Dear Friends,
God often speaks to us by bringing the same thoughts to us from over a period of time. The importance of "Community" and the need for some kind of shared "Rule of Life" have been what I sense God has been showing me in recent months.
In my Daily Bible Readings I have been reading about the early church at the beginning of the Acts of the Apostles. It was empowered by the Holy Spirit at Pentecost but it was also marked by its community life. Was it not this, as much as the preaching and wonders that attracted people to God and brought them to faith? It was their unity and deep sharing that spoke and caused the world to believe - just as Jesus had prayed in John 17.
Five other Communities especially came to my notice earlier in the summer-
•· Taize in France through an evening at St Edward's School,
•· The Lee Abbey Community in Devon, attending a conference,
•· the Northumbria Community leading the week at Lee Abbey,
•· the Church Mission Society launched as a missional community
•· "Reconnect" the new church community in Old Town Poole.
Each community has been and is a power for good and brings many into a deeper Christian spiritual experience - drawing them into the life of the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and of the people of God.
I still wonder and ask this question "Are we too individualistic?" The Christian faith was never intended to be private. It is personal, yes, and Jesus meets with individuals, but it is not private. It is to be lived alongside and with others as we journey together and serve each other along the way.
For some 60 years young people have flocked to Taize to share worship and experiences with others from all over the world. Hundreds of thousands have been enriched by coming together to wait on God and be available to others. Lee Abbey has a community of 90 from all over the world who live, work and minister together to their growth and the blessing of the visitors.
The Northumbria Community is not so much a place as a dispersed community who share a common worship and values, and pray for each other regularly. CMS seeks to be a model to the wider church as it invites us to be a community of "being and shared purpose" rather than just an organisation or agency. And "Reconnect" with Paul Bradbury in Poole deeply challenges us as to the way we "are" and "do" church with its emphasis on supporting each other in discipleship and rejecting a heavily programmatic and led style.
Each of these Communities has something in common - They all have some kind of "Rule of Life" which binds them to each other. We generally react adversely to the concept of "a Rule" and may think it is contrary to the Gospel which is all about grace and the Spirit, not law and rules. However, I would suggest that all communities from a marriage and family to a company, from a school to a nation have some kind of Rule in order to flourish.
The Northumbria Community Rule is simple, "This is the rule we embrace, this is the rule we keep: We say "yes" to availability; we say "yes" to vulnerability." That is short, but hugely interesting and challenging to me.
The Community answers the question, "Why do we need a Rule? In this way: "The purpose of a Rule is to lay down working guidelines for the inner life and also provide a framework for the balanced ordering of work, leisure and social relationships... It is an exterior framework for an interior journey." So a Rule is a way of helping us live a disciplined Christian life in relation to God, one another and the world. That seems like a good thing and necessary.
The Lee Abbey Rule of Life: In response to Jesus Christ's love, we seek to...
•· Worship Him and seek his will,
•· Deepen our personal commitment,
•· Share his saving love,
•· Live in openness and honesty,
•· Help build community,
•· Respect and serve all others,
•· Cherish and protect God's creation.
Under each heading it states importantly "how" this might be done - strategy.
CMS Membership Promises "provide the shape and distinctive character of the CMS community. The promises also offer an overarching rationale for mission, express the vision of the community, and invite members to enter into that vision and mission through practical action, daily disciplines and the regular renewal of their mission lifestyle.
The Promises are
•1. To participate in the life and mission of the Community so as to engage more fully in God's transforming mission amongst all peoples in all places.
•2. To encourage the transformation of individuals, communities and societies by sharing Jesus and encouraging others to become his disciples.
•3. To discern and live out my vocation, my mission service - encouraging and learning from others in theirs.
•4. To follow the Lord Jesus daily, witnessing to his love in everything I am, say and do, and with all the resources that I have, encouraging others to do the same.
•5. To shape my life by regular prayer, Bible reading, study, reflection and mutual encouragement.
•6. To be part of a local Christian Community, working to see its life shaped by the global ministry of Jesus and by sharing in the mission of the worldwide church.
•7. To participate in the regular review and renewal of discipleship and the life of the Community, reviewing personal ‘rhythms of life', and being open to sharing with others.
These commitments and promises are well worth considering. They express convictions I believe we would affirm.
Could we each spend some time this summer considering a Rule of Life, "a framework for the balanced ordering of work, leisure and social relationships," both for ourselves as a church and personally alongside our Church Mission Statement set out on page 11. What Rule would bring order to our distracted lives? What do you think?
Yours ever,
Chris Strain
The Lee Abbey Rule of Life: In response to Jesus Christ's love, we seek to...
•· Worship Him and seek his will,
•· Deepen our personal commitment,
•· Share his saving love,
•· Live in openness and honesty,
•· Help build community,
•· Respect and serve all others,
•· Cherish and protect God's creation.
Under each heading it states importantly "how" this might be done - strategy.
VISION and VALUES at ST LUKE'S
1. Purpose Everone is most welcome at St Luke's and we seek to be rightly inclusive. At the same time we believe God has called us to know and serve Him as his disciples. Our Mission at St Luke's is expressed in our Mission Statement. All we are and do should be seen in the light of God's overriding purposes for us
•a) "To Know and love the Lord"
The first calling on our lives is to turn to the Lord whom we can know through Jesus and to love Him with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. In doing this we find purpose and true life
•b) "To Grow his Church and Kingdom"
Jesus came to create a people to fulfil his purposes and to grow the Kingdom of God. We are to demonstrate the presence, life and rule of God, in loving our neighbours as ourselves and in our service
•c) "To Go and Make Disciples"
As disciples we are called to follow Christ and commissioned to bring the Good News to others so that they too can become his disciples
2. Process We delight in diversity and a variety of activities but we encourage everyone to fulfil God's purposes for us by moving from an initial contact to committed discipleship in this usual way
Initial Contact Sunday worship + Membership Small group / Homegroup and learning Service and Ministry Mission
3. Programmes Programmes and Events are necessary but should be guided by our overall purpose and be part of the Process of making disciples. Programmes need to be aligned to Purpose and Process.
