One Book..

Found this over at Kyles. Great stuff.
Other community members need to play!

One book that changed your life:
Esther De Waal "The Benedicitine Way". Began this whole crazy journey

One book that you’ve read more than once:
Henri Nouwen "The Genesee Diary"

One book you’d want on a desert island:
Abhishiktanada "Prayer" (look it up!)

One book that made you laugh:
Ben Elton Stark

One book that made you cry:
Ann Patchet. Truth and Beauty

One book that you wish had been written:
The dummies guide to making difficult decisions in the spiritual life.

One book that you wish had never been written:
Any thing anti catholic.... Just look in your local Christian book store
(and no I'm NOT paranoid!)

One book you’re currently reading:
C S Lewis Essays, Philosophy, Short Stories

One book you’ve been meaning to read:
J H Newman Apologia Pro Vita Sua

Wisdom

You can shampoo my hair,
But I believe in Jesus.

Eliza - Rose, Aged 5.

Sounds like a manifesto....

Questions

More thinking about our community, the wider church and all the issues which we run across in my discussions with Christians of all denominations and persuasions.

Reading Lewis has made me want to ask big questions of myself, to not waste my time on peripherals, to be honest and intelligent and engage.
I ask these questions of myself, as much as of you.

Does blogging help to build the kingdom or does it just “stir the pot” ?

What long-term effects will the neo-monastic movement have?
Will any of us be able to sustain our close communities in the long term?

Does the Emerging Church really matter?
Will it have long term effects as a movement on its own.?
Will established churches be influenced in the long term by its spirituality, worship or theology?

For how long can a church/movement engage with its dominant culture, as fully as the emerging church does, before it becomes saltless salt, or trite, or rootless, or so relevant it loses its connection with the ancient faith once handed on form the apostles?

Did Thomas Merton like Giant Steps by John Coltrane, or was he a Kind of Blue fan?

Pick a question?
Ask a question!
Write an answer!

Continuing Education

As I continue to read a biography of C S Lewis, I also continue to think about the importance of education, or lack thereof, in the Christian life, and its place for me personally and that of my two little ones.

Lewis, and many of his contemporaries, were schooled in “classics” – reading and writing Greek and Latin, Greek and Roman literature, philosophy, history, and politics. Not only was this considered a basic education for those going into English politics or public service, but also as a basic degree before going onto studying anything else – be it English, Theology, Languages etc.

I can’t help wondering about the basis of my own education in comparison to Lewis’ and the correlating spiritual issues. I sometimes feel poorly prepared. Many of the Christian writers I admire had the same training as Lewis (For instance, Baron Von Hugel, Spiritual Director of English mystic Evelyn Underhill, who prescribed a reading program of Roman writers to his niece when she inquired about the faith).
To my mind, it gave them a broadness of thought, an appreciation of the expressions of humanity through time. It also gave them a historical and sociological context of their understanding of Christianity of which I have only the smallest knowledge.
This type of knowledge must surely be an antidote to narrow beliefs and narrow sectarian understandings – at least you would hope so! It is also, of course, medicine for the anti-intellectual type Christian, of which I have had the misfortune to meet a few lately (You studied where? And you’re still a Christian…)

I think the Benedictines fill this educative roll for me.
This is not in any way to reduce the great spiritual or liturgical learning I have found at the monastery, but Education is valued. Knowledge is important.
Join the monastery and see the world! (Sometimes in a more than metaphorical sense!) Becoming immersed in a rich tradition like that of St Benedict gives a language and a way of seeing the world which is both broad and informed.

So for my little ones, for who I want “Broad and informed” (I like that!) I encourage them to read. And more reading. To discuss. To question. To not settle for easy answers. To believe. To value learning. To embrace mystery when they find it. To pray. To love richly and deeply. I hope it will serve them well, and in their learning, I will learn these lessons too.

Classics at the University Of Oxford
Classic at the University of Cambridge

Education Part 2

Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.
C S Lewis

Education

BTW, ever since we put our book lists up, comments have ceased!
Hope no ones offended by our taste!

Last night at community Rachel was discussing a documentary she saw detailing the life of several Mennonite families. The families came from two different communities, one more “liberal” than the other. The more basic community had no power, no modern dental services, and no rubber tyres on the tractor – apparently going into town to get new tyres was an opportunity for drunkenness. But most notable was the lack of education overall. Only the Bible as literature. Only able to write own name.

