What's life like in Creche's intentional communities?

A Creche household is somewhere between roommates and a chosen family, and its residents share common spaces, common work, common expenses, and common life. We offer much more than shared housing – we put time and effort into building the trust, relationships, and resilience necessary to weather life’s unforeseen twists and turns.



Creche community households sound like a big commitment. How much time does it take?

The work of living in community (chores, spiritual practice, self-governance, common meals, etc) takes about 8-12 hours per week, which is comparable to living with a family, but more structured. Most of our community members have full-time jobs and manage just fine.



Who lives in Creche communities?

All sorts of people! Artists, activists, students, retirees, professionals, and more. An intentional community is neither a dormitory nor a halfway house – it’s a way of life for anyone who values relationships, interdependence, and service. Creche community meal



Do you accept couples?

Crossing House coupleAbsolutely! Our Executive Director and his wife have lived in an intentional community for six years, and they love it. We recommend that a couple still take two rooms, however, to make sure they have enough personal space. Emmanuel House couple with cat



Do you accept families with children?

We’d be excited about having children as community members, although we haven’t done so yet. This would be unexplored territory, but we’re open to it.



Do I need to be Episcopalian to join?

Nope! Although our sponsoring congregations are all affiliated with The Episcopal Church, we’re a pretty diverse crew and we want our households to be diverse, too. "All are Weclome Here!" Sign posted to Creche community garden gate



Do I need to be Christian to join?

Nope! Although Creche's households are rooted in the values of the Episcopal tradition, which informs many of our common community practices. If that doesn’t appeal to you, we can point you in the direction of some of Boston’s other amazing intentional communities, including Jewish, Unitarian, and secular ones.



Do you welcome queer, trans, and gender non-conforming people?

Yes, yes, and yes! Our communities are made stronger by LGBTQ+ presence and leadership. Emmanuel House garden with pride flags



Is there a minimum time commitment for living in the community?

We ask for a minimum commitment of eighteen months. Intentional communities need a certain amount of stability to thrive, and that’s hard to do if more than a few residents are turning over each year.



I'm in! How do apply?

Please review the directions on our APPLY page and complete an online application.



FAQs