Dear Middleway Urban Monastery friends,
While nothing at all may seem "ordinary" about 2020, we can at least point to the months on a liturgical church calendar between Pentecost and Advent as being "ordinary." After the "ordinary" time, there are the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, and Easter, culminating with Pentecost - and each with a style of worship that reflects what is remembered about those seasons. From late November until late May or early June, there is a steady flow of changes in worship, styled to help us remember each occasion from the life of Jesus.
   But for now, we are as "ordinary" as we can get, and there can be a peace about that, even in an extraordinary year like 2020. We have just two weeks of ordinary time left and part of that will include Thanksgiving holidays. So for now, we at Middleway also are slowing down just a bit these last two weeks in order to prepare many opportunities for your spiritual growth beginning with Advent, which starts Nov. 29.
Read about these and other special options below. Make a note to check them out on our Facebook group page or website.
Discussion of new Nouwen book on living in an age of anxiety continues
On Nov. 17 at 7 p.m., Middleway's book club continues a new study on "Following Jesus: Finding Our Way Home in an Age of Anxiety," by Henri Nouwen. Everyone is welcome to join in the discussion, and it's easy to catch up if you missed the first week of this book. We talk about one chapter per week, so it's low pressure, and there are lots of great insights we glean from each other. This week: Chapter 2.
Plan come on Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86289918385?pwd=SjcwUW5NMlZnWUtlNFFYd01waVZzUT09 Meeting ID: 862 8991 8385 Passcode: 164675 OR find your local number to dial in: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdizMlCaXm
How to Visit Middleway Urban Monastery
If, for whatever reason, you feel "spiritual but not religious," or you no longer have a church or you are just "done" with organized religion, no worries. We do not ask you to join the FB group page in order to participate. Just come to the monastery online as often as you want. We're about providing you space to seek hope, comfort and peace as you explore ways of experiencing God’s love. You're a "member" if you are receiving this newsletter. All are welcome, so share as you like.
Imagine our Facebook public group page as a physical building. When you enter our URL, facebook.com/groups/TheMiddlewayUrbanMonastery, it is like opening the door of a physical building, because you will find all that is offered there.
Likewise, you can come to our website and explore the offerings, including links to our Twitter and Instagram accounts, if you like those formats and want to follow.Â
For the time being, our monastery is online only. We plan to eventually offer a physical space in Bryan, Texas. Even then, however, we will continue to offer our prayer times, meditations, centering, contemplation and various workshops and retreats online and led by spiritual directors and leaders around the Bryan-College Station, Texas area. Participants are welcome from around the world.
 If you know others who would like to "join," ask them to subscribe to our weekly newsletter by going to https://www.middlewayurbanmonastery.org/contact and entering their email address at the Subscribe button on the lower right.