Jubilee House

ABOUT JUBILEE HOUSE

OVERIVEW
Jubilee House is a collaborative partnership between New Roots AME Church and Creche,an organization that seeks to offer community-focused alternatives to the for-profit housing market. The property at 12 Monadnock Street, in Upham’s Corner Dorchester, will serve as a residence for 6-8 people seeking an intentional living community and as a multi-use venue for restoration, spiritual practice, and cultivating authentic relationships. The first floor will provide addititonal common space that can also servce as a multi-use venue for experiements in Jubilee and community outreach. The community's vision for Jubilee House services and programs include: gatherings for community building and education; ministries of food, hospitality, mutual care, and cooperative economics; developing social justice practices; studying movements of the natural world; community gardening and food forestry. We look forward to involving future residents in the design of the residence and development of Jubilee House outreach programs.

HISTORY OF JUBILEE HOUSE
  • February 2020 - The initial vision for Jubilee house initially emerged in February 2020 at New Roots Retreat. The vision gained energy and traction as New Roots members visited different properties and explores various options, but nothing felt quite right. 
  • December 2021 - At the end of 2021, New Roots and Creche mutually connected to learn from one another and to explore the possibility of starting and intentional community together. 
  • February 2022 - Rev. Isaac Everett (Creche) shared a potential opportunity on 12 Monadnock Street from a neighbor to the property and fellow cooperative housing aficionado and now friend of Jubilee House! 
  • September 2022 - With the support of New Roots AME Church, Creche purchased 12 Monadnock Street! 
  • What is happening now? Creche and New Roots are working hard to fundraise and prepare for the renovations for the physical structure. New Roots’ Jubilee House Committee continues to meet bi-weekly to hold the vision and to make sure everything is in order for future residents to connect with the community at New Roots, in Upham’s Corner, in Dorchester more broadly, and beyond!

THE STORY BEHIND THE NAME
The name "Jubilee House" emerged from New Roots' communal commitment to the biblical concept of jubilee. New Roots Church is a justice-oriented, jubilee-seeking community. We ground ourselves in text from Leviticus (25: 8–55) calling for communities to engage in regular cycles of release, rest (Sabbath), and renewal. In seeking jubilee, the New Roots community centers these principles so that we might honor and share the abundance of God’s provision and love. In being justice-oriented, we seek an equitable distribution of resources and assurance of well being for all in the world. We recognize that our work is not only about righting injustice within systems that currently exist but also about creating and practicing new, freer ways of being. Jubilee House is a physical manifestation of this vision.