European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 20, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse                                July 1977 the stars and stripes Page 19 modern living one of the profitable enterprises operated by the Renaissance Church is a Silkscreen thriving commune new York tires on sunday morning the streets of Turners Are fairly quiet with most people in Church Oral at one Church in the Center of a longhaired dad in knee High a Denim Vest and a lop talks about the congregation of about 200 sits on the carpeted floor in a while Doga and children play in the records Are Hung As decorations from the Selling of the which doubles As a recording and a Rock band but the Renaissance ctn Rich of Beauty is More than a religious h it a unlike Many idealistic communities set up in the has survived for More than nine the reason for in its is its operational an assortment of business called creative bring in More Titan Al million a in Turners an old Mill town of about the commune owns a health food a pizza House called a Praia pizza the Crystal lighting the record rap and the Cucumber grocery the rocket transport has two Mobil Home buses that have been used by James Joe Cocker and Linda among the Community also oversees four Rock bands radio shows that Are used by 25 nations around the country and facilities or doing promotional films and Light members run a site screen a leather shop and a painting and construction other communes retired to the country they were isolated and were basically backlog Beland said John the communes business who holds a master s degree in business were in the Middle of a town and were Media said who was a systems analyst before he came to the commune seven years the businesses give us an outlet for our philosophy that applicable to the society Hie Money members make each week goes to a finance in return for which the Community lakes can of All Semmal needs such As medical Bills and Money thai is left Over goes into the groups business adult members take a raw of poverty when they join the turning Over nil their financial which Are non it All started in a treehouse nine years when Michael Rapunzel whose real name is Michael the 26yearold founder and minister of the returned to Massac Hussers from san where he had gone to join the Hells disillusioned with that group and with the Flower child he retired to the treehouse he built on a Farmers land in his native in return he helped the a self styled Mystic with a 10th Grade education and no theological of Rapunzel says he had his first vision when he was three years and a second when he was people front around Leyden who Beard about Hanniel visited the tree ouse to Bear him talk about his some and Over the years the Community has grown to include More than members from All Over the country currently about 160 roughly half ramen and half and about 3s children live in commune owned houses m the Turners Falls at first the group survived by taking Odd jobs and doing construction work Tor Rock in 1973 the commune decided that each member had to contribute about a it also purchased and renovated the old theater Block in Turners which became the most of the profits from the communes enterprises go into the 2001 an acre piece of land in on which the Community plans to build a Model Village to House All 1 houses for groups of about 10 will to designed by Community members and will be powered by solar Energy and construction is due to Start this the Renaissance Church was recognized in 1974 by the Federal government and by is listed by the internal Revenue service As a nonprofit apostolic which Means that it pays no it has Little formal Structure besides the sunday Church meeting and a wednesday meditation and the rules Are simple and few no drugs or hard no sexual no violence and an emphasis on positive Community members speak the rhetoric of  potential but the theme la one of Mutual visitors Are welcomed and ii is no uncommon to see Community members hugging each other who go through a two month probation period before joining Range from Drifting students to frustrated professionals to dissatisfied most speak of something missing in the outside world As their reason for members Are allowed to switch jobs whenever they want but Many choose to use their previously acquired skills in making their contribution to the John a civil for designed a sanitary like most counterculture the Renaissance Community has had problems with local the murder several years ago of a member who had been hitchhiking remains and passing motorists have occasionally shot at commune the local newspaper has published a few articles about the group suggesting that members indulged in open orgies and purposeful relations with the Community Nave gotten As local people have met and done business with commune in the commune has acquired a Good name forgoing Benefit concerts for youth High schools and Zap la pizza baby commune owned