FAQ
Q. Will iona house allow children and/or welcome families?
Yes, we have designed a part of the campus for families and will offer seasonal activities and special programs for youth and children from time-to-time. For more about families / children…
Q. Is Iona House a formal monastery? Will Iona House have vowed monks or nuns in residence?
To be clear, Iona House is not an official monastery operating under an abbot or abbess of a recognized religious order (Benedictine, Franciscan, etc.). Instead it is a place inspired by monastic life offering an opportunity for those who want to learn from the varied monastic traditions to have a place to do so. We may explore the creation of a “Fellows” program and/or a means of cultivating a shared “rule of life” for those who are regular guests of Iona House.
We will have a 10-month cohort for on-campus residents (up to 8 residents each year). These folks will live into a monastic routine and abide by a shared rule of life. The residents are essential to forming and holding the “culture” and “ethos” of Iona House.
Q. Can my church / group rent out Iona House for our own retreat?
No. There are many wonderful conference centers around Northern California. We can refer you to one if you need suggestions. What Iona House offers is not a “conference center” but an ongoing, continuously functioning ecosystem for guests and retreatants to enter into. So it wouldn’t work to have different groups take over the space each weekend. We ARE, however, more than willing to work with churches or groups and cultivate a tailored retreat experience for your group. But we don’t just turn over the facility / campus to an outside group. Please reach out if you have questions about this.
Q. Is Iona House a church?
No. Iona House is not a church. It is a strategic partner to churches and not a replacement for a congregation. We have folks from many different Christian congregations who participate in the life of Iona House, but we encourage everyone to have a home parish / church.
While we’re not affiliated with any particular denomination (see our “what we believe” page) or congregation, we do have a strong partnership with a local congregation (Anglican) called “All Saints Church”. The purpose of this partnership is to cultivate a strong local community of volunteers as well as regular participants in the times of prayers. We also believe it is important to provide an appropriate church partner for various special services (such as Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and other Christian holidays) that will be hosted at Iona House.
Q. This vision sounds a bit “Catholic” to me. I’m a Protestant, would I be out of place?
Hopefully you’ll feel right at home. Some of what you encounter might stretch you… but hopefully all in good ways. Also, nobody is forced to do anything they’re uncomfortable with. There’s a real freedom present at Iona House.
We anticipate that many of our guests (likely the majority) will be from the Protestant wing of the Church, but one of our goals is to deepen an appreciation for the Great Tradition of Christianity and to foster a place of unity for a broad range of Christians (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant). The unity we seek is grounded in a shared faithfulness to Christ, His Word, and His global & historic people (the Church).
Q. Will Iona House do weddings and other events?
No. Iona House does not want to be in the wedding or event business as we feel this would, 1) distract from our mission, 2) could be a potential source of frustration to our neighbors. So, we will not be an event destination. We believe we’ll have plenty going on with a farm / vineyard operation and retreat guests and residents.
Q. Will iona house offer horse riding lessons?
No. We are not a “riding stable” or a place to learn horsemanship. The horses will be present primarily for spiritual formation purposes and for the sheer delight of experiencing these marvelous creatures.
Q. Will iona house offer agricultural workshops and classes?
Yes! We look forward to offering a whole host of agriculturally themed classes and workshops for the local community and beyond. More details can be found at our farm page.
Q. Will there be internet so that I can work remotely if needed?
No. We have decided that Iona House will do all that it can do to be a digital technology free zone. We believe that experiencing margin and separation from our screens and devices is vital. We would ask you to help us build this as part of our culture.
Q. Will Ryan & Elizabeth live on-site?
No. The Joneses will be living 6 minutes away, next door to extended family. They feel like this is a much more sustainable approach to running a retreat center in the long-term, and a better arrangement for raising small children in the short-term. Iona House will have on-site staff who will live on the Iona House campus and be present for emergency purposes as well as to guide the operations of the retreat center.