About

Chiara House is a new missional initiative of Little Flowers Community, in partnership with Mennonite Church Manitoba and other organizations.  Guided by the values and leadership of these ministries, Chiara House will welcome Christians from various churches to participate in the community and mission. It is not designed to be a shelter, detox program or food bank, rather it is a group of people called to love God & their neighbour together in the context of shared life & community.

To this end a small apartment building in Winnipeg’s West End (490 Maryland St.) has been purchased, affording us a space to create this community. Our goal is to provide supportive, affordable Christian community, where people will share life and mission together in the context of the neighbourhood. While the building faces significant renovations before the community can move in, the following gives an idea what we hope to accomplish.

The building has three floors, as well as a full basement. Each of the three floors will have a two- bedroom and a one-bedroom apartment, each with their own small kitchenette. Each floor will also have a shared community space with a kitchen, small dining area for shared meals and a living room. Accommodating 3 to 5 people per floor, the goal would be that members would have both personal space, yet shared community context as well.

The basement will have a small suite for hospitality & emergency, as well as a small office and meeting space for ministry and community purposes. While each floor will be self-contained, the entire building will function as a singular community, sharing life and mission together.

The intentional community members of the building will be committed to specific a “rule of life” and code of conduct and function as servant-leaders in the community space.  These members will also participate of various churches/Christian communities and will include, but will not be restricted to, members of Little Flowers Community.  Their role is personal and voluntary, not functioning as paid leadership in any way.

We are excited to have already purchased the 490 Maryland St. building to pursue this mission.  However, in order to see if come into being, we need your help, through prayer, volunteering and financial donations.  Click here for more information about getting involved.

“Our friends at Little Flowers Community is one of God’s flourishing new plants that give us hope for way of Jesus in inner city Winnipeg.  They are both a church and an intentional community that have just purchased a three floor apartment called Chiara House.  This building will both  house their intentional community as well as give them a place to more fully serve the urban poor.  We need to see thousands of the followers of Jesus in North America follow the example of our friends at the Community of Little Flowers of creating intentional communities to both be a difference and make a difference in these troubled times.”

Tom Sine – Mustard Seed Associates