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As we approach advent, Ian Mobsby explores the context of God’s presence in the midst of binge spending on presents.

Part of disappointment with this time of year, is that we sense within ourselves that merely exchanging presents with each other doesn’t really honour the birth of the incarnation of God.

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In the Moot Alt Eucharist on the 11th October 2009, Jemma Allen explores friendship as the sacramental outpouring of God’s love. Jemma reflects on the key Gospel phrase ‘I have called you friends…’ with a God who identifies friendship with sinners and drunkards.  So it is through friendship that God’s purposes are outworked, transforming all things back into restored relationship with God.  Therefore, friendship lies at the heart of the Christian life, that changes us and draws us into closer relationships with the divine.  Loving our neighbours and our God.  Friendship is the antedote to the structures of dominance and individualism that stand in opposition to  the justice, peace and liberation that we proclaim when we confess a faith in Christ.  Jemma is Chaplain at Waikato University and the Ex-ile Alternative Worship Community in Hamilton, North Island New Zealand.

Friendship is not some gimmick that we can market as a way of successfully living a Christian life.  It is not even primarily about about an act of will or making friendships in a calculating way.  Friendship as a spiritual practice, as the mark of a disciple, as a proclamation of the Good News of the Reign of God  – this friendship is about entering into authentic relationships, relationships of vulnerability and trust, relationships of mutuality and care.  In allowing ourselves to be affected by who we live with and how we live with them, by the gifts we receive in and from our friends, we open ourselves to being transformed by love and so enlarging the realm of God: the kinship and new community proclaimed by Christ.  That, my friends, would be Good News!

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In this podcast Ian Mobsby interviews Abbot Stuart Burns OSB, of the Burford Anglican Benedictine Community,     to explore the significance of New Monasticism and Emerging/Fresh Expressions of church.  Abbot Stuart was wise and insightful, and a joy to interview, and shares his hopes about how New Monasticism may enrich the church as it seeks to recontextualise into our current post-secular culture of the spiritual seeker.

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In this podcast, Ian Mobsby explores the implications of Ecclesiastes 3:1-15 and John 14: 15-21.  As Moot is part of the emerging and fresh expressions of church movements, it is founded on the vision of building ecclesial communities out of contextual mission.  It is within this vision of being a follower of Christ and seeking to be part of a radical community, that we need to consider the issues of personal identity and issues of taboo.  In the Ecclesiastes text, we are challenged by the need of an identity centred on God, where our lives are often hard and relatively short.  The second text again returns to the idea of building ecclesial communities out of contextual mission, where the mission in question was to a hated people, the Samaritans, and a hated woman who was possibly a prostitute.  Jesus in this text breaks many religious and social taboos by even talking to the woman at the well and to the local people.  So this text allows us to see on the one hand the importance of a faith and our identity to be in God in an I-God relationship, but further, we are called to challenge those who put obsticles in the way of people knowing God, particularly where social taboos are concerned.  So this text has much to say to the modern church, and the importance of God’s love mission to the world.

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In the Alt Eucharist Service on Sunday 14th June, Ian Mobsby explored the theme of the abundance of the Kingdom of God and the scarcity of this world. This followed a very moving service last week where the community supported a couple recovering from a failed pregnancy. This podcast explored how Christians can go deeper in the faith which is a call to powerlessness, pain and struggle alongside the desire for peace and love.

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On Holy Saturday April 11th 2009, the Moot Community led by Bishop Richard, the Bishop of London, recommited to the community’s Rhythm of Life in the Faith Chapel in the Crypt of St Paul’s Cathedral.  In this homily Bishop Richard explores the issue of being Church in the 21st Century in uncertain times.

We will soon be putting information on this Rhythm of Life Service on the Mootblog with a film and images.

To see more information on Moot’s Rhythm, see the link on the right hand tool bar on the Mootblog.

