The Invitation 2018
Sunday, April 22, 2018 at 01:22PM In 2018 we invite you to:
We are inviting you to deepen your spiritual life by taking on a set of Benedictine practices.
Taking counsel is listening. It's listening to one another. It's listening to the whole parish community, the "wise ones," and those often unheard. Grumbling is ... well, you know what grumbling is.
There's a relationship between the two behaviors. There will be less grumbling in a parish in which leaders and members respectfully listen to one another. That listening will be an act of holy obedience to the extent the parish culture is one of faith and prayer.
"Grumbling and taking counsel in the parish community" - an overview of the matter A PDF
How to participate
1. Just begin. There's no registration. No formal process. Just begin.
You may find that this invitation is a call into a fuller holiness of life -- for you, for your parish community.
2. The material on this page includes:
- Beginning: with Stability, Obedience, and Conversion of Life
- The Prayer Book Pattern
- Taking Counsel
- Stop Grumbling
- General Benedictine Resources
3. Take your time to be reflective
You'll find sources of reflection and action in each section. We suggest that you allow yourself to engage each section in a reflective manner. See what that section offers you. You may want to skim everything at the beginning. Once you've done that we hope you'll focus on a section that draws your heart and mind. Move on to another section when you're ready.
If you'd like to share your experience with others you can post comments about what you are doing and what you are learning about the dynamics involved in this initiative.
Encourage participation -- Full poster half posters Cards
New material will be added from time to time.
Begin with: Stability, Obedience, and Conversion of Life
Our problem is to maintain stability and obedience in our own proper and particular vocation and thus attain the conversio morum demanded of all Christians. Michael Paternoster. "Benedictine Counsels for All Christians"
Seeking God: The Way of St. Benedict, Esther de Waal - a book
The Benedictine Promise: Dynamics of Parish
The Benedictine Promise: Dynamics of the Spiritual Life
Struggling with our thoughts and feelings - growing in emotional intelligence
The Prayer Book Pattern
The Promise of Stability, Obedience and Conversion of Life is a stance we take. It is us orienting ourselves in response to the Paraclete's guidance. From that stance we engage taking counsel and stopping our grumbling. We begin with prayer.
The Prayer Book Pattern is Daily Office and Sunday Eucharist with reflection/personal devotions assumed and engaged according to our temperament, circumstances and spiritual need. Michael Ramsey called it the Benedictine Triangle; Martin Thornton called it the Threefold Rule of Prayer.
Resources for Reflection & Action
The Threefold Rule of Prayer - basic handout on the Rule
Threefold Rule Chart - Thornton, MacQuarrie, Underhill, Leech
In Your Holy Spirit Model - embeds the threefold rule in a broader model
Taking Counsel
The threefold process of holy obedience – is listening to God in the Scriptures, and the prayers of the church, and in the voices of those around us. Bishop Scott Anson Benhase, OA
Resources for Reflection & Action
Benedict's Methods for Taking Counsel
Ways of Avoiding Taking Counsel
Effective Organization Development Methods
Forming a Listening Heart - a reflection 
The "green lines" image came during a day long consultation with the teachers and staff of a high school. I had them working in small groups. They were using the Relationship Cycle to describe the dynamics and issues they were facing. As the groups were reporting out to the whole group one participant yelled "No wonder we're in trouble. We don't have any green lines." I had used a green marker to show the possible movement from "rubs" to working out a new agreement for working and living together.
Stop Grumbling
Resources for Reflection & Action
The First Temptation - to obsess about the grumblers
Silence and stillness
Resources for Reflection & Action
Forgiveness
Resources for Reflection & Action
Grumbling and Conflict - getting to forgiveness A PDF of the article
Everyone has need for forgiveness
Useful Grumbling
It’s not of the Divine Charity if our grumbling breeds resentment, bitterness, and a willingness to damage a person’s well-being. That said, let’s be clear, all grumbling is not a sin. Benedict seems aware of “justifiable grumbling.” Some grumbling may be for the well being of the parish, even if it brings pain and conflict. Responsible behavior in daily life, seeking justice and truth, acting with courage and persistence as well as humility and patience -- will at times begin with two or three people grumbling.
Resources for Reflection & Action
Her community stood their ground
The low rumble of discontent and dissatisfaction
General Benedictine Resources
Become a Professed Member of OA