THE CHARTER PROCESS HAS THREE STAGES FIRST STAGE

THE CHARTER PROCESS HAS THREE STAGES FIRST STAGE: May 2019 - April 2020 (12 months) We are going to look at our experiences of community life and reread them to determine what gives us life and what doesn’t. You are going to gather your beads (“everyday beads”, “gems of your lives”), and to work on them, to see their beauty, their imperfections, to polish them, to drill holes, etc. First of all, we collect the beads of our history THEME We tell each other our stories. We speak of our roots and of what has guided our lives, personally and together. We ask ourselves: In my own story and in our common story, What gives life? Why? What does not give life? Why? 1

THE CHARTER PROCESS HAS THREE STAGES FIRST STAGE: May 2019 - April 2020 (12 months) Then, we collect the beads of our present reality THEME We talk about our lives today and who we encounter together. We talk about how we live our identity and mission. We ask ourselves: What does my community look like today (or region, or country, or federation)? Who do we meet beyond L’Arche? What happens in our encounters? What gives life? Why? What does not give life? Why? To conclude this stage, we collect the beads of our vision for the future THEME We share what gives us the desire and the courage to try new things, what stimulates us to take risks, what inspires us to go forward, personally and together. We ask ourselves: What gives me/us energy to move forward into the future? What saps my/our energy? 2

THE CHARTER PROCESS HAS THREE STAGES SECOND STAGE: May - October 2020 (6 months) We will share what we discovered during stage 1 and find words that express the meaning of these discoveries. You are going to discern, select the most precious of your beads and find the thread that holds them together. Using all the data collected during stages 1 & 2, the Charter Process Team will develop a draft Charter for consultation. 3

THE CHARTER PROCESS HAS THREE STAGES THIRD STAGE: May - December 2021 (8 months) We will receive the draft Charter and take time to consider whether it accurately expresses what we believe L’Arche to be. Then the Charter Process Team will consider all the feedback before they propose a new Charter to the Federation Assembly. 4

THE CHARTER PROCESS HAS THREE STAGES FEDERATION ASSEMBLY: 2022 The Federation Assembly will be asked to vote on the new Charter. 5