities of faith; engage with local stories and take-part in conversation-style action planning and reflection through the World Cafe model.

June Date TBD

Eco-Commoning stresses the importance of acting locally to think globally. To live this out for our conference we have made two dates avaliable with different regional focuses in each. Both conference dates will run exclusively online with local break-out rooms for each region listed below. If your region is not in this list and you would like to facilitate a local version of the conference please let us know by contacting: colleen@communityinnovationhub.org

April 24th

Thank you to all who joined us on April 24th! We had a wonderful day of learning and great discussions. We are excited to see what happens with the actions that you decided to work on in the next 90 days! Here’s a reminder of our local speakers:

  • Western Ontario Waterways – featuring: Shelburne-Primrose Pastoral Charge, PASS kits (Panic, Anxiety and Stress Support) & Raw Carrot at Mount Forest United 
  • Northern Spirit – featuring: Kirk Centre & Bissell Centre 
  • Shining Waters – featuring: NewMakeIt (makerspace), 360Kids & Stone Soup
June Date TBD

Register here: Coming soon

  • Pacific Mountain – local presenters TBA
  • Living Skies – local presenters TBA
  • Eastern Ontario Outaousis Region – local presenters TBA
  • Nakonhaka – local presenters TBA

If you are from any other region chose the one closest to you or let us know if you are/know someone who would like to host a regional breakout room! The blessing of being online is that we can be flexible!

A special thank you to Kirk United Church Centre, Trinity United Newmarket and Shelburne-Primrose Pastoral Charge who were our April host sites until changing circumstances led us entirely online. 

 

Eco-Commoning Resources

 

An Introduction to the Commons by Rev Dr Ted Reeve

Rev Dr Ted Reeve shares some background on the commons as a social, political, economic and spiritual framework – outlining myths, strengths and application to communities of faith. Find more information at: https://eco-commons.com

Watch his presentation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VC2bwgdhY10

See the powerpoint slides: https://eco-commons.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Commons-as-Church.pptx 

Reclaiming a Down-To-Earth Way of Life

At a more grass-roots level, some of us have found the old idea of the commons to have relevance in the 21st century. The idea of being commoners and engaged in commoning gives fresh expression to a way-of-life that is down-to-earth, practical, cooperative, participatory, local and yet with global understanding. https://eco-commons.com/reclaiming-a-down-to-earth-way-of-life/

Reclaiming the Commons for the 21st Century

This pre-modern concept of the commons – people working and sharing together – has new relevance in the 21st century. We have come to articulate this life choice as seeking a common GOOD.  Join us in exploring what this means. https://eco-commons.com/reclaiming-for-21st-century/

Lessons from the Social Gospel that support 21st century Eco-Commoning

The social gospel emerged in the early 20th century as a response to the abuses of capitalism and the need to understand how the church, and state, could be part of building God’s Kin(g)dom on earth. A hundred years later, we continue this struggle but with the added need to ensure the earth’s wellbeing as well. This article details some of the social gospel’s influence back then so that we might be inspired to carry it on now. https://eco-commons.com/lessons-from-the-social-gospel-that-support-21st-century-eco-commoning/

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