The Desert Fathers

The Desert Fathers were monks, asethics and hermits who lived mainly in Egypt beginning around the third century. Their objective was to remove themselves from the many corruptions of the world and to seek God in the "emptiness" of the parched dry desert. The greatest of these was Antony who live a remarkably long life of 95 years and is considered the father of monasticism.There main practices were: love for all men., silence and stillness to wait for God,recitation of scripture and withdrawal from society. They truly tried to get as close to God as possible.

I shared in an earlier post that I had committed myself to a study of the wisdom of the desert. This has been a most fascinating journey for me. It has led me to open myself to new ways of thinking about and listening to God. The study of the sayings and history of these men of the desert has brought out a yearning for a "desert place" of my own. One of the outgrowths of this journey has been to establish a Contemplative Worship time at St. Luke's.

From time to time I will be sharing one of the preserved "sayings" of the fathers on this blog along with a few thoughts that I have about it. It will be my attempt to apply these sayings to the life of a Missional Christian. I hope it may be helpful or encouraging and I invite your comments so that I might add your wisdom to this discussion.

A Turn in the Journey

The Missional Journey is not a straight path but rather it has many turns and surprises. This month I will begin perhaps the most radical turn that I have undertaken in many years. In an effort to truly live up to the the mission of the UMC--"to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world"--I have felt compelled by the Lord to broaden the scope of worship at St. Luke's. This is being accomplish by the addition of two new worship services.

One is called "The Retreat". The service features a time of silence,contemplation , prayer and Holy Communion. It primarily seeks to use symbols,quiet music and sacrament to draw us closer to God. It is "Contemplative" in nature.

The other is called "The Highway". It is a "contemporary" worship time that seeks to use a casual atmosphere, lively music and a focused biblical message to draw people to the Christian journey.

These happenings represent the ongoing growth of my Missional Journey. In the coming months I will attempt to share,with some regularity where this journey is going. Along the way I will be putting small thoughts about ministry, worship and just living and I invite your feedback.

Moving Day

Today is "moving day" in our subculture of itinerant United Methodist Pastors in Louisiana. That means that a certain number of my colleagues pack their belongings and head to a new place of ministry. For some the change will be most welcome but for others it will be somewhat sad. As for me I will remain in New Orleans to continue my search for the Missional ministry God has for me.

Once again, we face a sad and tragic situation in Coastal Louisiana and New Orleans. We've had hurricanes, a crime "wave" and now an oil spill of unbelievable proportions descending upon our coast. At times like these I can't help but ask the question-Why? I know inside of me that that is a useless question. Certainly not one to spend much time thinking about. The only problem with that position is that thousands of people are hurting and asking that very question. I am not moving and I thankful to God for that. It is time to be more than thankful. The time has come to be present in places and times that make others uncomfortable. The pelican in the picture above has become a sort of "poster boy" of the sad plight of Coastal Louisiana. As strange as it may seem one of the highlights of my day when I moved to post Katrina New Orleans was that I could see pelicans as I rode my bicycle along the lakefront or through City Park. (I saw no pelicans when I rode yesterday.)The bird in the picture represents the sadness I feel when I think about what is happening . Why is this happening? I don't know.

The real question is --What? That has become somewhat simple for me. As a Missional Christian I do not ask why but what must I do to serve God's mission. I gladly begin my new year and commit myself to give my all to this city and its people. I look forward to participating in times of prayer, counseling and maybe cleanup if it comes to that for me. On this moving day I'm glad I'm not moving. My heart is in New Orleans more that ever-- for in being here I fine a strange sense of purpose.Yes, I want to build a great church but more than that I want to be a part of a servant ministry that will bring comfort and hope to the people that I might touch.

My Spring Retreat

The routine of my retreat began with a worship followed by breakfast. After breakfast I would retire to my room for a time of solitude and study until about noon. I would then had lunch with the workers of the community and after lunch I would retire, once again, to my room for a time of solitude, prayer and additional study until 4:30pm. My evenings were spent with times of recreation and discussion with Fr.David and friends of the monastery. The topic of study was the Desert Fathers of Egypt. I believe that we Christians can learn much from these Desert Fathers. Their dedication to the purity of Christianity and determination to find God in the dry parched lands of the Egyptian desert is an inspiration to me. They had to get away to find the true wisdom of God. For us they have left behind a wealth of wisdom that can be a real blessing to our rushed and worried world.

