Abbey Way
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In our hearts, in our words,
in our thoughts, in all we do,
we praise You, O God.
“Christian community is not an ideal we have to realize, but rather a reality created by God in Christ in which we may participate. The more clearly we learn to recognize that the ground and strength and promise of all our community is in Jesus Christ alone, the more calmly we will learn to think about our community and pray and hope for it.”
— Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together
The Story
Abbey Way was a small intentional community of faith in Minneapolis, Minnesota that leaned into the Rule of Saint Benedict, a 1500 year old monastic rule. For seventeen years Abbey Way created a place to live a committed Christian life as a community. Here is a bit of its story.
The Way
To participate in the way of Abbey Way was to engage in an intentional way of living a shared life in God, grounded in an ordinary, purposeful engagement in life as it is. We claimed a very basic theological truth as central to our living: God is present in all parts of our life. We believed all of life is then sacred, filled with the God's holiness and love. There is no where we could go, there is no experience we could have, which God was not already there ready to meet us.The spirituality of the Abbey Way was one of wholeness. Wholeness in Christ. Wholeness in our choices. Wholeness in our relational connections. We dared to believe that the Spirit is active among us, leading us and guiding us as we submit ourselves in humility to God and each other. We desired to be Christ followers with our hearts wide open, ever expanding to the wonder and mystery of God all around us, obedient and faithful to the voice of God in our lives, both alone and together, centering our lives in Jesus, walking in God’s good way.We chose to ask, listen, see and respond to what God was doing in our midst: in us, with us, through us, and between us. Knowing we are always in process, we desired to be a community who stopped to notice and name the Spirit’s movement in order to discover what it means to be God’s people today, in this place.Built on the foundations of healthy spiritual relationships full of kinship and kindness, shared spiritual practices of prayer and reflection, and corporate rhythms of worship, study, retreat and service, Abbey Way desired to be continually renewed in our formation as a Christ centered faith community that reflects our Lord in generous welcome to everyone.
The Life
“Arrange everything so that the strong have something to yearn for and so that the weak have nothing to run from.” – St. Benedict
Abbey Way’s model of Christian community centered in shared spiritual practices and corporate rhythms versus programs or events. With less energy put into developing and maintaining a wide range of ministry opportunities, more time was freed up to be together as a community of faith, sharing common life through meals, prayer, study, and play, while blessing people in God’s call of faithful love within the context of our neighborhoods and workplaces. We desired to create a way of living the Gospel life together that sustained and nurtured each person in and out of every season.Some of the practices Abbey Way held in its rhythm of life together were:Daily: Morning Prayer / Meditation or Lectio Divina or Centering Prayer or Examen / Evening PrayerWeekly: Gathered Prayer/ WorshipTwice a Month: Simple shared meal with prayer, learning, and supportMonthly: Individual Spiritual Reflection or Group Spiritual Direction / Community Shared MealQuarterly: Community Service / Study / Sabbath / ReflectionYearly: Community Retreat / Personal Retreat / Communal ReflectionPlacing a high value on each person’s spiritual growth and ability to hear God, we endeavored to make space for wholistic interaction for everyone.
Intergenerational
Sunday Morning
From the very beginning of Abbey Way, we have intentionally included our children in every aspect of our Sunday gathering. They are valued as contributors to our life together, helping out as they are able with set up, clean up and caring for younger children. They regularly add significance to our dialogue by asking probing questions and giving insightful comments. When we pray, they readily extend their hands in blessing. Keeping us focused on what is real and present, the children add a connective realism to our Sunday gathering (and other times we meet) which is not found in most other church experiences. From the place of childhood innocence, the children in the community are well received as important and essential to who we are as church.Formation in Christ
Intergenerational
As often as we can, Abbey Way’s worship and service includes an intentional learning activity that provides opportunity to interact with the story of Jesus in creative engagement and conversation together.
Makers’ Mornings
Seasonally, Abbey Way offers Makers’ Mornings for all ages that incorporates liturgical church themes with creative craft including but not limited to baking, painting, sewing, weaving, and carpentry.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
For Abbey Way’s little ones, the Atrium has reopened on a casual basis before Sunday’s worship gathering. This Montessori based curriculum centers on introducing children to the grace and goodness of the Good Shepherd through story, wonder, and play.