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Monastery in the Real World

Rule for Life of the Community

I

Jesus Christ Forms and Informs

We work to be formed in Christ’s image.

This rule serves as the foundation for everything else. The purpose of our Community is to be formed in the image of Christ and to live these landmarks on the journey of spiritual formation. We are a community of like-minded people, upholding one another on the journey of growing in deep, intimate, and meaningful relationship with God through our Lord Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Ghost.

II

God Speaks

Prayer is the foundational activity of our Community.

Our Daily Office of Prayer includes morning (laud), noon (sext), evening (vespers), and nighttime (compline) prayers are observed by members of the Community. The practice of prayer establishes us as disciples of the living God. Prayer is communicating with God. Through the divine presence of the Holy Spirit, we find and rediscover the strength to grow fully into the image of Christ. Morning, noon, evening, and nighttime prayers are the foundations of a healthy, flourishing, and meaningful prayer life.  This rule is a minimal opportunity for prayer. Prayer is one of the primary disciplines of our spiritual formation.

III

The Local Church is our Cloister

Each member actively participates in the positive development of the local church or abbey to which they belong. It is where we go for strength and support to continue our everlasting journey through life. Our commitment to their positive development is a commitment to participate in the life of our local communities in such a way that it becomes a stronger and more supportive community of faith. We are committed to participating by freely sharing the gifts God has entrusted to us according to these needs. A local church or abbey professes the truth of the Apostles Creed.

IV

We are Stewards

Our stewardship of the good gifts that God has entrusted us expresses our Christian ministry as it relates to Creation. How we invest our time, talents, gifts, and service relates directly to our understanding of the Christian faith and God’s calling. Our Christian stewardship includes the wise care of all that God has entrusted to us in other people and the world around us.

We are committed to bringing light into the dark places of life. This light is the light of God as seen in Christ and revealed in the Holy Scriptures. The darkness is any place where light is needed. Each of us is gifted in various ways according to the marvelous wisdom of God. We believe that the best Christian investment in our giftedness is to bring ourselves into that darkness in a transformative way. As we joyfully serve others, we long for our Master to say, “Well done, good and faithful servant,” to us and, because we have lived, to many others as well.

V

Service Brings Joy

We shall seek each day to perform a service for the betterment of God’s kingdom that is motivated by our genuine gratitude for God’s love. We believe that our service is our expression of our gratitude to God for the love God expresses toward us. We encourage all members of the Order to give their service without human expectation of return while trusting that all service is received as given unto God. We believe that such service rendered to God shall be acceptable to Him. “To whom much is given, much is required.”

VI

The Bible is Alive

We shall open ourselves to the Holy Scriptures to be formed in the image of Christ. We seek such Christian formation through inspired and informed study and meditation. We believe that the Bible is the Holy Scripture of the Christian faith. As such, it contains the revelation of God as truth. We encourage each member of the Community to make a life-long search of the Holy Scriptures for the truth and wisdom that shall help form each of us in the image of Christ. Daily reading of the Bible is the beginning of such a search.

Cohorts Forming

Experience the uplifting spiritual atmosphere in our soon-forming cohorts. Engage in prayer and discover profound teachings that nourish the soul.

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Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe.

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Doctor of the Church