Monastic community
The Order of st. John the Beloved (Franciscan) to which I belong, since its beginning, has been a group of Christians who feel called to a lifestyle of radical discipleship, as have all monks, nuns, and oblates. We have felt called to times of prayer, reading and meditation, and also to be serving Christ and people out in the world. (Some would call us an "active" order.) Like the early Celtic orders, we live as each of us is called--married or single. Since the beginning, we also know that, like the Celts, some of us would eventually be called to live together in an "integrated" monastic community--with part of the housing for married and family and part for singles. Yet some would still be called to remain living in their own homes, and still be a part of and serve with this Order.
I am excited to share that we just had a meeting about community! Those who are presently called to community met on Ash Wednesday, and shared with one another what ideas we felt God had given each of us for that community. Now we begin to look for property.
We feel led to purchase land in the OKC area. We are looking for a wooded property, far enough out from the city and noise, so as to have space to pray and meditate.
We will have a part for married and families and a part for singles. The community will have a "common area" with a kitchen, living room/fellowship area, chapel, and a library. There will also be a music room. We are praying about how often to do shared meals and prayers. Chapel of St. Francis parish will meet there, and continue to offer Morning Prayer weekdays, Eucharist on Sundays and Wednesdays, and probably eventually Eucharist on weekday mornings. Our intent is for those of us who are presently called to begin this intentional community some time next year.
We ask you to pray with us as we move toward this. If you feel you may be called to be a part of a monastic community, either living in the intentional community or in your own home, please feel free to contact us. If we can help you in any way with your prayer life or reading and meditating on the Scriptures, or want to know about the ancient Church and why it is relevant for today, please contact us. My email is br.francis@yahoo.com. You can reach us at Mercy House hermitage (home of my wife Shirley and myself and Athalia the cockatiel) at 405-470-0174.
blessings,
Br. Francis
Friday, February 23, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Music
I love music, music of all kinds. There's not much music I can't appreciate. I am blessed to be able to play drums and percussion. Blessed now to have a home where there is a music room where my kit is set up and I can play. And I do, pretty much daily.
The rock band I'm working with now is called In So Deep. This is a 3-piece band--bass/vocals, guitar, and myself on the kit. They had some originals before I came on board, really good stuff, I think, and we're going to do some covers. Some of the bands we're going to cover are Rush, Neil Young, Journey, Frampton/Humble Pie, and KISS, to start. Nice thing is, they have a kit in the rehearsal room, so I don't have to drag mine back and forth.
We're being loaned a kit for Chapel of St. Francis, and when we get into our new worship space this next week (hopefully....!), we can add drums to our worship music. For a long time Clare has played keyboard by herself. Since Shirley and I came we've been able to add percussion--shakers and bongos. I am looking forward to adding a full kit. I'll be playing it with soft rods (drum sticks for quieter, acoustic, worship settings). I enjoy using mallets for cymbal rises in the right places and just making it pretty when I am privileged to do worship music, not much attack in that setting. (now when I do rock, well, I save most of my attack for THAT setting....!)
I am enjoying the fact that Van Halen will be touring this year with David Lee Roth. I saw them several years ago with Sammy Hagar, and really enjoyed that. But I've never been able to see them with original singer Roth, and I'm looking forward to it (gotta see if they are, indeed, playing OKC). Although I would say--the attitude belongs ON the stage--and leave it there! : )
I'm really enjoying the new John Michael Talbot album Beautiful City. It rocks! He pushed the envelope last time with Monk Rock, and this in many ways is a continuation of that. JMT plays all the electric guitars on this one, and plays some nice lead (although I did enjoy McPherson's and Keaggy's contributions last time on MR). There's some funky elements on this one, and a nice mix--some interesting eq's on the kit. Looking forward to seeing this live. Brother, I don't see an OKC date yet........we'll drive to Tulsa for it, but somebody book it here pllleeeeease!
I will be listening to a lot of worship music this Lenten season, as is my custom. Shirley and I visited the Episcopal cathedral bookstore downtown yesterday, and I was really wanting to get some of the worship cd's they had there--they had a Celtic one there I wanted to check out. Next time.
