Dear Middleway Urban Monastery friends,
Whether you've ever read any scripture in the Bible, you've probably heard the term "doubting Thomas." You can search online and find not only a definition but a movie by that name and a Wikipedia article. Most people take it to mean a skeptic or someone who refuses to believe something unless he or she sees it for themselves.
Though widely used in the secular world, the reference comes from "The" Thomas who was one of the 12 apostles of Jesus. Story goes, in John 20, that after Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared to the other apostles while Thomas was away. When he showed up, the others told Thomas they'd seen Jesus, and he basically said, "Yeah, right. I'll believe that when I see it." A week later when Thomas was there, Jesus came back. Thomas had lots of questions, and Jesus not only allowed the questions but took the time to demonstrate whatever Thomas needed so he could reach his own conclusion that it was, in fact, Jesus.
We at Middleway Urban Monastery welcome all the Thomases of the world. We're ok with questions. We're ok with you figuring out who Jesus is for you. We're just here to point you to some types of prayer, some meditation, some peace, some comfort, and lots of love as you explore ways of experiencing God's love. Because that's what matters.
Read about what's going on at Middleway below. Make a note to check out our Facebook group page or website.
Book club to consider Soul Making
Our book of the month, "Soul Making: The Desert Way of Spirituality," by Alan Jones continues with Chapters 3 and 4. We gather on Tuesday, April 13, at 7 p.m. Central time. The group is open to all. Here's how to join:
Meeting ID: 862 8991 8385 Passcode: 164675
or call in 1 346 248 7799
The May book is "Streams of Living Water" by Richard Foster
Interested in spiritual direction or formation training?
If you've considered learning more about Christian spirituality and how the training might impact you and your ministry, check out FIND - School for Spiritual Direction and Formation. Applications are being accepted for the ecumenical school which offers classes once a month on a Saturday so that busy lay and clergy people can attend more easily. This year, FIND is launching a second version of the school. After a successful transition to Zoom classes in 2020 allowed the school to continue during the pandemic, the FIND board has agreed to offer a parallel school which will be exclusively online to enable anyone to attend without regard to location. The traditional school, which was founded in 1997, will return to an in-person venue at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Bryan, Texas. A person may choose to enroll in either the online or in-person school. FIND hopes to move to Middleway Urban Monastery when a physical location is establish. For more information, see www.schoolforspiritualdirection.org.
How to Visit Middleway Urban Monastery
Ready to dig a little deeper spiritually? We're here for you.
You're a "member" if you are receiving this newsletter. Come and see what the monastery has for you online. When you enter our URL, facebook.com/groups/TheMiddlewayUrbanMonastery, it is like opening the door of a physical building, and you will find all that is offered there.
Likewise, you can 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.
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.
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