Sabbatical 2019 Sabbatical Feedback Evening
Monday 16th September 2019
Three Aims for My Sabbatical
❖ Rest, recuperation and retreat
❖ Family❖ Read, reflect and
learn about rules and rhythms of life
Holy Island - 1st to 3rd April
A good place to start!
A Garden Shed!
Holy Island - 1st to 3rd April
Home and Family Time
Easter @ St Beuno’s
Solitude Stillness Silence
Maundy ThursdayBowl for feet
washing
Flowers
Celebration
“Do you understand what I have
done for you?” John 13:12
Good Friday
Stripped Bare
Tabernacle Empty
Still
Easter Saturday
Cross What does
it mean? Christ is dead
He’s gone,He’s dead,
It’s all over.
The trees are dark, The future is bleak,
It’s all over.
But there is a gap in the trees,But the birds are still singing,
Maybe, just maybe, it isn’t all over?
God, present in darkness, in death,God, holding the world in its despair,
It’s not all over because God is present.
Easter Vigil
All Ready Darkness
Light But too soon?
Easter SundayFlowers
Joy Candle
But where is everyone?
Where are the hymns?
Portugal - Family Time
Gift of a Home
Gift of a Time
Fun, Swimming, Beach, Exploring
Being Dad!
Eating
Church
After Church Fun
Prayer & Reading
A Methodist Way of Life?
‘Only by each follower of Christ being continually transformed in the love of
Christ will the Church be able to live as a faithful, joyful and committed
community.’
Reaffirming Our Calling: the future call of the Methodist Church, a discussion paper to the 2018 Methodist Conference.
Not new ….❖ dispersed communities such as the Methodist Diaconal Order, the
Iona Community and the Northumbria Community.❖ worshipping communities, often fresh expressions of Church,
such as Moot. ❖ residential communities (sometimes with non-residential
members as well), such as The Community of St Anselm or Methodist Chapel House in Bath.
Very Methodist in Ethos‘While most of the new monasticism has emerged outside of the United Methodist Church, increasing numbers of United Methodists are experiencing a sense of call to love and serve in this form of community. Because virtually all the emphases of the new monasticism are consistent with the early Methodist vision and mission, we believe that like early Methodism, the new monasticism is a holiness movement.’
Elaine A. Heath & Scott T. Kisker, Longing for Spring: A New Vision for Wesleyan Community (The Lutterworth Press, Cambridge UK, 2010) , p. 16.
Discipleship and Mission
As I have read and looked at these different expressions of new monasticism I have seen how their coming together as a community has helped those who are members to grow as disciples, to discern vocations, to develop friendships, to serve in local communities, to share faith, to reach out to those in need, to invite others to follow Jesus. It is clear that where they are most faithful to God communities have a clear focus on both discipleship and mission.
What Foundation for a Methodist Way Of Life?
‘the traditions behind the tradition’ - Elaine Heath
‘we need to honour the tradition, the rock from which we were hewn, but not be too deferential.’ - Helen Cameron
Holiness - Scriptural and Social
Holiness Movement‘Early Methodism was a holiness movement that evangelised people both inside and outside the Church. To frame it with my definition of evangelism, Methodism was a holiness movement that initiated people into a holy life, revealed in Jesus Christ, anchored in the Church, empowered by the Holy Spirit, surrendered to the reign of God, for the transformation of the world. What we have in new monasticism is in fact a holiness movement, one that is larger than any denomination but that resonates deeply with the Methodist soul.’
Elaine A. Heath & Scott T. Kisker, Longing for Spring: A New Vision for Wesleyan Community (The Lutterworth Press, Cambridge UK, 2010) , p. 16.
4 Distinctives
1. A holiness movement disciples are called into.
Called Into‘For the sake of God, the monk leaves the world, its allures, pleasures, and all those ties that have been part of his life up until that point. This is painful and hard; after all monks and nuns have much the same feelings and sensibilities as their fellow human beings. The difference is they have heard a call in their hearts, an inviting call that tells them, ‘Come. I am the Way, the Truth, the Life. Follow Me.” The person who decides to become a monk or nun - to enter the solitude of the desert (a monastery or hermitage) - does it because he or she has heard this call, a call stronger than any other, a call to communion and fullness of life with God, a call that fulfils the deepest desires of the heart.’
