We designed Compass House living to gradually allow the residents to experience autonomy from lifelong caregivers and instill a successful and healthy lifestyle. There are basic foundations that can be learned to ensure what every young adult desires in life but does not necessarily know how to achieve. Our goal in the Compass House is to give the residents true freedom and a healthy autonomous sense of being and not restrictions for restrictions’ sake. Thus, certain living conditions are agreed upon by the staff of Compass Ministries and the residents to maximize the objective the residents desire from the discipleship program. These conditions foster interdependence as opposed to individual independence. We believe that humans are inherently made for relationships and autonomy. Freedom and autonomy is the ability to have choices but also accept responsibility for those choices.
Maturity is to be able to care for oneself and at the same time care for others. Both Jesus and Paul encourage us that a life of freedom is, in all reality, a life of self-control and caring (loving) for others. Thus the “house rules” or living conditions are designed to teach every resident how to thrive in relationships and community. Much of what humans have difficulty with deals with relationships. In the Compass House, we will not avoid relationships but learn to thrive and healthily face difficulties with others and learn to experience the peace of God in the middle of relational issues.
Below are the basic living conditions of the Compass House for Women but are not solely limited to these. Additional living conditions may be enacted by staff members in accordance with developing situations to foster healthy relationships. Adherence to these living conditions is non-negotiable. The resident is autonomous to choose to be part of this program or not. If not, then the resident will be asked to seek other arrangements apart from the Compass House.
By signing below the resident agrees to these living conditions. Filling out this application is not an immediate acceptance into this program. Once this application has been submitted, the applicant will receive an interview date. After the interview, the applicant will be informed if she is accepted into the program. Denial of acceptance in the program may be for various reasons. This may include but not limited to; no vacancy, medical conditions the Compass House is not equipped to handle, past or current legal issues limiting the resident from being in the Compass House, difficulty with living conditions, etc. A Compass staff member will explain and make recommendations to the applicant in such a case that denial of acceptance does occur.
● Residents are encouraged to not isolate, but be in relationships with their housemates;
● Communication needs to be respectful between housemates;
● All residents are required to practice personal hygiene and self-care;
● There will be no unopened food or drinks allowed in individual rooms, but will be stored in the house pantry and refrigerator (food and drinks will be labeled by the owner);
● Eating and drinking in the rooms are conditionally allowed pending on the resident’s cleanliness and responsibility in keeping the room from being infested. Do not leave dirty dishes and opened food products in the room;
● Dirty dishes, pots, and pans must be washed and put away every night and the kitchen should be cleaned after each use;
● Rooms are to be left neat when going out for the day;
● There will be assigned chores and a cleaning day for the common areas of the house which all residents are required to participate;
● Each individual room is to be cleaned and dusted at least once a week;
● Residents are to respect Compass and individual residents’ properties;
● Borrowing without permission is not an option;
● If any Compass and/or individual properties, other than their own, is damaged by a resident, she is responsible for repairing or replacing the property in a timely manner;
● Residents are to respect the privacy and personal space of their housemates;
● Visitors are welcome and will stay in common areas of the house and are not allowed in individual rooms;
● Residents must give advanced notice to housemates and house manager when visitors are coming (shows respect);
● Individual activities in the house with personal guests such as dinner with family and friends, cooking, games, and movie night must be coordinated with housemates and the house manager;
● No men except for family members are allowed in the house. Only on the front porch or carport where the furniture will be provided. (Non negotiable);
● One other resident must be in the house when men are visiting. (Non negotiable);
● No parties, no drugs, no drinking alcohol, and no smoking by either the residents or guests of residents;
● Each resident will cook dinner twice a week for the house (a schedule will be given by the house manager);
● All residents are required to participate in the two house dinners each week unless working or in class;
● All residents are required to attend a weekly house meeting;
● All residents are required to participate in the weekly homegroup hosted by the house;
● We expect all residents to be grateful for this opportunity they are receiving.