mayBe

South Park: 28th Feb 10

Toby — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:30:59 +0000

Some amazing effort was made on Sunday to get to the mayBe gathering. The wind was cold and the rain bitter. South Park was guarded by a moat of mud. Niamh and Ezra took shelter double decker style in the push chair. Poor Guy had a tumble in a deep trench by the gate. We all made efforts to clean him down. Tabatha was perhaps the most relaxed of us all, occasionally waking up when mum moved too much.

The prayer figures were great. So creative and varied. A signpost for the lost, embracing arms for carers and a blue rectangle for anger. Phoebe had made a dead mermaid to signify bereavement. I’m not sure I can think of anything more sad. Or perhaps was she referring to the death of childhood fantasies? She could have been, she is a very bright 5 year old.

After the gathering it was time to dash for the cafe. Hot chocolate, with ice cream in it, is the antidote for cold hands and feet!

Prayer Discussion

Toby — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:53:28 +0000

Some themes we talked about on Thurs 25 Mar 2010 at Cara’s:

Prayer about listening
Public prayer can be abused to express an opinion
What is prayer life anyway?
Does it change anything? As humans are we just desperate to control the world around us?
Expressing feelings to God important
Do we think too much about it? Should we just do it?

Yay! Greenbelt want mayBe community back for 2010

Rich — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 22:00:36 +0000

We received an email from greenbelt inviting mayBe community back to be part of the new worship plans for GB2010. We replied immediately with a whole-hearted YES.

Prayer cycle

Rich — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 21:55:53 +0000

This cycle we’re looking at prayer, the breath of our community life. And it’s Lent and then Easter!

We’re encouraging each other to take up a resistance for Lent, and to start and end our days using the new prayer mat, knowing that we pray in community.

Week 1

Thursday 25 Feb: Community meal at Cara’s. Andrea preparing resource.

Saturday 27 Feb: 10am Community meal at The Mish, St. Clements. Rach hosting

Sunday 28 Feb: 10:15am Worship gathering in South Park.

Week 2

Thursday 4 March: Community meal at Yates’.

Saturday 6 March: 10am Community meal at The Mish, St. Clements. Sam to host.

Sunday 7 March: Worship gathering in Bury Knowle Park, 2pm

Week 3

Thursday 11 March: Meal at Ginny’s (Botley Rd) Cara to write resource.

Saturday 13 March: 10am Community meal at The Mish, St. Clements. John & Tops to host.

Sunday 14 March (Mothering Sunday): 7pm Bethlehem chapel – [Facilitator needed]

Week 4

Thursday 18 March: Community meal at Sam & Dave’s. Ginny preparing resource.

Saturday 20 March: 10am Community meal at The Mish, St. Clements. Rich & Tracey to host.

Sunday 21 March: 10am-2pm community conversation, including bring-n-share lunch and agape meal led by Andrew Swift [TBC].

Week 5

Thursday 25 March: Sam to write resource, but can’t facilitate. [Host needed]

Saturday 27 March: 10am Community meal at The Mish, St. Clements. Sam to host.

Sunday 28 March: 2pm Worship gathering with the horses in Port Meadow. [Facilitator needed]

Week 6

Thursday 1 April: Maundy Thursday: Visit foot washing service at St. James’, Cowley, followed by community meal at Toby’s.

Good Friday 2 April: Still Point Stations of the Cross exhibition at Jam Factory. time TBC.

Sunday 4 April 7pm Easter Day! Bethlehem Chapel eucharist gathering. Asking Sister Margarette-Anne to preside.

Week 7

Time for rest, friends & family.

Pray-as-you-go

Rich — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 11:37:17 +0000

When we had the community meal at our place and were talking about prayer, I told you about the daily prayer I use from the Jesuits which you can download for your ipod – it’s called ‘pray as you go’. It is about 10min long and uses music, a scripture reading, some thoughts to contemplate and some time for prayer. I like it lot, it’s a good and easy way to incorporate some sort of prayer into your daily life!

So here is the link: http://www.pray-as-you-go.org/

For those of you who use itunes, you can access it via the itunes shop if you search for ‘pray as you go’ (obviously it is for free).

Hope that helps!

By Doerthe

Bethlehem Chapel – eucharist with Sister Margaret Anne

Rich — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:07:04 +0000

It was wonderful to gather together in Bethlehem Chapel again (it’s like a womb to us) and a real privilege to welcome Rev Sister Margaret Anne from All Saints Convent to celebrate the eucharist with us for the first time. The big turn-out reflected our hunger for the bread and wine, body and blood of Jesus – and it was a holy nourishing after a period of fasting. Toby provided a great soundscape, Chris helped us meditate on St Paul’s words about love using the Jesus prayer, and Andrea brought a prayer-provoking image of Christ for us to focus on.

The Rusty Bicycle has become a firm favourite venue for the continuing conversation after our worship – and we discovered that children are welcome as long as they don’t drink too much or get too rowdy!