What Did I study?
My study book for the retreat is Desert Mystics by Linus Mundy. I am using selected readings from The Sayings of the Desert Fathers by Benedicta Ward SLG.

What Do I Take Home?
A retreat is an intensely personal experience. It is very difficult to really express in just a few words the content that I take home with me. This I can say -- that my study of the Desert Fathers led me to re-examine the way I live my life day-to-day. In our world we assume so many things. The world of the Desert Fathers is so different than anything we can imagine. It was a world that required an intense closeness to God. No one could live in the desert without being committed and dedicated to survival each day. That survival was directly link to their relationship with God.

I take home the notion that a relationship with God requires constant attention. We must be willing to allow ourselves to be emptied of all that we are in order that we might be filled with all that He has to offer. It is in discovering the parched condition of our very souls that we find the refreshing nature of God's Spirit. We begin to get our nourishment from our daily walks and talks with God. Desert spirituality helps us to discover the importance of making the simplest of tasks a spiritual offering to God. The chores we do around the house, the cutting of the grass, the washing of the car and all these other simple tasks are part of our pilgrimage which God.

  

What Actions Am I Led to Take?
Just a few Thoughts:

• Pray the Psalms every day
• Observe at least 30 minutes of silence a day
• Choose a work that is dedicated to God (something outside of my profession)
• Work with the poor whenever possible

My retreat took place May 10-14. I write this as an attempt to get back into the discipline of blogging. In the coming weeks and months I will attempt to share some thing thst strike me as I study and read the writings of the Desert Fathers.

The Journey

I recently attended the Methodist Congress on Evangelism. It was a great time of inspiration and challenge. The challenge was truly Missional. How can we continue to grow as a Missional People? Let me share a thought with you .

The Journey

What is it?
A four week short term study designed to introduce people to the faith of the people called Methodists.
Who is it for?
It is specifically aimed at persons NOT attending church at this time.
How can I help?
Agree to host a group at your home for four weeks. Groups should be no more than 10 nor less than 6 with only the host and co host if necessary being people who attend St. Luke’s at this time.
Where to go from here?
You can email me or call me and I will come to your home to discuss the particulars of this

God has poured out his grace on St. Luke’s in ways that only he could have done these past few weeks. I believe with all my heart that he wants us to be a Missional church that keeps its focus on the mission of God. Please prayfully consider your participation as a host for The Journey.

A Word from Mr. Wesley

'The Methodists must take heed to their doctrine, their experience, their practice, and their discipline. If they attend to their doctrines only, they will make the people antinomians; if to the experimental part of religion only, they will make them enthusiasts; if to the practical part only, they will make them Pharisees; and if they do not attend to their discipline, they will be like persons who bestow much pains in cultivating their garden, and put no fence round it, to save it from the wild boar of the forest."

John Wesley

John Wesley expressed the importance of us becoming fully developed believers of Christ. The fully devoted believers does not become a one dimensional Christian.

What Can I Do?

We ask ourselves that question every time there is a great tragedy in the world. The tragic event that took place in Haiti on January 11th will cause long lasting suffering. Our first reaction is to want to do something. We can give money, (an urgent need right now) we can pray and we can even weep with those who are weeping. There are many of us want to put our hands on something that makes us part of the solution but that is not possible for the great majority of us.

Missional people are committed to applying the teachings of Christ to all situations, no matter how tragic. I watch the news each day and am saddened more by the seemingly hopeless plight of so many of the injured. I watch and gather hope from the courage of the rescue crews that have come from all over the world. They risk ther lives to help others. They are truly Missional people. As Missional people we are a people of prayer.

I offer this prayer:

Lord you created the earth with all it dynamics. We sometimes question the reasons for suffering and pain. We even blame you and call you a harsh and vengeful God but when we see your power manifested in natural disasters we are reminded of your greatness. Lord allow us to learn to treasure our days as we watch the unfolding of this horror. Let us learn from the spirit of the first responders who risk their lives to save others. In all this help us to count our days and offer them to the service of the world. Amen