The Community in Rutland

134 Church Street
Rutland, VT 05701
(802) 773-3764

The sun coming up over the Green Mountains finds us already hard at work in our households here in Rutland, Vermont, at the base of Killington Mountain. Here we have a cottage industry where we work called Common Sense Natural Soap and Bodycare.

The name "Common Sense" really tells much about our products — simple, natural, practical. We make bar and liquid soaps, shampoos, along with salves and skin oils. We use pure essential oils from plants for our soap fragrances and herbs known for their beneficial effects on skin in our salves. We have gathered information about plants and herbs, with healing qualities, which we use in many of our products.

We also have a small storefront where we sell our soaps and other communities products, and we are always giving people tours of our soap shop. We put a lot of work into each one of our products, for in many ways the quality of our product reflects the quality of our life.

Located in a very nice residential neighborhood, our soap shop is always buzzing and humming with life. The work is not very loud and we can all work together. This allows us to have encouraging and edifying teachings, spontaneous discussion, and fellowship. The work is simple, enabling all ages to work together. It also gives a chance for new disciples and visitors to come and join right in.

It is so wonderful to be able to work in peace with other brothers who share the same goal and purpose. We deal with the same pressures that come with any other workplace — anxieties, laziness, reactions. Sometimes conflicts do arise, but because we own the business, we are able to stop and work things out, unlike what we knew in our jobs in the world. The things we go through together are really bonding us and we believe that nothing is more important than keeping our friendships and unity.

A great thing about our cottage industry is that our children can work with us. Working with our children gives fathers the chance to communicate with their children. Cottage Industry is the fulfillment of what has been in our hearts for a long time. So many parents live with the fear of losing their children to all kinds of bad influences. Others just accept that during the teenage years, there will always come a separation where parents and children drift apart.

We also have felt this as many of us labored in jobs outside of the community. For years, we have prayed that a day would come when we could work with our children and new disciples, in an environment where our God's Spirit is welcomed — not bound by the schedules of the world. We truly have been blessed!

Now this working environment that we have allows us to spend time with our children, even when they are young, so when they are teenagers there is no generation gap. We don't have to be at work, wishing our children could be with us, while our children are at home, wishing they could come to work with Dad. Fathers can work with their sons and give them a purpose to give their seemingly endless energy to.

Here in Rutland, we are also in the process of purchasing a building in which we plan to build a café. It is right in the middle of downtown, where we can really get to know the people here and show them hospitality. It will be a very warm and peaceful environment, similar to our other cafés, in which the fruit of the spirit will be served — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23).

Working side by side, with a common purpose, gives us a real togetherness. We are no longer just a group of scattered individuals — we are being made into a family. We love being here because after seeing and experiencing this life we can't live any other way.

We would love to talk to you and answer any questions you might have. Our homes are always open for you to stay or visit, and you can come visit our cottage industry anytime. We are looking forward to seeing or hearing from you!