The Order of St. James: September 2008

Monday, September 29, 2008

Order of St. James - 08/09

So what is the Order of St. James up to this year? We met for the first time early in the school year and decided that we'd like to just run this whole thing as a covenant group for the year. So we're not trying to figure out all the details. We're just diving in and trusting the Holy Spirit to lead us as we go. We're meeting every other week for a potluck and conversation at a different person's house. Each meeting we focus on one of the marks of this group: simplicity, hospitality, evangelism. So here's our meeting schedule for those who are interested in joining us:

Sept 25 @ 6-8PM – Klopp’s House
Oct 9 @ 6-8PM – Bowles’ House
Oct 23 @ 6-8PM – Anyone want to host?
Nov 6 @ 6-8PM – Klopp’s House
Nov 20 @ 6-8PM – Bowles’ House
Dec 4 @ 6-8PM – Isaiah House

If you've got questions, email me: tom@saraharthur.com.

Methodist Benedictine Monastery

Someone who was reading our blog emailed me about this Methodist Benedictine Monastery. Again, I thought it might be of interest to what we're doing.

http://www.janrichardson.com/saintbrigidmonastery

Junky Car Club

I came across this website today. Thought it might be of interest to what we're doing.

http://www.virb.com/junkycarclub

Order of St. James

In 2008, the Order of St. James was founded by a group of United Methodist clergy and their families who have covenanted to live according to a life rule based on commitments to hospitality, simplicity, and evangelism. The members meet regularly for prayer, open sharing, confession, encouragement, guidance and accountability regarding the way these three rules are lived out in daily life, and they look to the wisdom of other ancient and modern monastic orders for guidance, such as the Rule of St. Benedict and the 12 Marks of New Monasticism. As the group grows and disperses, they have committed to meet together yearly while looking for like-minded individuals in their local conferences for more consistent fellowship. Although this group began as clergy, they are exploring ways in which interested laity might also covenant with them in a like manner.

As United Methodist families, the members have chosen to embody these principles especially by limiting their yearly spending to stay within the minimum salary offered by their UMC Conference. As they progress through the UMC clergy appointment system, they have chosen not to allow their lifestyle expenses to increase as their salaries inflate. They will continue to accept whatever higher salary is offered, but they have chosen to use the money exceeding the minimum salary level to aid those in need outside of their own family.

In American United Methodism, most clergy are very well cared for by their total compensation package (including salary, housing, health insurance, pension, etc), and the members of this group do not consider this commitment to be a vow of poverty in any sense. Members are choosing to limit their budgets to be in solidarity with those who are less fortunate, and to remember John Wesley's teachings regarding money, "Having first gained all you can, and secondly saved all you can, then give all you can." (Sermon, The Use of Money, III.1) In order to more faithfully embody the love of Christ, members work hard, live simple lives and limit their spending (Wesley's understanding of "saving") so they might be more hospitable to those in need and offer a more compelling witness to the world.

Anyone interested in learning more about The Order of St. James can contact orderstjames@gmail.com.

The Order of St. James

Monday, September 29, 2008

Order of St. James - 08/09

Methodist Benedictine Monastery

Junky Car Club

Followers

Order of St. James

Blog Archive