By Eliacin

The following is the last paragraph in a response I wrote to an article about New Monasticism published in Geez Magazine.

Ultimately, the 12 marks are not the only expressions of neo-monasticism around. People like my parents and other sisters and brothers have been living kingdom-saturated lives for longer than the name new monasticism has been coined. We need to differentiate between a way of living and one expression of that way of living. The movement needs some time to grow, to allow what we know in our heads to move into our hearts and become who we are. The 12 marks can serve as points of inspiration, but not as the definition of neo-monasticism, or as a litmus test of what “serving the other” is. As always, the kingdom is much bigger than this new expression of faith and praxis.

via geezmagazine.org

This is a brief list of some event happening this month. Some of us from the MSH will be participating at these evens.

Mark Scandrette – The Jesus Dojo: A Path to Action, Community and Change:
How to start your own Jesus-inspired group experiments
Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Mars Hill Graduate School 2501 Elliott Ave, Seattle, WA 98121

Summary:

So many of us want to live in the Way of Jesus—pursuing a life that is deeply soulful, connected to our real needs and good news to our world. Yet so often our methods of spiritual formation are individualistic, information driven or disconnected from every day life. We are simply not experiencing the kind of transformation that is the historically expected result of the Christ phenomenon. Perhaps what we need is a Jesus Dojo—a path for growth that is more like a karate studio than a college lecture hall. If you are intrigued by Reimagine’s experimental approach to formation and community life, come to this one night training event to learn how you can create you own Jesus-Dojo.

MSA Convesation on Coming Challenges in the Global Economy with Phil Bontrager
Wednesday, November 11, 2009 | 7:00 pm

The first of Mustard Seeds Associates’s new Turbulent Times—Ready or Not! Conversation Series

Join us in a discussion of the challenges coming in the global economy and ideas for re-imagining ways to live and serve in changing times

LOCATION: the Mustard Seed House
DONATION: suggested $5
REGISTER ONLINE – http://turbulenttimesconversation.eventbrite.com/

Phil Bontrager, the CEO of Sauder Manufacturing that produces furniture for hospitals, universities, and churches, has worked with churches and church agencies in the US, Europe, and Central America. As a consequence Phil stays abreast of both the changing global economy and the changing character of the global church. Phil also serves on the board of mission organizations like MEDA, which provides micro-loans to entrepreneurs in poor countries, and has been a missionary in Latin America. Phil and Lori are active members at Zion Mennonite Church in Archbold, Ohio, and friends of MSA.

Seizing the Episcopal Moment: Emerging Culture and Anglican Futures
Saturday, November 14, 2009 | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

A Workshop Presented by the Commission for Evangelism and the Commission for Emerging Mission for the Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, Washington State

Where: The Fremont Abbey 4272 Fremont Ave N Seattle, WA 98103

Contact: Tim Mathis, timothy_mathis@yahoo.com

Highlights & Conversations with:

Dr. Tom Sine, Church futurist,
Barry Taylor, Episcopal scholar
Karen Ward, co-author of “Seizing the Episcopal Moment”
and a panel of emerging local leaders

Cost will be $35 (includes lunch). To register, send check with name and contact information for each attendee to “Seizing the Episcopal Moment Workshop”, Diocese of Olympia, PO Box 12126, Seattle, WA 98102 or to pay online click here.

Off The Map

November 20-21 in Seattle at Bethany Community Church
http://www.offthemap.com/live/2009/home.php

Very reasonable ticket prices.

Hear from Phyllis Tickle, author of “The Great Emergence,” and many others.

Rev. Dr. Samuel McKinney will be honored on Friday night with a special award. Focus will be on idea-sharing across racial, denominational, generational, and socio-economic lines, with special attention to the wisdom that comes from the “margins.”

