by Elly Anderson
Defining the Rabbit Room is not the shortest or simplest of endeavors. I’ve learned this over the past year and a half when catching up with loved ones and sharing about my life here in Nashville. Though I know many dread giving the “work update” to friends and family during the holiday season, it’s a delight for me.
I start by telling them about the Eagle and Child pub in Oxford, how writers like Tolkien and Lewis used to delight in creative collaboration and community in one of the rooms in the back called the Rabbit Room. I watch as the wheels start turning in their heads, laboring in part confusion but also intrigue. I then venture into a long-winded description of all the things we get to do here—Local Shows and podcasts, Fika and Hutchmoot, book releases, and theatrical premieres—and I watch as their facial expressions reflect pure joy.
Something I love about the Rabbit Room is that it cannot be simply tied together with a red bow. There is no easy sentence that sums up all the goodness we get to be a part of or the feeling of seeing it take root in the world. It’s not just a place, a conference, a podcast hub, a bookstore, or a community. Instead, it’s many things wrapped in ribbons of red, blue, yellow, orange, turquoise, and perhaps periwinkle—things that are created and to celebrate the one true Creator himself.
Whether you’ve been a long-time lover of the Rabbit Room or you’re reading the blog for the first time, I ask you to take a step in learning more about what it means to become a Rabbit Room member. Whether it’s a lecture night here at the Manor, a new press title, a blog post, a play like The Hiding Place, or staff support, membership deeply impacts our everyday needs as an organization and breathes life into our works and events.
By making a recurring monthly donation of $25/month or more, you’re joining a community that speaks into the work of this place and nourishes Christ-centered communities for the life of the world. As a thank you, our Rabbit Room members receive various updates, opportunities, and gifts like the Hutchmoot Archives and the Member mug. If this speaks to you, I encourage you to join the team and partner in this mission with us. And if you’re already on board, we’re glad you’re here!