The S.A.L.T. House is an intense and intentional community living experience for junior and senior students. Each community member is committed to service to both the other community members and the surrounding community. It is important to understand that this program is not something in which students merely participate. The intensity of the experience, as well as the time and energy it requires, should not be underestimated. Each week, community members will spend a significant amount of time in both house activities (see below) and informal discussion and fellowship. The experience is one that you can count on to significantly challenge your faith and how it impacts your lifestyle. The following is an excerpt from the original SALT House community. Its speaks well to what the SALT House commits to do...
"We would like to make a commitment to serving as Christ served, to fully understanding the implications of serving in every area of our lives, and to live out our faith according to Christ's example. We do not feel that we are capable of doing this on our own. We believe the best way to attain our goals is through discipleship and accountability in small groups. To live in community together, with each of us sharing these goals (below), would provide the kind of intentional environment that could help us prosper in our attempts. We believe that as we serve in the Harrisburg community together, we will benefit from living together as the atmosphere of the house will be one that promotes reflection and provides emotional support."
The mission is to cooperatively work toward a holistic vision and lifestyle
which integrates faith into every area of our lives.
To accomplish this mission, the following goals have been established:
- To grow in Christian faith and discipleship by working toward an understanding of Christ's example of servanthood
- To address local needs by serving in the surrounding community
- To promote an atmosphere within the house that includes honesty, openness, and maturity, which will allow for the engagement in reflection and emotional support
- To provide a space for students to discuss and work through difficult issues related to social-justice, faith, service, and the world
- To accomplish these goals, and work toward our mission, with a high level of commitment to the community
The following is a brief list of the formal expectations of all house members, as well as a list of activities which each student is expected to attend.
- Attendance and participation in all S.A.L.T. House weekly gatherings. (1 1/2 hours/week)
- Creation of personal space for God throughout the week.
- Attendance and appropriate display of culinary gifts at weekly S.A.L.T. House dinners. (1 hour/week)
- Involvement in service outside and within the Messiah community.
- Participation in a house service project once a semester.
- Attendance and participation in the Agape Center fall orientation retreat.
- Provide constructive feedback in end of the year debriefing.
If you are interested or have questions, please email Becky Owen at rowen@messiah.edu.
To apply, please review the above mission and expectations and fill out the on-line application here.
Applications for the 2008-2009 Academic Year are due Monday, February 18th, 2008.
"What I enjoy most about living in the house is being part of a close-knit community of men and women while bestowing hospitality on the variety of people that come through our doors. It’s nice to live in a place that feels like a home and allows the space to comfortably accommodate others. Growing a garden and having a compost pile are big pluses too." - 2007-08 resident
"The SALT house is a good transition from dorm life to after college. As a result of living in the house I am able to envision what living in an intentional community after college may look like. It is teaching me to balance my values of service, relationships, hard work, and the mundane maintenance tasks of cooking and cleaning."
- 2007-08 resident
"As a transitional housing situation—still connected to campus and near enough to walk or bike; yet simultaneously ‘feeling’ off-campus, with more freedom and also more responsibility—satellite houses have given me a positive taste of post-grad life, and also a positive disposition towards community living in general, especially the burgeoning Christian intentional community movement. The life skills that I have been forced to practice through the satellite housing living arrangement will certainly be with me all my life."
- 2007-08 resident
Mission of the S.A.L.T. House