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November 1, 2009
Dear Saints at First Presbyterian Church of Scottsbluff:
I am full of gratitude and joy to tell you about where God is sending me. Through seminary and both of my pastoral internships with you, I planned, yet questioned, becoming an associate pastor. During the year at Campus by the Sea on Catalina Island, I thrived using my gift for hospitality, this time in a residential setting. Yet I missed corporate worship, especially following the church year, and spiritual mentors and partners. I wasn’t sure what to pursue. Then a couple friends said my passions for communal hospitality, historic worship and spiritual formation sounded like being a monk and that they could see me as one. An Episcopal monastery I visited in upstate New York as a seminarian came to mind. My response: “Yes! But me . . . how is that possible?”
On November 12th—almost two years of surprises later—I start the preliminary test for becoming a monk, a one-year Monastic Experience Program with the Society of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE). As an internal observer, I’ll share life with and learn from these Episcopalian brothers in their urban monastery in Cambridge, Massachusetts, adjacent to Harvard University.
There are three basic types of monastic communities. Some, like Trappists, are primarily contemplative, staying inside the monastery to pray, with few visitors or public contact. Others, like Jesuits, live and pray together but are primarily active, serving outside in schools, hospitals, social service agencies and parishes. SSJE balances both in a middle way. The brothers are active leading retreats for churches and speaking to clergy across the country, teaching at a seminary in Kenya, and as chaplains on Holy Land pilgrimages. Like Benedictines, they welcome many into their home—the guesthouse can accommodate fifteen—for retreats and spiritual direction.
SSJE is also contemplative. The brothers gather at 6am, midday, evening and 8:30pm for prayer, including psalms and hymns sung unaccompanied, plus a Eucharist whose time varies on the day. The public are welcome at all of these. Sunday morning and Tuesday evening the Eucharist is like a typical church service and has an organist. Many monasteries are rural with few neighbors. SSJE’s urban location invites a regular congregation of sorts at these two longer services. Many are young adults from nearby universities and seminaries. This location and ministry is intentional, as the Society—founded in Oxford, England—has always had a special focus on students.
Another part of SSJE’s contemplative nature is silence, a gift the brothers offer to all who visit. There is no talking from 9pm to 9am, and the rest of the day listening and reflection are given preference. All eat lunch and dinner together, usually while listening to a book read aloud by a brother or to classical music. I particularly like this! Conversation at mealtime occurs only during Tuesday dinner and Sunday lunch.
I will live with most of the brothers in a private building separate from the guesthouse. Sunday evening through Monday is our Sabbath (no guests, services or schedule). One may be alone or hang out with others, stay home or go out in the city. Vacation to visit family is in the summer. Though I’ll be sad to not be with my parents for Christmas, I am with them now for a couple weeks.
Worship punctuates study and work. Through tutorials with brothers, I will study monastic history, the Society’s Rule of Life (an impressive document rewritten over 8 years and adopted in 1996), forms of prayer, Scripture (especially John) and other aspects of monastic formation. In all this, including regular spiritual direction, further developing my own spiritual life is a focus. I will share in preaching the brief weekday sermons. My work duties will be similar to what I’ve done at InterVarsity retreat centers, maintaining the buildings and gardens and serving the guests. I will also volunteer part-time in a ministry outside the monastery.
There are currently 15 brothers: 9 doing most of the work, 3 mostly retired, 1 serving as a bishop, and 2 in nursing homes. While that’s low for them, they’ve not been above 25. The youngest is in his mid-40s, and most are in their mid-50s. Many are priests. A couple are cradle Episcopalians, but most were first nurtured by others, including Presbyterians and the Christian Reformed. They include alums from Wheaton College, Calvin College and even Oral Roberts University.
Men are admitted to the Monastic Experience Program on a rolling basis. Others may come next fall, but now I’m the only one in the program. Companions would be nice, but this is the experience God is giving me, and I’m excited for it. Brothers wear a traditional black habit much of the time, yet often not when outside the monastery. I’ll wear normal clothes. For many, a season in the monastery is significant formation for serving God in other settings. For some, it is the first test and first step toward becoming a monk. The next is the novitiate, two years of more intensive training.
God woos in unexpected, humorous ways. Worshiping in a formal Episcopal church during college was very significant for me. Being a hospital chaplain intern in college led me to seminary. Further chaplaincy shifted direction to parish ministry and doing so in Nebraska. Meanwhile I discovered an underlying desire for a retreat center ministry for pastors. I initially resisted my friends’ monk suggestion because I spent several years pursuing ordination as a Presbyterian. Though thankful for grounding myself with Presbyterians again at Princeton Seminary, Episcopal worship with its focus on the church year and higher sacramental emphasis has kept drawing me. I have worshiped with Episcopalians whenever possible and introduced further expressions of the church year, including the Easter Vigil, to you and my home congregation. Who knows what will happen after this monastic year. It will be a pleasure later to see more fully how God weaves this all together.
I can not imagine embarking on this experience without all I learned, formally and informally, in college, seminary, hospital chaplaincy, both very formative years of parish ministry with you and living in close community at Campus by the Sea. Spending over a year back with my home congregation was enriching too, especially being in Chancel Choir and Stephen Ministry and helping plan all the worship services.
I recently served for four months at Toah Nipi, InterVarsity’s New England retreat center. I filled in for my mentor from Campus by the Sea, Susie Veon, by leading a seven-collegian summer crew and being the temporary head cook. Then I hosted guests alongside Susie and helped with staff transitions. It was a gift to visit and interview at SSJE from Toah Nipi and get to know some InterVarsity staff serving in Boston, a couple of whom are regular guests at the monastery.
I look forward to sharing with you some of what I learn during this coming year with the monks. Thanks again for your significant investment in my personal and professional development.
Peace,
Luke
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www.ssje.org – Listen to/read brothers’ sermons and Rule of Life, learn more and see pictures. Most sermons on the website are from the longer Sunday and Tuesday Eucharist. Select Br. Kevin from the preacher sidebar and see “10, 9, 8, 7, 6 ...” for an example of a brief midweek sermon.
A brother describes SSJE’s mission, vows (poverty, celibacy and obedience) and ministry with young adults: http://www.trinitywallstreet.org/news/articles/an-old-monk-on-young-adult-spirituality
Guard Us Sleeping: Psalms, Prayers and Hymns for the Night
In Quiet Silence: Christmas in a Cloister
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