Dear Middleway Urban Monastery friends,
Thanks to all who came and all who volunteered at the Election Day Pray-and-Go. About 40 people prayed in the space generously offered by St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. It was our first in-person event since the monastery began about five months ago. We hope to have more opportunities to gather safely in the coming weeks.
We're moving toward a new year in so many ways. Certainly there is the calendar year looming in less than eight weeks. And for many Christian denominations, the new year begins with the first Sunday of Advent, which is Nov. 29 or just three weeks away.
Observing the seasons of the Christian calendar will be a large part of our programs to help you with the season of Advent as you discover what the "new year" will mean for your spiritual growth. Watch for details in this newsletter.
Read about these and other special options below. Make a note to check them out on our Facebook group page or website.
New Nouwen book on living in an age of anxiety to begin next weekÂ
On Nov. 10, Middleway's book club will begin 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. 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: introduction and Chapter 1.
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
Daily current issues prayers and weekly devotional offered
Lutheran Rev. Sue Beall continues to offer a daily prayer that speaks to the current issues, each day at 11 a.m. The, on Thursdays at 1 p.m., she provides a devotional reading with follow-up questions for individual study. Find them on our Facebook group.Â
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.