By Sam

Saturday Brunch at the Mish

Rich — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:06:15 +0000

Chocolate brioche and flapjack was munched, much table-football was played, and space was made for children to play, adults to talk, and all to pray. We had a big turn out with Sylvie, Isla, Ariane, Niamh & Ezra and Theo all bringing responsible-ish adults along. It was particularly great to catch up with Darko before the family move to Dublin for 3 months to drastically reduce his commute to work to 15 mins!

Saturday Brunch is mayBe’s second community meal gathering of the week when we eat together, discuss the resource and engage in a simple act of worship together. The venue means there is plenty of space for adults and children to play – and you don’t have to accompany a child to come! If you can’t make Thursday for any reason, why not come along 10am – 12noon on Saturday!

by Sam

simple ideas for daily prayer

Rich — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 08:01:34 +0000

may this inspire us all to find our daily discipline of prayer as part of mayBe’s pattern of community life. These came from discussions at community meals and worship gathering in our spirit of mayBe cycle.

communicating prayer online eg twitter or facebook
writing it in your diary
taking the time to be mindful – not always multitasking
be content with little things, little amounts of time
praying for each other’s concerns – perhaps have email list of words or names (no need for detail/info)
community exploring creative simple engaged and playful living in the way of Jesus – pause prayerfully on each of the 7 elements of our calling (as footsteps, using icons on our website, as words etc) – eg use ‘O Lord Hear My Prayer’ taize chant
wonder for mayBe community – what’s sprouted in the garden, what’s come back to life, new life? rebirth, new birth… new beginnings … look, hear, smell, touch and sing!
when wandering around on daily travels remember to look around, wondering at simle and magnificent signs from nature
time to make space in your life for presence – quiet and contemplative
laughter – sings a song (hymn, chorus etc) at the top of your voice! Louder!
time to spend more time making space for play – keep as light-hearted as a child
pause for thought every day
grace, space, wonder, grit, resistance, laughter, presence (the spirit of mayBe) – hold each word prayerfully for members of mayBe and others
remember to laugh everyday!
be thankful and focus on gratitude

we’re all together again, we’re here, we’re here!

Rich — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 21:25:49 +0000

It was wonderful to be gathered together at Bethlehem chapel in our wellies and hiking boots having braved the snow to start the year with a gentle but heartfelt statement of intent. Amazingly all seven members of mayBe taking on guardianship of different areas of our shared life were present to join with the community in making vows and receiving blessings. This is the start of my third (and final) year as guadian of space/exploring and it is such a privilege to serve in this role. I see it as a challenge to myself in the first place, and then to the community, to keep growing in faith and sharing our learning by offering one another the space to do so.

Not quite everyone was there in person – especially the proud parents of the newest member of mayBe born 5am that morning. What a beautiful way to start the year – a sign of fruitfulness and new life!

Sam

the spirit of mayBe cycle

Rich — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:11:07 +0000

happy 2010 everyone!

This cycle re-looking at the spirit of mayBe: a community exploring simple, creative, engaged, playful living in the way of Christ.

Week 1: community, grace

Cara’s made this week’s resource on grace, and the community meal on Thursday will be at Tracey, Rich & Harvey’s.

Also this week: Saturday community meal @ the Mish at 10am, and Sunday 10:30 @ the convent chapel for a renewal of guardians’ vows, including dismissals, renewals and welcoming Ali as a new guardian, too! Music makers come at 10 on Sunday to prepare.

Week 2: exploring, space

tea ceremony at Saturday community meal

Thursday 14 Jan: Ali & Debs hosting

Saturday 16 Jan: Chris hosting at The Mish, 10am. Check out the photos.

Sunday 17 Jan 10:30 worship on South Park (the kids explored some interesting spaces…), followed by café.

Week 3: creative, wonder

Thursday 21 Jan: Chris and Rach hosting.

Saturday 23 Jan: The Mish: Cara hosting.

Sunday 24 Jan: 2pm Bury Knowle Park. Chris to facilitate, possibly Eucharist if Jonathan available. See Dave’s photos

Week 4: simplicity, grit

Thursday 28 Jan: Chris preparing resource, Doerthe & Jan hosting.

Saturday 30 Jan: Sam & Dave hosting at the Mish at 10am.

Sunday 31 Jan 7pm: Bethlehem convent chapel. Rev Sister Margaret Anne will celebrate Eucharist with us. Followed by visit to lovely local pub, the Rusty Bicycle.

Week 5: engaged, resistance

Thursday 4 Feb: Rich to organise. Cara hosting.

Saturday 6 Feb: Andrea hosting at The Mish at 10am.

Sunday 7 Feb: 10:30am university parks. Toby facilitating. Followed by café.

Week 6: playful, laughter

Thursday 11 Feb: Sam & Dave’s

Saturday 13 Feb: Ginny to facilitate at the Mish 10am.

Sunday 14 Feb: 2pm St. Mary’s, Barton for a child-focused Eucharist.

Monday 15 Feb: Guardians’ meeting at Toby’s.

Week 7: rest week + art exhibition

Saturday 20 Feb: Kate’s invited the community to her exhibition at her house in Thame.

Next cycle: Easter and prayer cycle

Community conversation 21 March @ the Mish, 10-2pm.