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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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May 2009 saw the launch of the new book, Ancient Faith Future Mission: fresh expressions in the sacramental tradition [Link in Uk] [Link in USA]. At the London book launch, Stephen Cottrell the Anglican Bishop of Reading, and Richard Giles the former Dean of Philidelphia Cathedral both gave short addresses on the issue of fresh expressions and mission in the catholic tradition.  This was followed by a panel discussion with practitioners Michael Volland (Gloucester Cathedral), Sue Wallace (Visions York), Tessa Holland (Contemplative Fire Chichester), Philip Roderick (Contemplative Fire Oxford), Carl Turner (Precentor Exeter Cathedral), Simon Rundell (Blessed Gosport), Ian Mobsby (Moot London).

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Clare Catford, broadcaster, writer and member of the moot community, explores the theme of balance in the Moot Alt Eucharist on Sun 15th March 2009 on the third sunday in the season of Lent.  Clare explores the theme in the context of her own life experience, particularly the challenge of facing and living with depression.

The Moot Rhythm of Life Specifices Balance as:

We aspire to live with integrity in the City, striving as a community for balance between work, rest and play.  We wish to develop healthy spiritual disciplines such as daily prayer, meditation and contemplation, drawing on the ancient Christian paths.  We want to live within our means, living sustainable lives. We desire to not be simply consumers, but people committed to giving and receiving in all of life.

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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 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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In this alternative eucharist on the third sunday of advent, Ian Mobsby and the moot community explore the example of mary regarding discipleship, call waiting, the expectation of the Incarnation and the birthing of the Kingdom of God. The podcast begins with a reflection on the Song of Mary recorded in the Gospel of Luke:

My soul proclaims to the greatness of the Lord My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour For he has brought favour on his lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed, The Almighty has done great things, and Holy is God’s name.

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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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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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Ian Mobsby, at Grace Cathedral San Francisco addresses the Contemplative Eucharist congregration on his US & Canadian Tour promoting the book the becoming of G-d. Ian explores Matthew 10:24-39, to re-explore the radicalness of the Christian faith and why it was such a threat to the Roman Empire in the early church period. Ian then explores the implications of this for being contemporary ordinary Christian radicals and the vision of the emerging/fresh expressions of church.  This homily was part of an alternative congregation at Grace Cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of California (Bay Area).

As God expresses identity in the Trinity, the Becoming of G-d, so we are called to follow God and find identity in being Christian Community, where we become Human Becomings as the visible body of Christ.  If we live there, then we can catch up with what God is doing to bring hope, justice and belonging to the world.

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Ian Mobsby, one of the co-founders of the Moot Community, explores the example of Thomas in the way of discipleship. In a world of increasing fanaticism, the place of faith and doubt as a mechanism that drives mature faith formation of the grey and not the ‘black and white’ is crucial to our journey of faith. Thomas enables us all to have hope that as we go through cycles of construction, deconstruction and reconstruction, that we are growing into out ‘human becomingness’

In fact Jesus even models this process in his own life of incarnation (birth, blessing, construction), testing & crucifixion (deconstruction) and resurrection (reconstruction). It is not an easy journey for us to follow. But it is not a journey where will not be tested and doubt.

Being a ‘back-slider’ is an authentic part of the journey. Those who don’t, are stuck in fundamentalism. The Emerging church, is inspiring us to live with an emerging faith.

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Sam Rowland of the Moot Community draws on his own personal spiritual journey, to explore the themes of wilderness to hope. In Easter, it is important to remember that we arrive at hope and centredness after a hard journey that can take us through brokenness and pain. It is our challenge to keep going as Christians in such times to then go on to find re-orientation of the self and community.

This homily was recorded in Easter after Sam led a Moot Community Small Service in Lent 2008.

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