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On Sunday 15th March 2009, Ian Mobsby of the Moot Community joined a recorded discussion in Sydney exploring the above title on Australia’s ABC National Radio. In the discussions, the group explored the importance of Emerging and Fresh Expressions of Church engagement with our increasingly post-christian post-secular culture.  For a link to the radio show click here

As usual, if you would like to comment on this podcast discussion, please do so on the Mootblog

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In this podcast, Clare Catford with the assistance of Aaron Kennedy interviews Richard Chartres the Bishop of London, exploring the theme of a Christian spirituality in the City.

In a time of global economic depression, Bishop Richard challenges the Church to practice a radical form of love and a practical form of spirituality. This podcast was recorded in the second week of Lent 2009, as part of the Moot Podcast Big Questions Series.

The Moot Community will soon stand before the Bishop of London on Easter Saturday, to affirm to its Rhythm of Life.

If you would like to comment on this or any other of the Moot podcasts, please do so on the moot blog site.

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In this podcast of Moot’s Little Service in February 2009, Ian Mobsby explores why accountability is so important in the areas of justice, love and spirituality. In the service, people explored their perceived accountability to God, to themselves, and to others.

At this time, the Moot Community is exploring its ‘new monastic’ elements of its Rhythm of Life, to dig deep, in preparation for the community to recommit to these vows on Easter Saturday 2009, in the Crypt of London’s St Paul’s Cathedral.

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For Moot’s February Alt Eucharist, we were joined by Travis & Brandy, Lutheran Ordinands, to explore Moot’s rhythm of life element concerning accountability. In the service, we explored how we are called to be true to God, true to yourself and true to others, following the monastic traditions. Instead of a homily, David from Moot interviews Brandy & Travis, exploring their take on accountability.

We desire to be accountable to one another, to grow and journey together, listening to each other for wisdom rather than just trusting ourselves. We want to have a willingness to share life, rather than to privatize it and we seek to walk together in a deep way rather than as strangers who only know the surface of each other.

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Doerthe Rosenow, a member of the Moot Community explores the importance of Hospitality in new forms of church. She challenges the default position of consumption - a cultural norm, and the call for Christians to be counter cultural in seeking to get beyond individualism and me-isms. She draws on Moot’s Rhythm of Life Section on Hospitality:

hospitality We wish to welcome all who we come across, when we are gathered and when we are dispersed, extending Christ’s gracious invitation to relationship, meaning and life in all its fullness through our deeds, words and thoughts.

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This podcast kicks off the new year with the homily from the Moot Little Service led by Raewyn and Peter Thomas, both members of the Community on 4th January 2009, on the theme of epiphany.

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Ian Mobsby explores this months theme of the Moot Community, exploring why the Christian tradition venerates Saints. Rather than these people being towering figures of strength, many were pretty ordinary people striving for faith and spirituality in a somewhat difficult world.  What is it about these ordinary but complex radicals and mystics that makes them saints? And what can they teach us about strength from our weaknesses? How do our wounds become the basis for hope, love and action?

2 Corinthians 4 For it is God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ… But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our bodies. For while we live, we are always being given up to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may be made visible in our mortal flesh. So death is at work in us, but life in you.

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Tom Sine international author, researcher and speaker, led a homily and discussion in the Moot Evening Alt Compline service tonight. He explored the implications of the current global economic slowdown and its affects on the poor, and for those under 40 who are attempting to make their way in life.  In particular he explored the depressing realities around house ownership, and the issue of sustainability.  The housing model of the nucleur family is just not sustainable or possible anymore.  Increasingly Christians need to explore another way, or rather re-imagine community and intentional community as the outworking of reduced carbon foot print and the sharing of resources.  There’s a lot in here, so enjoy.  This is part one of two podcasts recorded this evening.

