A Node in the Web of the Emerging Church

Formation House: a place for folks considering intentional community

Posted Apr 29, 11:41 PM | 3 comments | by Editor | Link

By Karen Sloan:

In conversations about the church emerging some participants have an inescapable tug to life in community, for purposes of announcing the Kingdom of God is near. But there is often a gaping hole between folks’ visions and sustainable lived reality. I was one of these people. Then, six months ago, a few week stay in Pittsburgh led into a structured commitment of intentional community training, which I am excited to invite others to join me in.

As the author of Flirting with Monasticism: Finding God on Ancient Paths, I have met countless people seeking ways to embody missional faith in intentional communities. And my ears have perked up when Emergent leaders validate this part of emerging Christianity (see quotes below). Yet, after a multi-year search of knocking on community doors, I failed in finding long-term new monastic training.

What I gained was a number of formative pieces, which equip me for living out a blend of prayer and work with a community. Now in God’s unexpected ways I find myself organizing a foundational year, for others to become leaders with intentional Christian communities, sharing rhythms of prayer and work: Formation House.

A hope of the diverse team working to get this dream launched in the next six months is to serve monastic stirrings within friends of Emergent Village. If you are this flavor of emergence, it would be a joy to have you check out the information on our website and consider applying to enter an annual cycle (and perhaps join our facebook page?). A key distinctive for participants in Formation House is not only sharing daily rhythms of prayer and work, but also receiving substantial support through a growth process of becoming a well-formed intentional community member.

Apply now for this year’s cycle beginning at the end of August!

Pray. Work. Grow.

Phyllis Tickle: “I don’t think anybody knows exactly where the Great Emergence is going, much less where the Christianity, emerging/emergent, coming out of it is going to go exactly, but there are some contours that are clearly visible right now and can be described. ... It is definitely communal, even to point that about a quarter of it is probably engaged in a form of monasticism.”

Brian McLaren: “What’s needed is a profound reorganization of our way of life, not a squeeze-another-hour-for-“community” into the week. ... I expect that this thirst for community will lead to a lot of experimentation in the years ahead. Perhaps many of our churches will become more like Catholic churches in the past, where the ideal parish had a few households where monks or nuns lived in community, practicing radical hospitality that would overflow to the community at large.”

This week’s TheOoze.TV segment is an interview with Karen all about flirting with monasticism, living in intentional communities, and Formation House:

Karen Sloan is a PC(USA) minister and an Emergent leader. She often hosts conversations about monastic life and leads groups in ancient practices like the Liturgy of the Hours.

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Welcome to the Reader's Forum

1Jan 04/30/2009 09:18 PM

Cool.

2Ron Ching 05/01/2009 08:49 PM

Have we forgotten PLAY? Aren’t we supposed to become like kids again? joyful? or, is this dangerous, too dangerous to FLIRT with?

3Mike Clawson 05/02/2009 09:51 AM

This looks so great Karen! I’m really excited about this. This is exactly the kind of thing we need right now. There are so many looking to join in the practice of intentional community but have no idea how to get started. I’m glad structures are finally being put into place to help provide opportunities for training and multiplication.

You’re like a modern day Clare of Assisi, my friend! :)