In this presentation, Ian Mobsby explores a central theme of his new book 'God Unknown: The Trinity in contemporary Spirituality and Mission'. The Holy Trinity is the central reality and concept that makes Christianity a distinct faith and not a jewish cult. As such God is a missionary God that challenges the Church and all Christians to participate in this mission and ministry of reconciliation, as God seeks to restore all things into renewed relationship with the divine. In our increasingly post-secular context where people are more interested in spirituality than religion, it is the reality of the Trinity that gives us hope and opens up the spiritual landscape of the faith to those who are un-or-dechurched.
To download slides associated with the address in Manchester and London click here
In this years 'Continuing the Journey Conference 2012', Johnston McMaster gave this incredible plenary address on the title "Living in tomorrow's world - globalisation and beyond. Johnston teaches for the Irish School of Ecumenics, and is an acclaimed writer and speaker. This podcast explores the implications of our post-christendom and incrwasingly post-western world, and the place of the Church and the Christian faith. The material for this podcast has been kindly published with the permission of the 'Continuing the Journey' Organisation 2012.
In this final session of the Moot Lent Course 2012 at the Guild Church of St Mary Aldermary in the CIty of London, Vanessa Elston explores the theme of Call and response.
In this third podcast of Lent 2012, Vanessa Elston continues this years Moot at St Mary Aldermary Lentern season with a reflection on the title ‘Hunger and Thirst’.
The product … is people who are really there; perhaps it’s a simple as that. What Benedict is interested in producing is people who have the skills to diagnose all inside them that prompts them to escape from themselves in the here and now. Just as much as in the literature of the desert – despite his insistence that he is working on a different and lower level – Benedict regards monastic life as a discipline for being where you are, rather than taking refuge in the infinite smallness of your own fantasies. Rowan Williams
In this first podcast of Lent 2012, Vanessa Elston starts this years Moot at St Mary Aldermary Lentern season with a reflection on the title 'An Invitation to silence, solitude and human becoming'.
“As we grow up our minds grow more complex and more settled in their orbits. We spend so much of our adult energies thinking, planning, worrying, trying to get ahead or stay afloat, that we lose touch with that natural intimacy with God deep within us. The gift of silence gradually recedes in the face of the demands of daily life, so that when we do re-encounter contemplative prayer as adults, it may seem like a strange and inaccessible inner terrain. With some effort, we can stop the outer noise. Silent walks in the woods, Lenten and Advent quiet days at the local church, or a retreat at a monastery are wonderful ways of doing just that. But stopping the inner noise is another matter. Even when the outer world has been wrestled into silence, we still go right on talking, worrying, arguing with ourselves, day-dreaming, fantasizing. To encounter those deeper reaches of our being, where our own life is constantly flowing out of and back into the divine life; what first seems to be needed is some sort of interior on/off switch to tone down the inner talking as well." (Cynthia Bourgeault, Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening)
Drawing on the letter of St James in the New Testament, Ian Mobsby and Vanessa Elston explore the calling of Christians to endurance in difficult times, and the very real financial and human resource needs to sustain the mission and work of the Moot Community in difficult and uncertain times.
If you are a regular listener to Moot podcasts and you would like to support the work of the Community in London and beyond through its website, events and activities, then you can do this by visiting our website at www.moot.uk.net and selecting the mootique page. At the bottom you will see the ability to give one off or regular giving through a debit or credit card, or through paypal. If you are a UK resident, then you can also give by standing order. The forms for this can also be downloaded from the bottom of the mootique page.
In this final of three podcasts recorded in August 2011 Ian Mobsby conversed with Simon Walker - author, teacher, mentor and Anglican Priest to explore the issue of the 'undefended life'. Simon has written a number of highly acclaimed books on the subject, getting to the heart of the calling of Christian spirituality to promote an approach to life which is undefended. In this podcast Simon explores how getting beyond fear and the troubles of our world is possible by a deep relationship of love with God in the world, that means we are able to work collaboratively with others, and trust God to be doing things beyond our understanding and control.
For more information on Simon's work see: http://www.undefended.org.uk/
In this second of three podcasts recorded in August 2011 Ian Mobsby conversed with Simon Walker - author, teacher, mentor and Anglican Priest to explore the issue of the 'undefended life'. Simon has written a number of highly acclaimed books on the sbject, getting to the heart of the calling of Christian spirituality to promote an apporach to life which is undefended. In this podcast Simon explores how getting beyond fear and the troubles of our world is possible by a deep relationship of love with God the Trinity, enables us to find liberation and freedom whilst enabling us to approach leadership in a new way.