Blessings,
br francis
I love music, music of all kinds. There's not much music I can't appreciate. I am blessed to be able to play drums and percussion. Blessed now to have a home where there is a music room where my kit is set up and I can play. And I do, pretty much daily.
The rock band I'm working with now is called In So Deep. This is a 3-piece band--bass/vocals, guitar, and myself on the kit. They had some originals before I came on board, really good stuff, I think, and we're going to do some covers. Some of the bands we're going to cover are Rush, Neil Young, Journey, Frampton/Humble Pie, and KISS, to start. Nice thing is, they have a kit in the rehearsal room, so I don't have to drag mine back and forth.
We're being loaned a kit for Chapel of St. Francis, and when we get into our new worship space this next week (hopefully....!), we can add drums to our worship music. For a long time Clare has played keyboard by herself. Since Shirley and I came we've been able to add percussion--shakers and bongos. I am looking forward to adding a full kit. I'll be playing it with soft rods (drum sticks for quieter, acoustic, worship settings). I enjoy using mallets for cymbal rises in the right places and just making it pretty when I am privileged to do worship music, not much attack in that setting. (now when I do rock, well, I save most of my attack for THAT setting....!)
I am enjoying the fact that Van Halen will be touring this year with David Lee Roth. I saw them several years ago with Sammy Hagar, and really enjoyed that. But I've never been able to see them with original singer Roth, and I'm looking forward to it (gotta see if they are, indeed, playing OKC). Although I would say--the attitude belongs ON the stage--and leave it there! : )
I'm really enjoying the new John Michael Talbot album Beautiful City. It rocks! He pushed the envelope last time with Monk Rock, and this in many ways is a continuation of that. JMT plays all the electric guitars on this one, and plays some nice lead (although I did enjoy McPherson's and Keaggy's contributions last time on MR). There's some funky elements on this one, and a nice mix--some interesting eq's on the kit. Looking forward to seeing this live. Brother, I don't see an OKC date yet........we'll drive to Tulsa for it, but somebody book it here pllleeeeease!
I will be listening to a lot of worship music this Lenten season, as is my custom. Shirley and I visited the Episcopal cathedral bookstore downtown yesterday, and I was really wanting to get some of the worship cd's they had there--they had a Celtic one there I wanted to check out. Next time.
Blessings,
br francis
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Athalia
Let me introduce you to another member of our family. She is a cockatiel, and her name is Athalia. Athalia means, "Yahweh is exalted," according to my wonderful Wife and her Bible name book. (Now she's going to find it, to make sure.) As I type, Athalia is perched on her Daddy's shoulder. (She is cleaning herself. I think she just pooped.) Athalia was Shirley's long before we met, and over the months before our marriage, I spent so much time at Shirley's, that I became Athalia's Daddy.
I like being Daddy. I was already a Daddy--I have an eight-year-old daughter, Cheyenne. So, I know the joy of being a Daddy. I know the work of being a Daddy.
So, when I became Athalia's Daddy, I knew what I was in for (in a sense--this is a bird).
She talks a lot, like her Daddy. She is messy, not unlike her Daddy. She sometimes wants attention, like her Daddy (thankfully Jesus and my Shirley give me plenty of that). And she can be affectionate, like her Daddy.
The last couple of days, she has wanted some more attention. She has been vocal about it. We had a new Black Crowes live DVD on yesterday, and I think she liked it--she was singing with it. When we took it out to watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail and eat, she became quite vocal.
Shirley then said, "Why is she out of her cage?" I turned to look, and she, indeed, was sitting on top of the cage. Somehow her door was open. She ended up on Daddy's shoulder, we shot a little video, and kinda figured it might be OK for her to be out from time to time.
So, this morning, Ms. Athalia was very vocal again. Daddy took her out of her cage, she got on my shoulder, and we are spending some good time together.
She's gray,white, and yellow, with a grey tuft over her head. She's a cute bird. Her cage is next to the consecrated altar in our living room. (we're Franciscans--what better place for her?) The other altar is in front of the house in the Oratory of St. Bonaventure, the "Bonny Room," our chapel/library/music room--where we have the Reserved Sacrament. It has the San Damiano altar cross. The living room altar has a large grey celtic cross--a gift from the Order when I took my temporary vows a few years ago. That one is next to Athalia. She is quite vocal at times when we both (or even one of us) leaves the room, and she knows we are still in the house. Like her Daddy, she can be a mess. Oh, well. We love her.