Skip dimensions to our place. Books oozing out of the shelves. I am considering studying for my fourth degree. My daughter aged 6 wants to learn Latin, so together we are learning. My son has a few language issues, so he is going to a Speech Pathologist (and doing well). I am part of a community where we have all been to University after high school. Education is important to us. We talk, debate, discuss, compare. I can’t imagine not continuing to learn, read and discover.

But where should we place Education in the overall view of our lives? As usual I return to the monastic model, where Education is one third of the study – work- pray model. Education is good when it serves the community (which can be by facilitating personal growth). Being bookish I know that there is great joy in learning, and it is easy to be obsessed and become focused on the learning for its own sake. But eventually, as Christians, our learning needs to lead us back to developing our true selves, and in that way serving our brothers and sister.

St Irenaeus’ words “The joy of God is a person fully alive” have great truth in learning.

I do see that Education can be an opportunity for sin and brokeness. We can find new, damaging experiences. We can encounter views we may not have the maturity or wisdom to dialogue with.

But, firmly rooted in a community of faith and wisdom, and trusting in the Holy Spirit, Learning is a journey we are all called to take. Not to superiority and pride, but to understanding and truth. There is no implicit Holiness in being uneducated or illiterate – but neither is there in the opposite. But I know simplicity of heart can go with great learning.

I feel like I’m rambling. I have a cold. I keep trying to find great C S Lewis quote on education.
Tomorrow.

St Benedicts Feast Day

Happy St Benedict’s Day !

Oblates, Monastics and religious of every persuasion celebrate today the founder of Western Monasticism.

At mass this morning (I’m on holidays so I could actually go with Matt) Father David called for us to follow St Benedict in finding how “our work and our prayer can lead us to holiness”.

We’ve told the story of Benedict and discussed much of his wisdom in previous posts. You may want to check out
Living in Community
Message from another community
Vespers

Some Australian links to see are listed on our side post (New Norcia and the Dardanup House of Prayer) but also visit the home of the Benedictine Order at www.osb.org

Has St Benedict influenced your community or your life?

What's New?

Look down the page.
Right!
A few books we're reading.

New Taize-style ecumenical community

Check this out!
Another interesting church development.

Their site is here.

Happy Birthday to me!

Why couldn't I say that?

A few months ago I was asked by a close colleague what it was that I really believed in.

I was aware of the context from which my friend was asking: She is a practicing Jew and had stated that Jesus was a social construction to control people.

I acknowledged that their were lots of different ways of thinking about Jesus.

I then told her that the stories of Jesus create something beautiful in my life; and the more I become like those stories the more I seem able to love, to be honest with people, to live life to the full.

She responded that she wanted this kind of spirituality, and this opened up further opportunities for us both to discover about God from each other.

Ana Draper in "The Rite Stuff"

What Sort of Catholic Are you

Not sure about this but here's the answer anyway!

You scored as Liberal Catholic. You embrace the social justice mission of the Church, and the view of Catholic community as seen in the Acts of Apostles. You have a great love of the American democratic tradition, but tend to want to apply these traditions to the Church itself and the deposit of faith. You want a married and female clergy, decentralization of power, and an endless list of reforms. You feel that you are a true champion of the Second Vatican Council.Like the Neo-Conservative Catholic, your views may be too determined by American culture, and you may uncritically accept many theories that may be harmful to yourself and society; instead you may need rediscover authentic Catholic thinking. You should emphasize the love of God, as your Creator and sustainer.

Holiness

“Is not Holiness the result of many patient efforts after obedience, gradually working on us, and first modifying and then changing our hearts?”
John Henry Newman.

I am both drawn and repelled by the idea of Holiness.
Holiness can speak of pious, do-gooder, churchiness.
A Christianity that is spineless and insipid.

But I also know holiness can also speak of being in-tune with the Spirit.
Of time spent studying the scriptures, and of a heart for both prayer and the whole of God’s creation.
Truly a life “Set Apart” for God. In the world, but not of the world.

I know I need more holiness in my life.
I am barren too often - unable to respond to God’s love through my own listlessness, stubbiness and unawareness.

Holiness must have an outward form. A visible, and “sacramental” character.

What might Holiness look like for me as an individual - as a husband, as a father, as a son, as a colleague, as a friend?

Equally as important, what might Holiness look like for us a community?

How to structure, grace and liberty work together for our good?

The test is “Are we living in a mere dream, which we mistake for Christian faith and obedience, or are we truly awake, alive, living in the day, on our road heavenward ?”
Newman.

