Tell us about your community life

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Permalink Reply by Gene Anderson on November 10, 2009 at 3:38am

I pastor a very traditional rural church in southern Mississippi, but am very excited by the ideas and imagination being expressed in the many communities springing up all over the place. I wish we had something similar down here and hope to learn more about this and help to bring it into southeastern Mississippi...I'm all ears & heart!

Permalink Reply by Tripp Hudgins on November 11, 2009 at 9:46pm

I pastor a suburban Chicago congregation. Affluent and liberal...traditional in some ways they do things. I lived at Richmond Hill for four years and have tried since then to weave monastic ideals and disciplines into my life and ministry. I am enjoying the challenge of introducing my experience of the ancient Christian disciplines into life at my current congregation. It is not as easy as it sounds. Heh.

Permalink Reply by Desiree Kameka on April 26, 2010 at 11:33am

We are 13 seminarians who just started the IC for Wesley Seminary in Nov 2009 and this is the covenant we came up with to live by.... we have been very good about keeping some parts, but other parts have definitely been a struggle...

Mission Statement:

"Learning to build authentic relationships with God, each other, and the DC community by living together in faith."

Acknowledging the commitment we have made to the District of Columbia, the Wesley Seminary Community, and our community at Mount Vernon Square, we covenant to care for one another in the following ways:

DISCIPLESHIP
* We will meet in the same group of 3-4 community members weekly for at least 30 minutes.
* This small group will hold each other accountable for their self-disclosed personal discipleship goals.
* Through our interactions in our small groups, we will strive to consciously engage with each other and God so that we may be transformed by the renewing of our minds to best serve God's creation.


PRAYER

* Twice each week (one day during the morning, the other at night), we will hold a time in which members of MVS that wish to might pray together. Each member should plan to attend at least one of these communal prayer gatherings.
* Each day, we will individually pray daily for: each of the residents of MVS, the neighborhood, and the greater Wesley community
* Each month, each member will practice prayer in a manner different from that to which they are normally accustomed. Examples include prayer through liturgical dance, prayer through color, prayer through journaling, prayer through music, etc.
* Much like a prayer partner, we will agree to include one person from the community in our daily prayers.

LOVE/RESPECT/SUPPORT

* Recognizing that love is the most excellent way, we are intentional about walking in love through our conduct, attitude, and speech towards one another. Even through our differences we strive to respect one another, and are willing to show consideration towards each other.
* We liberally support one another in tangible and intangible ways. Respect, love and support are not demanded in our community, but we each choose to live in Christ-like ways that allows the freedom to be ourselves, while still preferring another above our own self. As we grow together in love, respect, and support we seek to extend the same to our neighbors, friends, and larger community.

STEWARDSHIP

* Our community values the Earth as God’s good gift to all creatures who live upon it; because of this, we will strive to be better stewards of God’s gifts by recycling whenever possible, conserving water by using it only when necessary, and turning off lights when they are not being used, and composting all food waste consumed in the community.
* We will also strive towards sustainable living – this includes eating locally grown produce, eating foods only when they are in season, using items (plastic bags, grocery bags, etc) until they are no longer useful, and using cleaning products and supplies (napkins, rags) that are earth-friendlier and biodegradable rather than products that will end up as waste (paper towels, etc).
* We as a community agree to reexamine our purchasing practices as we strive to support only businesses and companies that embody God’s justice and vision for the Earth (i.e. we will not economically support companies that are known to exploit workers or the Earth).
* Each member of the community agrees to support – through time, presence, prayers, resources/gifts and service – their church home annually. This does not have to be a traditional tithe.
* To be good stewards of our time each week, we agree to strike a balance between time commitments to the world (at school, work, etc) and time commitments to God, so that we might not neglect either set of relationships, cutting back on activities that distract us from genuine relationship with one another (maybe television, the Internet) and with the Divine.



SERVICE

* Borrowing from Richard Foster, service is not praise-seeking, but hidden. Nothing disciplines the inordinate desires of the flesh like service, and nothing transforms the desires of flesh like serving in hiddenness. Another facet to service that one should perform in a Christian community is that of active helpfulness. Never underestimate the transforming power of small acts. Eventually we discover that the real issues are found in the tiny, (not so) insignificant corners of life. A third characteristic of service is common courtesy. These are deeds of compassion to acknowledge the value of one another and affirm their worth. One more feature of service is listening with compassion and patience. Listening with an open heart allows connection, healing, and transformation to occur. Most often, God talks through others and if we are too busy formulating our answers or rebuttal, we risk losing the ability to quietly listen to God.
* When we keep these four things in mind we can be in service. We need to first be in service to each other. This service can include doing things we are already signed up to do like chores and helping out our family members. These can be small acts like taking time for a family member who needs someone to listen or larger acts like helping someone with their chore just because.
* When we are able to be in service to each other we will then all be able to be in service to our greater community. We will strive to take time for those around us, whether they are unhoused, businesspeople, tourists, and neighbors. This intentional taking of time can be a smile or a chat or a listening ear or even just helping someone with directions. We will all also try to find ways we can individually be in service to our community.
* We will coordinate and all participate in a service activity together once a month. We will partner up with an already established organization like Courtney's House, Mount Vernon Place's Shower Ministry, Asbury's Homeless Outreach or Sunday Suppers, etc; and plan a day when at least a majority could participate (but strives for 100% MVS participation). Built into this day of service we will also take time for reflection so we can all come together as a group and share things that were hard to see, things that lifted our souls etc.



HOSPITALITY

* Perform acts of hospitality outside MVS at least once a week. By this we mean talking to, smiling, bringing food or drinks, etc. to our homeless neighbors and being kind to our more privileged neighbors like the business people who live and work around us, students, and tourists.
* Host an event for the greater Wesley Seminary community and/or Asbury United Methodist Church and Mount Vernon Place United Methodist Church at least once a semester.
* Be hospitable to our friends, family, and colleagues that come to visit. This does not mean that every time we have visitors we all need to spend hours talking to them, but instead be welcoming if you encounter visitors. However we realize that we all get busy so this may just mean smiling and saying hello and then going about your work, but it can also mean stopping to chat for 10 minutes.
* Work towards inviting our unhoused neighbors up for a community dinner, conversation and fellowship. We realize that this is something we are likely not ready for now, but hopefully something we as a community can work towards.



WORSHIP
* Gather together on Sunday night to start off the week in prayer and worship through our collaboration of musical gifts, being willing to explore different mediums of expression. A different person each week could present a form of worship they would like to share with the community to promote diversity of worship.
* Most important, all who are present should commit to being fully engaged and present to worship with our amazing creator at that time.
* Once a semester, we will strive to organize a campus-wide worship/prayer event FOR the city, IN the city.

JUSTICE

* Recognizing that structural inequalities exist in our society, we will educate one another about social justice concerns.
* We will strive to raise awareness amongst our DC neighbors and Wesley community about issues that violate human rights and creation.
* We will encourage one another to advocate for justice and help others to advocate for themselves so that all people may live equally and abundantly.



ACCOUNTABILITY

* We will hold one another accountable to the Covenant through one-on-one interaction, discipleship small groups, and the House Meetings.
* Community members who repeatedly violate the Covenant will meet with the Community Mentor and/or the Dean of Community Life & Housing, and may be asked to leave Birch Hall.