Shirley got her Bible name book. Athalia does mean, "Yahweh is exalted," in Hebrew. Fortunately, this Athalia is more faithful to the Lord than the Athalia she was named after. : )
Well, now you've met Athalia the cockatiel.
br. francis
Let me introduce you to another member of our family. She is a cockatiel, and her name is Athalia. Athalia means, "Yahweh is exalted," according to my wonderful Wife and her Bible name book. (Now she's going to find it, to make sure.) As I type, Athalia is perched on her Daddy's shoulder. (She is cleaning herself. I think she just pooped.) Athalia was Shirley's long before we met, and over the months before our marriage, I spent so much time at Shirley's, that I became Athalia's Daddy.
I like being Daddy. I was already a Daddy--I have an eight-year-old daughter, Cheyenne. So, I know the joy of being a Daddy. I know the work of being a Daddy.
So, when I became Athalia's Daddy, I knew what I was in for (in a sense--this is a bird).
She talks a lot, like her Daddy. She is messy, not unlike her Daddy. She sometimes wants attention, like her Daddy (thankfully Jesus and my Shirley give me plenty of that). And she can be affectionate, like her Daddy.
The last couple of days, she has wanted some more attention. She has been vocal about it. We had a new Black Crowes live DVD on yesterday, and I think she liked it--she was singing with it. When we took it out to watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail and eat, she became quite vocal.
Shirley then said, "Why is she out of her cage?" I turned to look, and she, indeed, was sitting on top of the cage. Somehow her door was open. She ended up on Daddy's shoulder, we shot a little video, and kinda figured it might be OK for her to be out from time to time.
So, this morning, Ms. Athalia was very vocal again. Daddy took her out of her cage, she got on my shoulder, and we are spending some good time together.
She's gray,white, and yellow, with a grey tuft over her head. She's a cute bird. Her cage is next to the consecrated altar in our living room. (we're Franciscans--what better place for her?) The other altar is in front of the house in the Oratory of St. Bonaventure, the "Bonny Room," our chapel/library/music room--where we have the Reserved Sacrament. It has the San Damiano altar cross. The living room altar has a large grey celtic cross--a gift from the Order when I took my temporary vows a few years ago. That one is next to Athalia. She is quite vocal at times when we both (or even one of us) leaves the room, and she knows we are still in the house. Like her Daddy, she can be a mess. Oh, well. We love her.
Shirley got her Bible name book. Athalia does mean, "Yahweh is exalted," in Hebrew. Fortunately, this Athalia is more faithful to the Lord than the Athalia she was named after. : )
Well, now you've met Athalia the cockatiel.
br. francis
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Convocation
We had our United Convergence Church convocation Sunday after church and lunch. Why is that significant for anyone else?
First, our Bishop and Abbot Jim Beckett re-affirmed who we are, a people comitted to Jesus Christ and to His body, the Church. He said the Lord has called on us to worship with and serve with our brethren in Christ. Not that we were to give up ouir Anglican heritage, but that we affirm the WHOLE body of Christ.
He re-affirmed us that we are convergence--evangelical, sacramental/liturgical, and charismatic, the elements of the ancient Church. We remain in the Anglican tradition, which at its best is balanced, Biblical, and true to the ancient Church. We agreed that we all felt that the Lord was not leading us to attempt to join any other Anglican jurisdiction or body at this time, and that although we stand with Biblically faithful Anglicans (and all Christians) everywhere, we are grieved at the harsh words spoken to one another and of exclusivity by fellow conservative Anglicans.
We affirmed that we are a Biblical part of the body of Christ, and that the Bible is our rule of life. Abbot/Bishop Jim encouraged us to spend more time in it. It was suggested that Chapel of St. Francis begin a Sunday School or Bible study class before Eucharist on Sunday morning. The Abbot said, "Good, here next Sunday at 9 o'clock." Yours truly has the privilege to facilitate a study in the book of Ephesians. I have missed teaching since we have been here, and I am thrilled at the opportunity to again facilitate a group.
Hmmmm..........already have seminary studies, just began playing in a rock band, am a new husband and a father od an 8-year-old. Lots to do. We must remember to BE, first.
