New Monastacism

There was a programme on Radio 4 yesterday in the Beyond Belief series on New Monastacism. My monastic friend, Bob Warwicker, drew my attention to it last night. You can still catch it on the BBC i-player (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00qbw64#synopsis).
Three people were discussing their views on Fresh Expressions of Monasticism, like the Northumbrian Community and Western Bhuddism. As a Reformed Nun if there's one thing that will drive me bonkers is all this Fresh Expressions talk. Sounds like a coffee outlet to me. Fresh Expressions of Religious and Faith movements is an oxymoron. Religion and Faith are constantly articulating fresh expressions. If they weren't they'd be dead (come to think of it....). Seriously, the only live faith is a fresh one. Reformed Nuns rule OK because we have been exploring and reforming what it means to make a life time faith committment all of our lives - as has any other person serious about their faith. Problem is too many people visit the tombs of religion and faith and expect to find the living there. No chance.
In a month when being Benedictine suddenly became more hip again, St B was by no means turning in his grave. He was roaring the praise of God in the countless company of heaven, like any sensible creative saint.

Then this morning Hilary told me about the Slanket - it's blanket with arms (http://www.theslanket.com/). Just the kind of habit for a new monastic. Check it out!

A death in the family

It's now one year since we interred my mum's ashes in the churchyard of St Mary's Hatfield Broad Oak, Essex. It snowed that day and a few hardy villagers came to help us with the task. Today we learnt of the death of another Essex girl, Jade Goodey. I'll not be the first or the last to write about her. I was remembering the hymn by Dora Greenwell 'And art thou come with us to dwell' in which we sing

Thou bringest all again; with Thee
Is light, is space, is breadth and room
For each thing fair, beloved, and free
To have its hour of life and bloom.

I was also thinking of Madge Saunders, who's funeral was held yesterday in Kingston. I found a new photograph of her on another site in which it says she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005.



This morning I heard about another well remembered woman. Constance had been a member of Waverley URC until her death in 1994. She had made a small embroidered cross that Harry, my informant, still carries in his pocket. He told me the story today. I hope to find out more about her in the next few weeks.




There's nothing else quite like a death in the family. We need our stories to nudge us further into life even when movement seems impossible. This week's entry in the URC Prayer handbook [still available from http://www.urc.org.uk]/ includes the story of Tony, a builder who built a business on pumpkin finance, a good thing to consider in these credit crunch days. The prayer for today on page 29 reads




Draw us to you,
God of all,
that in our dying
and our living
we may bring
glory and honour
to your name
as we seek to serve you
with integrity.

[copyright Janet Lees, for the 2009 URC Prayer Handbook 'Hush the Storm']