In this first of three podcasts recorded in August 2011 Ian Mobsby conversed with Simon Walker - author, teacher, mentor and Anglican Priest to explore the issue of the 'undefended life'. Simon has written a number of highly acclaimed books on the sbject, getting to the heart of the calling of Christian spirituality to promote an apporach to life which is undefended. In this podcast Simon maps out the effects of early childhood on our personality types, and an interpretation of the New Testament that promotes liberation through experiencing the love of God to overcome fear and so be undefended.
For more information on Simon's work see here.
For information on Simon's books click here:
In the culmination a weekend spiritual retreat at the Guild Church of St Mary Aldermary, Pádraig Ó Tuama gave this homily on the subject of baptism in the waters of incarnation. Pádraig is an acclaimed poet, theologian and justice and reconciliation worker, and a member of the Ikon Community in Belfast Northern Ireland. This podcast was recorded at the Evening Service Eucharist of the Moot Community at the Guild Church of St Mary Aldermary on Sunday 9th August 2011.
It was with great excitement that Ian Mobsby had the opportunity to dialogue with Fr Richard Rohr concerning the importance of contemplative Christianity to the contemporary World. Fr Richard is the founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation, which seeks to deepen the impactfulness of Christian discipleship and wisdom drawing on non-dualistic, ego-transcending and gospel inspired activity. Fr Richard is a Catholic Franciscan Brother with an international speaking and teaching ministry. He has written many books and DVDs and has contributed much to the development of the Christian contemplative tradition in Western Europe and North America. In this interview Richard Rohr discusses a number of issues and thoughts pertenant to many of us who are explore new ways of being church engaged in contemporary mission who do so drawing on a distinctively contemplative Christian perspective. This podcast was recorded on 27th May 2011.
In this podcast Tessa Holland, priest, speaker, contemplative practitioner and spiritual director explores the theme of ‘An exploration of the apostolic dimension of the contemplative way’. This address was recorded at the national conference exploring the place of contemplative expressions of church, contemporary mission and fresh expressions of the church at the London Centre for Spirituality on Monday 16th May 2011.
In this podcast Ian Adams, priest, speaker, writer and new monastic explores the theme of ‘Post-secular spiritual questers – an opportunity for mission’. This address was recorded at the national conference exploring the place of contemplative expressions of church, contemporary mission and fresh expressions of the church at the London Centre for Spirituality on Monday 16th May 2011.
In this podcast David Cherry, priest, lecturer and spiritual director, gives the key note address at the national conference exploring the place of contemplative expressions of church, contemporary mission and fresh expressions of the church. David explores the theme of ‘The importance of Christian spirituality as a vehicle for mission’. This was recorded at the London Centre for Spirituality in London and at the Church of St Mary Woolnoth in the City of London in Monday 16th May 2011.
At the Moot Eucharist Service on Sunday 20th February 2011 in the Church of St Mary Aldermary in the City of London, Aaron Kennedy explores the theme of Eucharistic Living.
In October 2010, Ian Mobsby gave this recorded paper to the gathered Fresh Expressions Roundtable Number 5 for the promotion of Fresh Expressions of the Catholic and Contemplative Traditions at Lambeth Palace. This paper addresses the subject of the Challenge of Mission and Formation with Fresh Expressions of the Church.
In this, the second of two podcasts, the conversation between Phyllis Tickle and Ian Mobsby continues with an exploration of models of church, participation and commitment to faith communities and new monasticism. We apologise for the loss of sound quality at points in this recording caused by an electrical storm over Phyllis Tickle's house in the south of the USA. So listen nd enjoy, Phyllis is a great person to converse with.
In this first of two podcasts, Phyllis Tickle dialogues with Ian Mobsby about Emergence Christianity, New Monasticism and Trinitarian Theology. This recording was made in the middle of an electrical storm over Phyllis's home in the south of the USA, so apologies for the occasional crackles and reduction of sound at the ending of the first podcast.
In this podcast interview, Brian McLaren dialogues with Ian Mobsby exploring the future of church and mission in the US and UK. Brian is an international author, speaker and pastor associated with emergent and emerging church in the USA and around the world. Brian addressed the International Anglican Lambeth Conference in 2008. In this podcast, a wide range of issues are discussed including new monasticism, mission to spiritual seekers, and the challenge of church in the twenty first century.
In this Podcast of the Eucharist at the Moot Community on 13th June 2010, Vanessa Elston explores the theme of Christ’s call for the conversion of head and heart. This homily is the second in the series exploring Moot’s proposal to develop its new monastic basis with some virtues, spiritual practices and postures.
Vanessa Elston is a member of the moot community, a teacher, a mother and a student of theology – who has substantial experience of being involved in the UK alternative worship and emerging church movements. Vanessa, as a member of the Lounge Project Team, is currently helping us to explore the possibility of piloting a formation approach to Christian practices drawing on the wisdom of the twelve step programme.