For information on the book, or to place an order, click here

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Tom Sine international author, researcher and speaker, led a homily and discussion in the Moot Evening Alt Compline service tonight. He explored the implications of the current global economic slowdown and its affects on the poor, and for those under 40 who are attempting to make their way in life.  In particular he explored the depressing realities around house ownership, and the issue of sustainability.  The housing model of the nucleur family is just not sustainable or possible anymore.  Increasingly Christians need to explore another way, or rather re-imagine community and intentional community as the outworking of reduced carbon foot print and the sharing of resources.  There’s a lot in here, so enjoy.  This is part two of two podcasts recorded this evening.

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Today’s Big Questions Interview explores the experiences of Jonny Spoor, in his time at the L’arche Community in Trosly-Breuil, an hour outside of Paris.  In an interview with Ian Mobsby, Jonny explores the spirituality that lies behind the work of L’arche, and how it has impacted his belief and life as a participant in two Emerging/Fresh Expressions of Church in London and York.  Jonny helps us to face some of the issues concerning being human in the 21st century.

L’Arche is based firmly on Christian roots. We try to help all our members to develop their own spiritual life. In a divided world, L’Arche aims to be a sign of hope and unity. We are Communities of faith in the Christian tradition. We welcome people of all faiths or none. Whatever people believe about God we welcome and respect them. People in our Communities come from different cultures, countries, religious groups and faiths. Everyone is encouraged to deepen their faith, following their own traditions. Some L’Arche members belong to particular churches. We encourage them to attend their local places of worship. Each Community invites people come together to pray and celebrate if they wish. Local priests and ministers often help us to shape and guide our worship. Members with learning disabilities sometimes have special needs when it comes to worship. We try to help them feel fully involved and experience God for themselves. Some of them may not easily understand words. We use music, gesture and mime in prayers and services.

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In his book, The Becoming of G-d (YTC Press, 2008), Ian Mobsby explores how some emerging churches have reappropriated an ancient Trinitarian understanding of the faith as a model for church and spirituality in the C21st. Can a renewed understanding of the Trinity help us be and do church - and help us in the task of our own human becoming. To listen to a preview, click below.  To purchase the full thing from Greenbelt, click here

The MP3 is available for purchase.  For info on the book , ciick here

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Clare Catford, broadcaster, writer, theologian and member of the the Moot Community in London, explores the title ‘affluenza: how to get beyond consuming to try and fill your empty soul’.  Addiction is a very real issue in our contemporary culture, and one that needs careful thought and consideration from spiritual perspective. Clare draws on her own experience in dialogue with a number of scriptures from the Bible to explore this issue with some depth.  This homily is a re-recording of a homily given by Clare at a Moot alt.eucharist service in June 2008. The Moot Community read together the book ‘Affluenza’ by Oliver James.  Clare Catford has written a book entitled ‘addicted to love’  exploring the issue of addiction from a personal and spiritual perspective.  Clare will be speaking about her book and her experiences with addiction at this year’s Greenbelt Festival in August 2008.

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On the event of the first adult baptism in the Moot Community, Dorethe Rosenow gave a homily in our alt. eucharist service exploring the issue of baptism, being community drawing on the Trinity, faith, original blessing and nurting nature.  Dorethe draws on the experience of her family to explore these important issues.

In baptism it is God who names us in the name of the Creator, Redeemer and Companion.  It is God who initiates the relationship as a sign of original blessing, but where we as adults can make a choice whether to live in this gift.

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In a new form of podcasting at Moot, Aaron Kennedy leads a new programme of interviews with a number of interesting and influential people involved at the interface between spirituality, politics, religion and contemporary culture. The first of these interviews kicks off with Ian Mobsby author, pastor and ordained priest, to explore why the Trinity is becoming an important basis for new forms of church seeking new/ancient forms of worship, mission and community in the 21st century.

For more information on the book, or to order a copy internationally please do click here. This interview explores how God modelled in Trinitarian persons inspires us to be an authentic Christian Spiritual community of persons, seeking to dig deep in culture that usually lives at the surface of things. All proceeds from book sales are ploughed back into the work of the Moot Community. Watch for Aaron’s next interview.

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