I will seek holiness that I may believe.

Hey and other random thoughts

Hey ... Did someone mention the "H" word on Wednesday night...?

Some cool links to check out at the moment.

Aimee is another newish catholic who is thinking deeply about her faith and its practice.

We are continuning to pray for Bryan.

Alan Creech has continues to write great stuff at the moment. And his comments about our community and the Eucharist provide a wonderfully stimulating discussion on Wednesday night.

Oh. And at the moment I am reading "Christian England" (But Volume 2. The link is for volume 3) by David Edwards. Great read.

Living in community

One of the biggest gifts I have been given by my brothers at New Norcia is access to their Reading Room. One book I have recently borrowed is “Engaging Benedict: What the Rule can teach us today” by Laura Swan.

Here an excerpt read recently at the community.

Good Monastics value the greater good of the community: actively seeking to build and protect the members as well as the community as a whole. The health and well being of each individual member strengthens the whole. It takes healthy members to make a health community. There is always a delicate balance between personal needs and the needs of community that create and perpetuates a healthy, forward moving atmosphere.

Benedict’s good monastic yearns to develop the fine skills of building loving, trusting, and enriching relationships, especially with those people we ae not naturally attracted to. The community member does not need to argue, but trusts the process of community living or community discernment. With open, honest relationships there is no room for gossip, grumbling and the formation of political camps.

The good monastic is a deep listener. This kind of listening encompasses the fullness of our being. True listening involves an active response. It is listening into being. Deep listening is fed and supported by quality silence. Silence supports our growth in self-awareness, discernment, and simple confidence in ourselves. We come to know ourselves primarily in our silence and solitude. The monastic heart makes careful use of words; words can give life or destroy it through our anger, jealousy or vindictiveness. Words are used carefully in support of the relationships.

The good monastics prayer is passionate and sincere, simple and to the point. The monastic heart is immersed in prayer in a total wayof life. Gentle compassionate prayer cultivates and sustains a yearning for prayer.

And so goes on this wonderful wisdom. If only we could live this out …

A slightly late "Who am I?"

It all started for me with a resignation/firing. I'd been the youth minister at St Phillip's (the Anglican church Chris and Coralie attend) for about 18 months and was really starting to struggle with a conflict of cultures. Most churches I'd been involved with had youth that were eager to get involved and be active (this was in my Sydney Evangelical days of course). However there seemed to be a trend at St Phil's that the youth minister did/ran everything for the youth and the young people just attended. Anyway lets just say my resignation started with a comment from my 'boss' along the lines of, "This isn't really working is it? Your leaving would probably be for the best," and all went downhill from there.

I returned to my former church (one with distinctly Sydney Evangelical Anglican leanings) but maintained contact with Chris et al via the notorious regular Wednesday night 'bible study'. As you've probably read this group slowly transformed/developed into the Transfiguration Community you know.

From the time I started meeting with these guys until a couple of years ago I was single (and my family all live in Sydney) so the community became my family. Although I don't think I could claim any person to be father or mother ... more brothers and sisters on the same journey.

In the time between then and now I've been received into the Catholic church (in New Norcia), considered becoming a monk (in New Norcia), met and married my beautiful wife Linda (in New Norcia) and for some reason been drawn even closer to this crazy community that is also my family in Perth. I love them all and have valued their input in my life more than I think any of them really know.

Matt J (Burrfoot)

A Long Post - Our History

Thankyou for all of your comments and thoughts.

It is great to know we are connected to a world wide family of faith – and this has been a real blessing of the virtual community of faith – knowing we are not alone and hearing others struggles and having “Ah ha!” moments.

In response to Alan’s comment – here’s a quick and incomplete history of the community.

Chris and Coralie married in the March of 1997. Jason and Rachel married in the November of that same year. Sometime in 1998 we started having a Lenten bible study at Chris and Coralie’s place, with a few other people including Jason and Rachel and local Anglican youth worker Matt (We all attended various Anglican churches at this point). The study continued after Lent and Michelle joined – as she said after Chris cooked her a curry for dinner!

The next 6 years witnessed the usual round of people coming and going and book based bible studies (you know the sort – 15 days with Luke, Be a better person by 200 Days in Micah’s world etc ). But community life was forming. We had a quiet day. We went bowling together. The boys started walking and breakfast on a Saturday morning. The girls went swimming. Birthdays, Good Friday, Easter and other celebrations began to happen more and more as a group. We all enjoyed a drink. Significantly it was during this period that Chris, Jason, Matt and Besty visited New Norcia for a retreat and developed a relationship with Dom John. Many more visits and much teaching followed. This would prove to be a determining factor in developing our corporate spirituality and practice.