Brother Victor-Antoine D’Avila-Latourrette, A Rhythm of Life: The Monastic Way (Liguori Publications: Missouri USA, 2012), p. 2.
Not the Only Answer
‘We believe that new monasticism is one good answer to the question of how to live a Christian life. Not the only good answer, not the only true way, but one wonderful path that many follow to grow closer to God.’
Elaine A Heath & Larry Duggins, Missional. Monastic. Mainline: A Guide to starting missional micro-communities in historically mainline traditions (Cascasde Books: Oregan USA, 2014), p 35.
4 Distinctives
1. A holiness movement disciples are called into.2. A place to grow in holiness
4 Distinctives
1. A holiness movement disciples are called into.2. A place to grow in holiness3. A way to share holiness
4 Distinctives
1. A holiness movement disciples are called into.2. A place to grow in holiness3. A way to share holiness4. A holiness community in which to be held
accountable
In Practice❖ Not around ‘Our Calling’❖ Flexibility and Commonality❖ I believe therefore a MWOL needs to have both commonality
and flexibility, not least so that the MWOL can be about both growing in holiness (discipleship) and sharing holiness (mission and evangelism). Commonality and flexibility will also ensure the MWOL is open to those new to faith or exploring faith as well as those who have been disciples for a number of years.
Rule and Way Of Life
❖ Common Rule of Life❖ Framework for locally & individually discerned Way
of Life
Rule Of Life
Methodists commit together to respond to the Gospel of God’s love in Christ by seeking to grow in holiness, to
spreading scriptural and social holiness throughout the world, to inviting others to share in discovering God’s
love.
Way of Life Framework
Growing in holiness as a disciple of Jesus.Growing in holiness with other disciples.
Growing in holiness through mission and evangelism.
Headings with questions from which you draw your rule of life
Example
Growing in holiness as a disciple of Jesus.❖ How will you pray regularly, what pattern will your prayer life take?❖ How will you read and meditate on the Scriptures? ❖ Is there any personal study you are called to do to learn more of God and
faith?❖ How are you called to give/use your time, money and resources to God?
Example
Growing in holiness with other disciples.❖ How often will you commit to be present in corporate worship in your base
congregation?❖ How can your church and small group help you to use/discern/grow in
your spiritual gifts?❖ How will you work with others to care for God’s creation?❖ How might you practice hospitality and generosity?
Example
Growing in holiness through mission and evangelism.❖ How will you witness to the Good News of Jesus?❖ Are there particular people God is calling you to pray for and/or to talk
about your faith with and invite to follow Jesus at the moment?❖ What injustice, if any, has God put on your heart? How are you called to
respond to this?❖ What service activity might you share in with your small group?
So will it work?❖ Don’t know! Possibility to enable cultural change, won’t be the only way❖ Holiness movement within Methodism, Methodist expression of new
monasticism, impacts local congregations❖ Missional/Evangelistic❖ God is at work through new monasticisms and would therefore by in a
Methodist Way of Life❖ Wait and see, what comes from The Conference, willing to give it a go with a
small group of people, learn from that. ❖ Really enjoyed the research, writing, sharing. ❖ Willing share … full 7,500 words!
Back Holy Island - 20th and 21st June
A good place to finish!
Still wrapped up … but not for me
Pray Write
Give Thanks
Stunning Sunset
Ready to return with different perspectives
Knowing there will be different ‘sands’ ahead
Conference
Story nugget …
‘God’s story is profoundly a narrative of love and grace’
Reconnected with that in a deeper way
Retreated in that
Come back ready for more of that
For that …
In the Lord I’ll be ever thankful,
in the Lord I will rejoice!
Look to God, do not be afraid;
lift up your voices, the Lord is near;
lift up your voices, the Lord is near.