by Angela Pancella, St. Louis

One of the formative experiences of my life was the fourteen years I lived in Norwood, Ohio, in the midst of an intentional Christian community. At one point I joined a group of people working together at a pay-as-you-can pizza cafe where the toppings and sauces came from produce grown in the neighborhood. It brought people together from every background. Working together in the gardens and in the kitchen provided opportunities for lively and deep conversations. We worked hard but it was such satisfying work because people were nourished both in body and spirit.