Hineni House Zoom Tea Party!

On May 1st we were so happy to host a tea party on Zoom for those who were interested in learning more about Hineni House! It was really fun to be able to meet folks and answer their questions about our home and our program. Our current resident Sarah even took us on a very well-conducted virtual tour!

Most of the questions were ones I knew a lot of people who look into us have, so why don’t I just answer a few of them right here?

1. What kind of time commitment is required?
The main time commitment is one evening a week where we gather for about two hours. When we meet in-person, we have dinner together. When we’re meeting on Zoom, we just have the meeting itself. These meetings are chances to check in as a house, learn about different things, and pray together. Sometimes there’s a week off here and there, but this is the most important time commitment for Hineni residents.
We also do one retreat a year, which we schedule well in advance.
Other time commitments are for the most part casual and agreed upon by residents, e.g. If you’re the kind of person who loves board games and wants a house board game night, feel free to schedule it! Birthdays are often a chance to get together and celebrate as well.
 
2. The application says you only take students and employed people but I’m currently not working or studying full-time – is that okay?
Yes, this is totally fine, as long as you can pay rent. We are looking for people who have a stable source of income.

3. How are residents dealing with COVID-19? Are there restrictions on visitors? Can partners come over?
This is definitely the kind of thing that must be worked out as a house. All residents have throughout the pandemic followed the government regulation guidelines around guests and gatherings. When restrictions were lifted slightly in the summer of 2020, residents worked together to decide on a safety plan for visitors.
Outside of the context of COVID-19, visitors, friends, family members, and partners are all welcome at the home, including overnight, as long as the other residents are okay with that and as long as there is no interference with programming or life at the house. There are also certain programming evenings where we aim to be more open and allow for non-residents to participate such as times where we host guest speakers.

4. I keep odd hours – is that going to be a problem?
No way, as long as you are considerate of others in the house. We usually observe “quiet hours” between 10pm and 7am where the understanding is that unless everyone is working on a project or having fun together, folks keep the home relatively peaceful so everyone can get the rest they need.

5. Are pets allowed?
We welcome all certified service animals and may be open to small pets that are relatively contained in cages or tanks. At this time we’re avoiding welcoming cats and dogs to be sensitive to applicants who may have allergies.
 
Hope that helps! Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any further questions!