Bartimaeus Cohousing Community

Bartimaeus: the construction as it neared completion.

Bartimaeus Cohousing is located in Bremerton, Washington, a scenic ferry ride west of Seattle on the verdant Olympic Peninsula. This 25-unit multigenerational community is largely (but not exclusively) faith-based, and combines an active sense of mission with the easy familiarity of neighbors who just enjoy being with each other.

How does it feel to be moving in?

“Of course there have been times I’ve wondered whether this idea was even sane, leaving my Pennsylvania hometown and moving across country to be part of this community,” says resident Ginny Scott, laughing, “but it’s proving to have been a good decision. Everyone’s been very helpful and friendly.“

“I’m here to work on forging the kind of genuine relationships that our culture has slowly eroded,” offers Lisa Frankowski, mother of two young children. “My husband Jeff and I really treasure the wide range of relationships available to our kids.”

“I’ve been very pleased to see that, despite many differences in personality, political views and even theology, we still get along well with each other. This is a sign of the maturity of the group,” muses Rich Buckham, a practicing psychologist and Anglican minister.

How long did it take to get to this milestone?

The recent completion of construction and final move-in of member/residents caps a 3-1/2-year-long slate of active meetings in preparation and execution of the building project. With one remaining unit available, there is still some marketing work to be finished.

“In fact, the hardest work is still ahead – forging the habits and distinctions of this missional effort. The goal of providing a subsidized guest unit for families going through difficulties is already functioning. The goal of being a support to each other in the demands of daily life is slowly building, but showing signs of early accomplishment. Our use of the common house to host events as a service to the wider community is also underway,” notes Christine Coe, mother of two and an early sign-on to the project.

Bartimaeus: the community at an impromptu cookout soon after move-in.

What was the most surprising/notable thing about the whole process your group experienced to get to this point?

“One of the dynamics which has really been tested among us is ‘can we maintain our convictions, even in disagreement, and still emerge with good consensus process?’ There have been several times, over the last few years, where I was sure there was no way forward – only to find that the meetings revealed a solution that could work for everybody. This has been remarkable and nothing less than a spiritual experience for all of us,” continues Christine.

What was the smartest thing your community has done?

Although consensus process requires group approval for innumerable decisions, the utilization of a highly empowered project manager to supervise the implementation of construction has been critical to saving money, inspiring confidence in the lenders, and negotiating for good contract performance. Additionally, the diligent and thorough oversight of a certified public accountant has been critical to our financial integrity. Remarkably, both positions were filled by volunteers within the group. Their services saved the project from financial distress – or worse.

Tying up the land purchase rights for a year in exchange for a small deposit while we investigated the land’s feasibility was also a good move. By the time we’d exercised the option, an appraisal showed the land’s value to be above the asking price, creating more project equity right from the beginning.

If you were to do it all over again, what would you do differently?

“The end result has been a community we can feel proud of, with rather luxuriant units, yet still built green, at prices comparable to the market around us. We’re finding that the comforts of the common house make living in smaller units more enjoyable and simple. There’s more sharing of life’s challenges together, and just about anything can be borrowed from someone in the community. Perhaps we could have made the units even smaller, without feeling any loss,” says Joel Adamson, the group’s project manager and an early member.

What advice do you have for forming groups?

Agree on a mission statement, aim at more simplicity in the units, plan large for the common house, get your pet policy ironed out early on, don’t undervalue the importance of landscaping, and have lots of patience with the process - along with the utterly odd people with whom you’ve chosen to do this project.

What is your community’s next challenge?

“Future challenges for us include finding a rhythm to our common life, and giving everyone space for the kind of community togetherness we feel God is drawing us toward” offers Barb Buckham, the founding member. “We want also to take the sense of abundance we feel together, and give it away in service to the larger community of which we’re also a part. Celebrating together, living compassionately together, and giving ourselves away to each other appropriately – these are the values which will sustain us.”

Other comments?

“The natural hesitation which we all felt in combining cohousing with a common faith has nevertheless resulted in good diversity and dynamics which keep at bay the kind of insular ‘groupthink’ that so easily becomes destructive of wider friendships, hospitality, compassion and genuine service,” says Linda Parsons, mother of two and a veteran of community living earlier in her life. “We look forward to the challenges ahead, with a growing confidence in the ability to remain friends, grow in faith and marvel at the diversity God created.”

Guy Coe is current president of the HOA at Bartimaeus Cohousing Community, a long-time fan of intentional communities, and an occasional tour guide for Northwest cohousing bus tours.

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