Gatherings of the community

Working translation. Synchronized with the Russian corpus as of 2026-10-25. Canonical formulas are binding only in the Russian original; publication — after human review.

The community lives by rhythm. Rhythm holds a person when words run out. The Church has three gatherings: the Quiet Evening, the Evening of Unity, and the Sunday Table.

1. The Quiet Evening

An open gathering for everyone, including guests. Once a week.

Purpose: a minute of re-understanding in the middle of an ordinary week. Nothing to bring, nothing to write, nothing you must say.

Order:

1. Gathering and silence (10 minutes). At the start of the gathering the circle sings the song "The Oak Remembers" (see "Music and singing"); then people enter in silence and sit in a circle. In the center — the circle with a point and a lit candle.
2. A word about what remains (10 minutes). The host briefly speaks about one knot of the teaching: responsibility, the wound, setting it right, re-living. No sermon: one thought, plain words, an example.
3. The minute of re-understanding (one minute). Common silence. Each person looks at their own week: whom they hurt, what they left unfinished, what they managed to set right. This is private — not for a report, not for a sheet, not for documents. Only silence and honesty with yourself. The minute is exactly a minute: brevity is part of the design — honesty has time to happen and does not turn into a performance.
4. The circle of words (optional). Whoever wants says one sentence about what they saw. The limit is one minute per person: the word is short, the circle moves on, no one holds the evening. Whoever does not — stays silent. Silence is accepted without questions.
5. Closing (5 minutes). The host closes with the phrase: "Be the best version of yourself."

After the gathering — tea, talk, return to ordinary life.

Guests are not put in the center of attention. If a guest asks questions after the evening, any member may talk with them one on one.

2. The Evening of Unity

An inner gathering for core members and covenant guests. Once a month, instead of the Quiet Evening. 90–120 minutes.

A guest who came in this week is not told "come another time": the guest is offered to sit quietly in the circle for the common part (the gathering, the rules, the song) — and they observe the circle of speakings from the side, or come to the nearest Quiet Evening: the open door of the community is not closed for a single week. A covenant one (without membership) is not a guest: they take part in the common part on equal terms and observe the circle of speakings from the side, while not in the core.

Purpose: to see each other whole. A person names themselves what they left unhealed — the circle answers with gratitude for their good. This way everyone is seen from both sides: the harm and the good.

Order:

1. Circle and silence (10 minutes).
2. Reminder of the rules (2 minutes). The host speaks the rules of the evening (see below).
3. The speakings (the main part). Everyone who wants steps into the center of the circle and answers one question: what they left unhealed. What they did, whom they hurt, what they did not set right. They speak in the first person and finish — no one interrupts.
4. The answer of the circle. After each speaking, the circle thanks the speaker: for what that person did for each one present. One gratitude each from those who wish — short, and personal to the speaker.
5. Closing. The host: "We have seen each other. Go and finish what is unfinished." Common table or tea.

The rules of the evening are load-bearing; breaking them is not allowed:

• The one who steps out speaks only of their own guilt. No self-praise: your good is not listed on this evening.
• The circle speaks only gratitude. No accusations, advice, judgments, or "and what about you." The person names their guilt themselves — here it is not named for them. Others' sins do not sound here — ever.
• What is said at the evening does not leave the circle. Talk inside the circle is not material for gossip.
• Anyone may stay silent. Whoever is not ready — stays silent; and no one is obliged to give thanks either.

The point of the construction: admitting harm is hard. The answer to the admission is gratitude for the good. A person who named their guilt and heard gratitude leaves whole, not broken: this is re-living done in advance, among your own.

3. The Sunday Table

The main rhythm of the community. Every Sunday — a small table for the core; once a month — a big table, open to guests.

3.1. General order

1. Preparation. The food is cooked by two members of the community — in turn, every week. Cooking is a form of service: the table is gathered by the hands of the community. If there are no cooks, the community's service is to hire and pay a cook from the treasury. In all cases the food itself comes from the common treasury.
2. The opening formula. All stand around the table. The master of the table says: "This food is the work of our hands. Our life is the work of our days. Sit down." All sit.
3. Silence during the meal (5 minutes). The first minutes are eaten in silence — not for strictness: these minutes are needed to gather after the road.
4. Weeks' accounts. Each person, in one sentence: what they did this week, whom they hurt, what they intend to finish. Short, without reporting.
5. The question of the week. The master of the table reads one question from the canon — and the table speaks. Children speak too: the question is simplified for them ("what good did you do? whom did you help?").
6. Gratitude for deeds. Before the end, each person names one deed of someone else this week for which they are grateful.
7. The end. The master of the table: "The table is closed. Our deeds are open." Everyone washes the dishes — not only the cooks.

3.2. The small table (weekly)

Core members, covenant guests, and those close to the Covenant by the host's invitation. No more than 10–15 people: the weekly accounts must be heard by everyone. If the community grows — the table splits in two.

3.3. The big table (monthly)

Open to all: guests, neighbors, the curious. Guests sit at the table as equals. When guests are present, "weekly accounts" are not spoken: instead, the big table hears about the community's deeds and answers guests' questions. The master of the big table speaks about the teaching for about ten minutes — without pressure: the table gathers people with food and truth, not with persuasion. Guests are told the format when invited: whoever does not want to listen — simply eats; no one asks the guest questions.

There are no speakings at the big table. The exception is a critical case: an admission or a setting-right that cannot be postponed. Such a case is announced in advance and personally to the Representative of the community; they decide whether to hear the case at this table or to appoint a separate circle.

The rule of money: the table is free for guests; members contribute by strength into the common pool of food. No one's contribution is counted aloud: one person keeps the account, and the totals are seen only in the annual report. The boundary of the personal and the common at the table — by the Covenant (ch. 11): food and dishes are common; personal things stay personal and do not go into the pool without the owner's word.

3.4. Special tables

• The memorial table — after the sending-off of the departed (see the rite of sending-off).
• The table of the Covenant — after a new member accepts the Covenant: they cook this table themselves; it is their first service.
• The annual table — once a year, on the day of the annual report: the community gathers over food and hears the report of what was done in the year (see the Regulation on reporting).