A Brief History
In the summer of 2003, three couples met at the Open Door Community
in Atlanta, Georgia. Out of our experience at the Open Door we
began a process of discernment that led to the formation of Emmanuel
House Community in the Spring of 2004. In May of that year we purchased
a house together. By September two of the couples had moved into
the house. The third couple decided to not continue in the community.
Our first work as a community was offering sack lunches to persons waiting
for work at labor pools located near our house. This work continues. By
the late summer of 2005 we were working to open Manna House, our place of hospitality
for poor and homeless persons. We published our first community newspaper, “The
Cross Examiner” in September. Manna House opened in October of 2005.
Throughout
our time as a community we have also engaged in regular vigils and demonstrations
for peace and for the abolition of the death penalty, along with campaigns for
a living wage ordinance in Memphis, and other peace and justice events.