Dear Middleway Urban Monastery friends,
We show you the art area at Middleway Urban Monastery this week. It's a place where one can sit while meditative music plays in the background and be inspired to create with God using various materials available.
We're reminded of the words from Ephesians, "Glory to God whose power, working in us, can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine..." The art area might be where one's imagination is allowed to run with God. That's what Middleway hopes to inspire in all. We especially invite those who are seeking God but not feeling comfortable in a church. And we've found that many who do attend church fairly regularly also are seeking a place that is designated for spiritual growth.
Come, be still, settle into this space and re-create your soul.
Read about what's going on at Middleway below. Then check out our Facebook group page or website.
Opening day, blessing set for November
Middleway will open its doors to the public on Nov. 2 at 10 a.m. The monastery will be open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. On Thursdays, Middleway will stay open until 7 p.m. with special programming.
A blessing of the monastery and its ministry will be held the evening of Nov. 5 during First Friday events in downtown Bryan. More details will be provided in next week's newsletter.
"Sitting at the Feet" continues in October's book study
Our Zoom book study group will meet Oct. 21 to continue "Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus" by Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg. For this meeting at 7 p.m. read the Chapters 8 – 11 plus Appendix B and C.
Here's how to join:
Meeting ID: 862 8991 8385 Passcode: 164675
or call in 1 346 248 7799
In November, we plan to offer an in-person book study at the monastery during the daytime. Watch for more information.
Upcoming books are:
November - "Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith" by Kathleen Norris
December - No meetings
January 2022 - "The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are" by Brene Brown
Volunteer at Middleway through a Circle of Stewards
Come be a part of the Middleway community! We need volunteers who can be there in person. The volunteer training will be Oct. 30, 10 a.m.-noon.
Offer your talents in administration, reception, hospitality, plants/greenery, library, arts, technology/information, worship, cleaning, and growth/sustainability. Each of these areas are called Circles of Stewards, which are groups of people within the community who share similar interests and want to help make Middleway as special, sacred space for all. Training will be offered to individuals prior to volunteering, if you can't attend the Oct. 30 general training.
The library and art circles are actively working. We still need people to volunteer for being at the monastery when visitors start to come. We will be notifiying volunteers through our Time Counts site of opportunities for three-hour shifts. Sign up for as many as you like!
You can sign up at https://timecounts.org/middlewaymonastery. Simply fill in the form and make your choices. Then when opportunities become available in the Circle(s) of your choice, you will be notified and can decide if you are able to participate at particular times. For example, if we have a need for a receptionist on Tuesday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., everyone who has expressed an interest in being a volunteer receptionist would receive an email in advance noting that opportunity. Each person would decide whether to volunteer for that time. That is how each of you will be notified of volunteer opportunities.
These opportunities are more than volunteering -- they are community forming. Being at Middleway will be less of the typical "doing" associated with most volunteer activities and more of the "being," that is, being present to welcome visitors and enjoy the surroundings yourself! With this in mind, our volunteers are in community with the Middleway Urban Monastery's Guide for Life:
Conversion of Life “Conversatio”: Living our life as if it were a conversation with God, in a commitment to personal spiritual disciplines.
Humility: Living our life in perspective, in a commitment to assess and honor one’s own gifts and those of others.
Hospitality: Living our life in service of others, in a commitment to welcome guests in love and a spirit of prayer.
Prayer: Practicing a spiritual discipline that includes daily prayer.
Ecumenism: Honoring all expressions of Christian faith and respecting in Jesus’ name all persons of other religions and faiths.
Other ways to experience Middleway Urban Monastery
Ready to dig a little deeper spiritually?
Join our Facebook group page. Doing so will let you receive notices about events as well comment and see what others in the Middleway community are saying.
Come to our website and explore the offerings, including links to our Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube accounts, if you like those formats and want to follow.
Pass the word. Ask your frieds to subscribe to this newsletter by going to https://www.middlewayurbanmonastery.org/contact Enter the email address at the Subscribe button on the lower right.
Comentários