Learning to Live Together
The first few weeks of the new year have been anything but peaceful. Unlike the beautiful serene scene above, daily news, and daily life can be fraught with anxiety. But our wonderful friends at Embracing the Spirit, offered this week a vision of church and worship that speaks to individuals living a conscious and collective life with a mentality of abundance at its very core. Imagine an intentional community that lived with three principles: prayer, presence, and simplicity.
Intentional Community
The Emmaus Community
The Emmaus Community is a New Monastic community whose recognition of Christ in our midst leads us to walk the Way of love through prayer, simplicity and presence with each other and in our neighbourhood. By 'new monastic' or 'neo-monastic' we mean that we draw on the ancient wisdom of the Christian monastic traditions - even as we live radically ordinary lives.
The Emmaus Community Rule of Life
As a community, before all else, we are called to root ourselves in a life of prayer. Jesus modelled a life of prayer, and his followers have been instructed to pray without ceasing. The Emmaus Community thus commits to being immersed in prayer which is both personal and collective, active and contemplative.
Making Your Own Rule of Life
“A good rule is not a complicated 'how-to' manual, but a sheltering and sustaining place. A refuge — not for hiding or avoidance, but for gathering strength.” So says, spiritual director Margaret Guenther. Read here about ordinary people like ourselves who have fashioned for themselves a rule of life to live by.
Living Our Faith Day-to-Day
Tips for Difficult Conversations
The contemporary service offered this week stresses the importance of remembering the "we" within our lives. This takes conversations and sometimes that can lead to difficult conversations. Communicating effectively within a group can be challenging. Whether in our homes, within our church family or within our greater community, as we grow and move forward, here are some tips for difficult conversations.