ways into small missional community [16] befriend a traditional community

It was really good to be able to host and participate in a conversation between traditional and emerging communities last month. Over 70 people from a variety of traditional and emerging backgrounds and traditions got together to share stories, insights, questions, imaginings and possibilities around the idea and practice of religious community in mission.

The interest and enthusiasm that I saw reinforced my instinct that the making of small missional community is a shared journey. Others have taken this path before, others will go this way in the future. There will be some constants and similarities, and because we live in ever-changing cultures, there will be differences that we cannot imagine right now.

My suggestion in this latest post in the series is to seek out another community [or communities] to befriend. Particularly one that is from a different place on the journey. So if yours is a contemporary take on community you might find it really insightful to make friends with a traditional community of nuns, monks or friars. There is great wisdom and learning about community in the traditional religious orders. In my experience they also very good questions of those of us doing a newer thing - and at the same time are enormously inspiring. They are also encouraged to find their ancient ways being reinterpreted and reshaped by the emergers.

If you want to look into the possibility of making friends with a traditional religious community in your area and don’t where to start, please get in touch. I’d be very happy to try to suggest some possibilities...

peace to you and your communities
Ian