Hi Folks,<br><br>A couple of weeks ago a group of St Uriel's parish regulars gathered to discuss what they wanted in a church. We talked for an hour or two, shared some thoughts and came to some decisions. I wanted to let you know a little of what we talked about.<br>
<br>As you know, for most of the last year, we have been meeting each week for a service. Initially, a lay service and since my ordination a Eucharist service (known in some communities as Mass or Holy Communion). In the last few months, because my mother's illness meant that it was hard for me to predict when I would be in Sydney, services have been intermittent (and not terribly well announced).<br>
<br>Rather than simply return to what we have been doing, I thought it might be sensible to take advantage of the hiatus to pause for a moment and ask if what we were doing actually served the needs of the people who were coming along.<br>
<br>I asked the group to consider what they might be expecting from a church that they weren't getting from what we've been doing. The answers were quite coherent across the group.<br><br>Everyone wanted to do more to build a sense of social connection in the parish – to get to know each other better, to feel a sense of solace in coming to church. Everyone also wanted a chance to study texts – especially Gnostic texts – and discuss them together in a fairly structured way.<br>
<br>Several people present also wanted to engage in spiritual practice together in addition to the current liturgy – meditation and prayer in which we practice as a group.<br><br>After we'd talked about all that, I made a proposal that we shift our emphasis towards more reading, discussion and spiritual practice and hence celebrate the Eucharist a little less frequently. The plan for the moment is to celebrate the Holy Eucharist once a month and in the other weeks gather for a less formal meeting with a short meditation or contemplative prayer and discussion of a text we'd all read in the week before.<br>
<br>We'll start this new programme this Sunday (9 Nov) at 6pm at our usual venue of 15 Francis St, Darlinghurst (just half a block from Hyde Park). This week will be a basic introduction to the simple practice of centering prayer and an introductory discussion of Gnosticism.<br>
<br>From next week, we'll start a more structure discussion of the book "Living Gnosticism" by Father Jordan Stratford.<br><br>We hope this shift will serve the needs of our parish community a little more effectively. As we try something new, it's a great time to come and join in and help make St Uriel's the spiritual community you've always wanted.<br>
<br>Here's the weekly schedule for the weeks up to the end of the year.<br><br>9 Nov - Practice+Discussion<br>16 Nov - Practice+Discussion<br><b>23 Nov - Eucharist - All Gnostic Saints</b><br>30 Nov - Practice+Discussion (Tim in NZ)<br>
7 Dec - Practice+Discussion<br>14 Dec - Practice+Discussion<br>
<b>21 Dec - Xmas Eucharist (also St Thomas, St Raphael, John the Beloved)</b><br>28 Dec, 4 Jan - Break<br><br>Your in Love and Light,<br><br>Father Tim+<br><blockquote style="margin: 1.5em 0pt;"></blockquote>