In this the final of four podcasts recorded at the Moot spiritual retreat in May 2010, Mark Berry explores the theme of the nature of God concerning participation and being sent. Drawing on Gospel texts, Mark explores how Christian communities are drawn into this same nature – of participation and being sent, so that the church is called also to be a missional community.
In the second of his four reflections, Mark Berry reflects on the importance of Perichoresis and its implications for being a participative spiritual community. Recorded on a spiritual retreat of the Moot Community On the weekend of 14th-16th May 2010. Mark Berry, Missioner and leader of the Safespace Community led the retreat. This is the 2nd of 3 recordings.
On the weekend of 14th-16th May 2010, the Moot community held a short spiritual retreat to explore the theme of participating in God. Mark Berry, Missioner and leader of the Safespace Community led the retreat. This is the 1st of 4 recordings. The handouts for the session will be uploaded shortly.
On the 5th Sunday of Easter 2010, Aaron Kennedy gave this homily exploring the emerging churches calling to promote forms of faith that reach beyond the ego. New monasticism constributes an ancient approach, using virtues, spiritual practices and postures.
In this weeks podcast, Ian Mobsby explores the theme of Christ's Resurrection alongside the calling for hope and risk-taking to replace fear. Shalom, the Jewish theologial understanding of God's outworking of love in and to the world, becomes the Kingdom of God, and the disciples are challenged to live out this love in the Kingdom, through the peace of God's Shalom in openness to the world. This is our challenge as emerging and fresh expressions of church, to catch up with what God is already doing.
In late 2010, Ian Mobsby chatted with Brother Samuel, the leading Friar for the Anglican Franciscans in England. Brother Samuel is well known in UK New Monastic circles, because he has participated in a number New Monastic conferences and gatherings.
In this podcast, Brother Samuel shares his insights into the contribution of Franciscan Spirituality to the ongoing Christian tradition, as well as explore a particularly Franciscan reflection on New Monasticism.
Brother Samuel like Abbot Stuart are wise and very encouraging for those exploring new, emerging and fresh expressions of church. Ian found ther advice about engaging with spiritual seekers, particularly helpful. So take in the wisdom of this committed Franciscan Friar!
Prayer of St Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy;
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
In the second of two events, Dave Tomlinson leads a Moot Wednesday evening gathering to discuss his new book Re-enchanting Christianity. Dave explored the idea of a 'second innocence' developed by a number theologians, to explore the reconstruction of a faith that can engage with the reality of the twenty first century. For more information on Dave's book, click here. Dave has been a major support to the Moot Community. We hope to develop greater links between St Lukes Church Holloway and the Moot Community.
People are no less spiritual today than they were in the past, but they are a lot less religious - at least, in a formal sense. A disconnect has ocurred between religion and spirituality: people no longer see religion or Church as the natural setting in which to explore or express their spiritual aspirations. So they are drifting away from churches in droves. However, they are not doing so because they no longer believe in God, or because they have no hunger or interest in the spiritual aspect of life, but because, in their experience of Church, they are neither finding a faith they can believe in, not an existential spirituality that can sustain their souls in an age of anxiety and estrangement.
Following a recent number of requests, we publish a short film played at the Moot Rhythm of Life Service at St Paul's Cathedral on Easter Saturday 2009. The film uses the stories and hopes of a number of people involved in the Moot Community, as we await the birthing of our vision of starting an arts cafe lounge in central London as a place for radical mission and hospitality, and our longer term hope of launching an intentional community. The Moot Community recommits to its rhythm of life as a new monastic community before the Bishop of London in the season of Easter every year. This follows the ancient practice of christian priests, monastics and friars to recommit to their vows and for the whole people of God to recommit to their baptismal covenant.
In the Little Service of January 2010, at the end of a resource training day, Ian Mobsby and Elizabeth Mowbray explored the theme of breathing as prayer, with a view of the ecclesial community as a new monastic community. Life then becomes a pattern of breathing in God's blessing and breathing out loving service and action. This homily was inspired by the words of Andy Freeman, a founding member of the 24-7 Boiler Room New Monastic Communities.
Ian Mobsby discusses with Shane Claiborne, the vision of New Monasticism, and the practical implications of living this particular form of ecclesial community, and the calling to a radical lifestyle. Shane is one of the leading voices in a growing movement of New Monasticism in the United States.
His first book, The Irresistable Revolution is a key envisioning texts for all those interested or involved in New Monasticism. It has been a core text for many involved in New Monasticism in the UK and Europe. In this book Shane outlines his experiences of working as a volunteer in Calcutta in India, in a community overseen by Mother Teressa, and how this opened up a whole way of being Christian that up to that point, he had been unaware of. Shane is a founding Member of the Simple Way Community in Philedelphia, one of the early new-monastic communities.
