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A Model Urban Abbey
A Model Urban Abbey
Spirituality & Health
November 1, 2005
Charles Lane
Tucked between the tall buildings of Arlington, Virginia’s tech center is Saint George’s Episcopal Church, a small triangular chapel dwarfed by high-rises, directly above Washington, D.C.’s bustling metro. On most evenings, pedestrians hurrying past Saint George’s will hear only the din of the evening rush home. But on Wednesdays the soft sound of Taizé chanting wafts out to the city streets.
The Urban Abbey is the creation of Ronald Crocker, rector at Saint George’s. His intention was to blend together monasticism and Protestantism in order to provide a peaceful sanctuary for its members inside the busy city.
But the Urban Abbey is not a traditional monastery. Instead it adapts the classic abbey model to the demands of modern secular living. All the members have day jobs and families, but they use the rule of Saint Benedict to spiritually reconnect their lives by emphasizing silent meditation, community service, daily prayers, and hospitality.
Evenings at the Urban Abbey begin with hospitality, when any and all are invited to share a meal and fellowship. From passersby to longtime members of Saint George’s, all gather and enjoy each other’s company. Afterward, an intense silence fills the chapel as members begin their lectio divina prayers. A scripture is chosen for each member to memorize and softly repeat, letting it mingle with their thoughts and engage their minds to listen for the murmur of God’s words.
The highlight of the evening is Taizé chanting, a short scripture put to song and repeated hundreds of times. The beautiful sound billows up above our heads, hypnotically narrowing the mind’s focus. A calm develops and melts away the details and deadlines of day-to-day living.
At the Urban Abbey, Saint Benedict’s saying is heeded: “Listen to God with the ear of our hearts; only then can we be attentive to His divine presence in our monasteries and in our lives.”
Posted by 1000monkeys on November 1, 2005 11:32 PM