Blessings in Him,
br. francis
We had our United Convergence Church convocation Sunday after church and lunch. Why is that significant for anyone else?
First, our Bishop and Abbot Jim Beckett re-affirmed who we are, a people comitted to Jesus Christ and to His body, the Church. He said the Lord has called on us to worship with and serve with our brethren in Christ. Not that we were to give up ouir Anglican heritage, but that we affirm the WHOLE body of Christ.
He re-affirmed us that we are convergence--evangelical, sacramental/liturgical, and charismatic, the elements of the ancient Church. We remain in the Anglican tradition, which at its best is balanced, Biblical, and true to the ancient Church. We agreed that we all felt that the Lord was not leading us to attempt to join any other Anglican jurisdiction or body at this time, and that although we stand with Biblically faithful Anglicans (and all Christians) everywhere, we are grieved at the harsh words spoken to one another and of exclusivity by fellow conservative Anglicans.
We affirmed that we are a Biblical part of the body of Christ, and that the Bible is our rule of life. Abbot/Bishop Jim encouraged us to spend more time in it. It was suggested that Chapel of St. Francis begin a Sunday School or Bible study class before Eucharist on Sunday morning. The Abbot said, "Good, here next Sunday at 9 o'clock." Yours truly has the privilege to facilitate a study in the book of Ephesians. I have missed teaching since we have been here, and I am thrilled at the opportunity to again facilitate a group.
Hmmmm..........already have seminary studies, just began playing in a rock band, am a new husband and a father od an 8-year-old. Lots to do. We must remember to BE, first.
Blessings in Him,
br. francis
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Snow, Brigid, Candlemas
What a great joy to see SNOW in the middle of winter! (we rarely had any in Houston) It was a welcome sight after the big ice storm we just got finished with. Shirley and I had to throw a couple of snowballs at each other (of course, I had to start it....!).
WE commemorated Brigid on Feb. 1. She was an abbess over a co-ed monastery in ancient Britain. We think that, in a lot of things, the celtic Church had it right. The Church was monastic-based. They ordained women deacons (not as priests and bishops). Their clergy were allowed to marry. Monks and nuns were permitted to marry, and, we see here with the example and practice of Brigid, orders were co-ed--even their communities. She was a strong, compassionate, Spirit-filled woman, who loved Christ above all else. Let us follow Him as she did. Brigid, pray for us.
The Presentation, Candlemas, was yesterday. Simeon and Anna, prophets, prophesied and told about our Lord, Who He was and what he came here for--His light was to shine to all the world. Some churches use more candles on that day to commemorate--so, the day is called Candlemas by some worshipping communities. We will celebrate Candlemas tomorrow at Chapel of St. Francis, and I am looking forward to it very much.
And I am getting to used to working in the snow and ice-cold air. But I STILL say it beats Houston, with its 100 degrees and nearly 100 percent humidity all summer, and high humidity all year long. Oklahoma is home!
br francis
What a great joy to see SNOW in the middle of winter! (we rarely had any in Houston) It was a welcome sight after the big ice storm we just got finished with. Shirley and I had to throw a couple of snowballs at each other (of course, I had to start it....!).
WE commemorated Brigid on Feb. 1. She was an abbess over a co-ed monastery in ancient Britain. We think that, in a lot of things, the celtic Church had it right. The Church was monastic-based. They ordained women deacons (not as priests and bishops). Their clergy were allowed to marry. Monks and nuns were permitted to marry, and, we see here with the example and practice of Brigid, orders were co-ed--even their communities. She was a strong, compassionate, Spirit-filled woman, who loved Christ above all else. Let us follow Him as she did. Brigid, pray for us.
The Presentation, Candlemas, was yesterday. Simeon and Anna, prophets, prophesied and told about our Lord, Who He was and what he came here for--His light was to shine to all the world. Some churches use more candles on that day to commemorate--so, the day is called Candlemas by some worshipping communities. We will celebrate Candlemas tomorrow at Chapel of St. Francis, and I am looking forward to it very much.
And I am getting to used to working in the snow and ice-cold air. But I STILL say it beats Houston, with its 100 degrees and nearly 100 percent humidity all summer, and high humidity all year long. Oklahoma is home!
br francis
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