In early 2009, twelve adults and five children moved into the Chestnut Hill neighborhood and began practicing ways of sharing meals, prayer, work, money and service in a spirit of hospitality to their neighbors. The name Castanea was derived from the Latin for the Chestnut tree, which went through a major blight and subsequent restoration in the early 1900s. Recognizing their own frailty and need for restoration and wholeness, Castanea hoped for an opportunity to join their neighbors in God’s redemptive work in Chestnut Hill.
Vision and Mission Statement
Castanea is an interdependent Christian community that embodies and shares Kingdom life liberated for economic, ecological, and racial reconciliation by:
- Committing to a common life centered around sharing meals, prayer, work, study, play, and possessions
- Working toward a healthy food culture through urban farming and education alongside a commitment to sourcing food locally
- Caring for creation through conservation, alternative transit and energy, sustainable housing, and decreased dependence on fossil fuels
- Fostering solidarity across the racial and economic boundaries of our neighborhood through hospitality, a commitment to localizing the economy, and the sharing of work, resources, advocacy, and celebration
Here’s a very very brief history of the people of Castanea and how we began.
Jason, an organic farmer, father, and adjunct professor of environmental justice at Trevecca, and Stephani, full time home maker and home school teacher, had already heard an invitation by the local neighborhood association group to move into Chestnut Hill. They had already been keenly interested in this neighborhood because of its proximity to their alma mater, Trevecca Nazarene University, and because they felt called to move in to this place in order to be good neighbors there. Amber, a Trevecca alum who had visited a monastic community in Kentucky and was curious about life in community, was a part of Jason and Stephani’s Sunday school group, and decided to join in their relocation. Brent was a student in social justice at Trevecca, and met Jason because of a proposal he wrote about college students living in Christian community off campus, specifically in a resource challenged area where their faith would be challenged and the teachings of Christ would begin to run head on into daily life. Daniel, an optometrist, and Amanda, a civil engineer/project manager, had been married for one year, and were seeking friends to join them in community. Daniel had lived in a close community in north Nashville before getting married, so he and Amanda had both seen how living in Christian community could challenge them to be more faithful in very real ways. After meeting Jason at a conference on intentional communities, they begin eating together, telling their stories, and dreaming of the possibilities of life together. Josh, a former Americorps member who worked with Hands On Nashville, had lived with Daniel in the north Nashville community, and was also ready to move back into community. He had been meeting with Daniel and Amanda, along with several friends and persons interested in the idea of a “new monasticism,” studying intentional communities and even seeking places to move. Josh, Daniel and Amanda felt an immediate connection to what Jason and Stephani were called to in Chestnut Hill, Amber and Brent joined in, and we began the process of brainstorming, story telling, shaping and creating the community that has become Castanea. Since then, Carlson, a graduate student at Trevecca, and Rob, a former Trevecca student and close community friend, have joined our plight after learning that their hopes and values aligned with ours.