Coming Challenges in the Global Economy with Phil Bontrager

The first of MSA’s new Turbulent Times—Ready or Not! Conversation Series

a discussion of the challenges coming in the global economy and ideas for re-imagining ways to live and serve in changing times

DATE: November 11, 2009
TIME: 7:00 pm
LOCATION: the Mustard Seed House
DONATION: suggested $5
REGISTER ONLINE

Phil Bontrager, the CEO of Sauder Manufacturing that produces furniture for hospitals, universities, and churches, has worked with churches and church agencies in the US, Europe, and Central America. As a consequence Phil stays abreast of both the changing global economy and the changing character of the global church. Phil also serves on the board of mission organizations like MEDA, which provides micro-loans to entrepreneurs in poor countries, and has been a missionary in Latin America. Phil and Lori are active members at Zion Mennonite Church in Archbold, Ohio, and friends of MSA.

by Eliacín

The Rosario-Kilmer tribe from The Mustard Seed House (in picture from left to right: Catie, Gabrielito, Elías, Ricci and I) will be hanging out in Portland this weekend (May 22-25).

Our friends Kerlin and Jordan are hosting a gathering on Sunday May 24, for rabble-rousers and holy dreamers to come together to share stories and explore the subjects of new monasticism and intentional communities in the Pacific Northwest.

Come and share your stories, questions and presence with us. If you are want to hang out with us contact me so I can send you more info about it.

Join us at the Mustard Seed House for an evening of conversation with Missio Dei’s communitarian Mark Van Steenwyk and follow Mustard Seed House people.

Mark Van Steenwyk is a member of Missio Dei (an Anabaptist intentional community anchored on the West Bank of Minneapolis that pursues Jesus’ way of simplicity, prayer, hospitality, and peace). Missio Dei is affiliated with the Mennonite Church USA and the Baptist General Conference.

The evening will be an informal time of sharing stories and experiences about new monasticism, intentional communities and radical discipleship.

For more info, contact Eliacín

When? Friday, February 27 at 7:00 PM

Where? Mustard Seed House , Seattle (click to see map)

by Eliacín

Catie and I were part of the MLK March in Seattle. Catie was not expecting so many people marching together honoring and living Dr. Kings dream of full embrace, justice and liberation. 

On Monday Catie joined the long tradition of sisters and brothers whom by walking with others unite in making possible the creating of the beloved community.

Download now this PDF including a new set of Advent responsive prayers curated by Christine Sine.

Advent Morning & Evening Prayers.

This are the prayers we are using at the Mustard Seed House – daily at 8:30 AM (PST) and 9:00 PM (PST). Download them and pray with us.

For Catie’s birthday party, we asked friends and family that gifts were not necessary, that it was just a time to celebrate Catie. But as you know there are always people who want to bring gifts, so we asked them to bring creative and homemade ones. Matthew, one of Catie’s friends, made her this disco ball, out of paper, aluminum foil and string for her room. She loves it.

Sunday night we started a series of discernment sessions with the Mustard Seed House community to work out how we can put our MSA rule of life into practice.  Over the next few months we plan to use this process to flesh out the shape of not just our community life but our personal disciplines too.  The idea is not  to dictate how each person practices their faith but to provide a framework of accountability for the practices that each person wants to commit to.  I am a great fan of British theologian John Stott.  One of his great comments from a lecture of his is

“The answers we get depend on the questions we ask.  Our job is not to give people answers but to help them ask the right questions

Read the entire article

By Joy Elizabeth Cross

they moved down the street.
they bring crime
they bring garbage
they lower the value of my house.

“I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” -Martin Luther King, Jr

“those people”
they might be a different skin color, race, religion, geographical region, or even income status.

they might not be homeowners. they might not be able to find jobs.
they might be…… homeless.

wake up America. when did you start segregating your own fellow Americans based on their ability to keep a house or a job.
to you there almost not human. you walk by quicker. you avoid eye contact. you grimace if they touch your sleeve.
how do i know you’ve done that? because i’ve done that.

i am guilty of not loving my neighbor as i love myself.
of not treating someone else as i would myself.

until one day i found myself hugging someone who lives on the streets. who cried because she saw someone that cared.
i sat down with her and she told me her story. her hardships. her struggles. and quickly i discovered how much we were alike.

the only difference was- i have a roof. she didn’t. i had a job. she didn’t.
the biggest similarity was- i had the love of jesus. she did too.