Over time, by 2001 Chris and Coralie had two children and bible study had become contemplative. (but that story is way to long to recount here …). Candles. Icons. Lectio Divina. Ignatian Meditation. Compline. Journaling. Story telling.

The community was quite fully formed at this stage, with Pete being added to our number. At this stage Chris was called, and then received, into the Roman Catholic Church in 2002.
(I have written more about this here.)
Matt followed him in 2003. (On the Same page as Chris').
The other remained happily Anglican or what ever they were…

In 2004 we had our first community retreat at New Norcia and spent time reflecting on the
San Edigio Community. We felt a gentle push from God to formalise ourselves and so Transfiguration was formed. Our new life consisted of praying Vespers together once a week and otherwise we continued as we were – although more closely bound by a name.

Now with four kids and seven adults (Matt and Linda married in 2005), Wednesday nights can be busy and noisy. But we share a meal and each others lives and try not be too hard on ourselves. We always pray – generally Roman Compline – and still meet in various groupings through the week. I suppose after Benedict, our biggest influence is the Taize community – meeting together in trust despite, but respecting, any church discipline differences we may have, and honouring our shared values of silence and community. (Not to mention red wine…)

Any questions??

Who am I?

A little note: We won't be updating this site until Sunday because its still visitors week.
So go on - be brave.
Leave a comment.
Leave a story.
Leave a credit card number!

I'm sitting here typing to the sounds of Gregorian Chant - very calming ... I am a God-lover, wife, mother to two very energetic, slightly warped but very loveable children. I teach singing, never shut up and whilst my children love my cd's and the songs i write now, I'm sure that in a few years they'll be saying I am so yesterday!

I sing with four georgous girls in a band called Iris and we are currently recording an album. We are an acapella group who all happen to love God and good music. Hence a lot of our repetoire is secular...Oops! Should I say that? We are lucky to also have creative people who write for the group so a hefty amount of what is on the album is original. If anyone would like to order a copy u can do it through me. Because some of us are mothers there are a few songs about the journey we are taking down that path and all that entails...

This community started, in my view, out of a bible study that met in our house on a weekly basis. Most of those members are still part of what essentially is a community. We decided a few years ago to rename what we really had become over the years ... We are the Transfiguration Community and we still meet on a weekly basis starting with a meal then some lectio or compline said at the end of the night.

Because a couple of us "marrieds" have had children the dynamics changed and so we are always adjusting what we do and the length of time we do it! The nights are not late and it works best to have a communal dinner! Some of the community also meet for breaky on a sat. morning at a cafe with the kids in tow and then do shopping at the Re Store afterwards. We all journey together rejoicing in others happiness and grieving together at sorrows.

I love them and they are my family...

Coralie

Some of the community going to Split Enz:

Who am I?

How did I become a part of this community? My name is Michelle (GooveyM) it all started with a "do you want to stay for dinner?" from Chris. I went to church with Coralie- Chris's wife before they were married and she gave me singing lessons one evening just after they were married after a lesson Chris popped his head through from kitchen- I stayed for tea and bible study- that was the eventful night that Chris would prefer to forget- sorry Chris!! hee hee. I have been a part of the group since then 9 years ago- we have had a few people come and go over the years but the community as we are now has been together for most of the journey since then- Matt's wife Linda joined the community about a year ago and a Coralie & Chris' children Noah 4 and Eliza 6 and Jason and Rachaels children Lauren 2 & Benjamin 6months have also joined us along the way and are a large part of our community.
Great to hear from all of our visitors hope you get to know some of us a bit better too.
Michelle :)

Tell Us Who You Are!

This week is community visitors week!
As you visit us, leave a comment.
Perhaps tell us where you live and how you found out about us.
Community members this includes you!
We will bring all of our visitors to our Community prayer over the next few weeks.
Bless you.

Goings on

Lovely review of our community over at Kairos Kisses by our friend Andrew Dowsett.
Andrew and his family spent 6 months in Perth last year and of course we only go to know them as they were about to leave ... but we miss them, and their little ones.

Most of the community are excited about going off to see legend Australsian Band Split Enz this Friday night. Some great photosof the Eastern States gig here.