Be prepared to be inspired! Lets keep up with Shane's visit to Iraq in January 2010, and hopefully we may even have him a long to a moot event in the not too distant future.
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!
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.
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.
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).
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Ian Mobsby gives an address on the place of Good Friday in the passion of Holy Week. He explores how Good Friday can ever be considered good in salvation history. This was part of a traditional Anglican Good Friday Service, which begins with the ministers prostrating themselves on the floor before the altar as a dramatic sign of the cost of the Cross for Christ.
Good Friday. How is it possible, that on this day, when we remember Jesus the man and his painful walk from Jerusalem, carrying his cross to the hill of Golgotha. When we humanity killed the incarnation of God in human flesh. How can this Friday possibly be called Good? Good Friday?
Ian Mobsby of the Moot Community, reflects on the connection between spiritual hunger and knowing God as part of a Lent Spirituality Course through the Moot 'Beyond the Wilderness' event in the SW1 Art Gallery in London.
There is a profound link between a spiritual thirst, prayer and encountering Christ today.
Mother Teresa put it well when after four hours at prayer, she said to a gathering of people:
"Jesus wants me to tell you again ... how much is the love He has for each one of you--beyond all what you can imagine. Not only He loves you, even more--He longs for you. He misses you when you don't come close. He thirsts for you. He loves you always, even when you don't feel worthy. Why does Jesus say 'I thirst'? What does it mean? Something so hard to explain in words-- ... 'I thirst' is something much deeper than just Jesus saying 'I love you.' Until you know deep inside that Jesus thirsts for you--you can't begin to know who He wants to be for you. Or who he wants you to be for him."
This is the profound mystery about the nature of contemplative forms of prayer. That through the Holy Spirit, and the power of our imagination, we too can encounter Christ - today.
Dorethe Rosenow of the Moot Community shares her reflections of Moot coming from a non-UK perspective. Dorethe explores the business of our lives and our disconnection from the planet and the seasons. Dorethe challenges us to stay with silence and forms of contemplation, for which the ancient prayer of ashing came: From dust you came and from dust you shall return. Turn from your sin and be faithful unto Christ
This is the first of the podcasts of the homilies recorded at alt.eucharist services of the Moot Community in London. The first, by Ian Mobsby begins with a quote by the theologian called Volf, which challanges the emerging church to explore the need for a deep spirituality:
A participative model of the church requires more than just values and practices that correspond to participative institutions. The church is not first of all a realm of moral purposes; it is the anticipation, constituted by the presence of the Spirit of God, of the eschatological gathering of the entire people of God in communion with the triune God. Hence the church needs the vivifying presence of the Spirit, and without this presence, even a church with a decentralised participative structure and culture will become sterile, and perhaps more sterile even than a hierarchical church. For it will either have to operate with more subtle and open forms of coercion. Successful participative church life must be sustained by deep spirituality. Only the person who lives from the Spirit of communion (2 Cor. 13:13) can participate authentically in the life of the ecclesial community.
In this presentation, Ian Mobsby explores a central theme of his new book 'God Unknown: The Trinity in contemporary Spirituality and Mission'. The Holy Trinity is the central reality and concept that makes Christianity a distinct faith and not a jewish cult. As such God is a missionary God that challenges the Church and all Christians to participate in this mission and ministry of reconciliation, as God seeks to restore all things into renewed relationship with the divine. In our increasingly post-secular context where people are more interested in spirituality than religion, it is the reality of the Trinity that gives us hope and opens up the spiritual landscape of the faith to those who are un-or-dechurched.
Standard Podcasts [00:24:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download | Embeddable Player | Hits (Loading)
In late 2010, Ian Mobsby chatted with Brother Samuel, the leading Friar for the Anglican Franciscans in England. Brother Samuel is well known in UK New Monastic circles, because he has participated in a number New Monastic conferences and gatherings.
In the second of two events, Dave Tomlinson leads a Moot Wednesday evening gathering to discuss his new book Re-enchanting Christianity. Dave explored the idea of a 'second innocence' developed by a number theologians, to explore the reconstruction of a faith that can engage with the reality of the twenty first century. For more information on Dave's book, click 
In the Little Service of January 2010, at the end of a 
Ian Mobsby discusses with Shane Claiborne, the vision of New Monasticism, and the practical implications of living this particular form of ecclesial community, and the calling to a radical lifestyle. Shane is one of the leading voices in a growing movement of New Monasticism in the United States.
In the Moot Alt Eucharist on the 11th October 2009, 
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.
May 2009 saw the launch of the new book, Ancient Faith Future Mission: fresh expressions in the sacramental tradition 
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:
In this alternative eucharist on the third sunday of advent, 
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.
Ian Mobsby
