Residency @ Iona House

This summer we offered our first residency experience. It was wonderful…

We hosted the Lou Family: Stephen, Mary, and their four beautiful children (Johanna, Tabitha, Amelia, and Toby). The Lou’s lived in the Dome (the house we have set aside for the resident program). It’s a huge geodesic style home that is simultaneously quirky and charming. Upon arriving, the Lou’s immediately dove into the daily routine of Iona House: Prayer (morning, midday, and evening prayer), animal feedings twice a day, caring for the garden, and much more. They offered the first line of hospitality to guests as they arrived in many cases.

Those who came for a visit during July / August / September know what a vital part of the experience of Iona House this family was. Their gifts were many: Stephen’s specialty coffee prepared for guests, Mary’s homemade bread, the warmth and kindness of a loving family, and the joy and curiosity of the kids. We discovered very quickly that Mary is a talented artist. She captured the essence of Iona House in watercolor and in poetry (see below). She added aesthetic beauty wherever she went. Mary & Stephen helped organize, clean, and beautify the entire barn area. They helped build fences and worked in the garden. They built planters, raked wood chips, and removed junk. More than what they did on campus, it was their presence that really ministered to people. They’re amazing listeners who were always willing to pray for whoever so desired.

Perhaps their greatest contribution to Iona House was the faith with which they live everyday life. Many of us were inspired by their humility and willingness to follow the Lord wherever He leads them… which is currently to Japan. Having served God in the heart of the Tenderloin (at YWAM) in San Francisco and as pastors for a house church in the We Are Church community, they brought a wealth of experience and big hearts of love to Iona House. It was hard to see them go, but we are overjoyed to see them carry on with the journey of obedience and faithfulness that brought them to us in the first place.

If you would like to support them in their missionary journey, you can do so through this website: https://meigiving.org/donate-associate. They’re particular “code” is “SM3932”. That will make sure that the donation goes to them.

Residency Going Forward

We are THRILLED to announce that we are building a cohort of residents for a 5-month residency that will start January 3, 2024. This cohort will consist of a family as well as an assortment of other individuals and perhaps a couple. For more about it, check out our RESIDENCY page. We are currently taking applications.

After this current cohort, we will begin a 2nd cohort in August of 2024 that will last 9 months. We will begin taking applications for this in the new year.