All are Welcome to Become Monastics or Sojourn with us

You, and everyone else, are welcome to become an Urban Monastic or to sojourn with us. Each one of us commits to let this Way of Life be the foundation for how we live.

We are here by choice. Each one of us experiences a unique invitation from God into a monastic way of living. This community is open to everyone. With time, we hope that you will experience a growing kinship with one another. The primary way we experience community is through our shared practices and rhythms. To live this Way of Life grafts us into the monastic tradition that began with our Desert Mothers and Fathers in the early days of the Church.

This way of living is open to all people. We express our Christian beliefs in the Nicene Creed. On the points of this creed we are in unity. There is acceptance and diversity for what is not included. You are welcomed with your personal blend of Christian tradition, identity, gender, and relationship status. You are welcome from wherever you may live. Each person who wants to join us has a choice between being a monastic or a sojourner. A monastic is one who commits to living into the fullness of our Way of Life. Those who sojourn with us enjoy the flexibility to choose which parts they commit themselves to. For those of us who are married, our spouses do not need to participate. This will be a lifelong commitment for some and a season of life for others.

In this same spirit of openness, there are no restrictions on who can fulfill a role or position. Our roles and positions will focus on someone’s ability, availability, spiritual maturity, and willingness. As an ecumenical monastic order, there is normally no preference for Christian tradition. As we seek to maintain our ecumenical commitment, we may, at times, have a preference for individuals from certain Christian traditions that are less represented.

Becoming a Sojourner

If only parts of this Way of Life resonate with you, we invite you to sojourn with us. To sojourn is to live among us, but not become one of us. You are welcome to stay with us however long you choose. While you are here, you can decide which parts of our Way of Life you wish to adopt. Reach out to us to let us know. From this point on, you are a sojourner. Our hope is that your time with us helps you live more monastically in your city. You’re invited to be as involved as you want to be.

Becoming an Urban Monastic

The first thing to do is express your desire to become a monastic to us. After a short dialogue, you may be invited to be a monastic candidate. The candidate process asks each person to begin living our active practices and to deeply reflect on this Way of Life. This is a period of mutual discernment between you and an Urban Monastic. If, at the conclusion of the discernment period, you two agree that God is calling you to be an Urban Monastic, you will become one. This is a reflection of your ongoing commitment to follow this Way of Life.

Obligations to Urban Monasticism

There will be times when our monastic order requests feedback from our monastics. There is an expectation that each person will take time to be prayerful and informed in their response. There is also an annual general meeting of our membership that you are asked to participate in.

Being Excluded from Urban Monastics

There are two parts of our Way of Life that can cause someone to be excluded. The first is that they fail to disclose their history as a physical or sexual abuser or predator, or commit abuse after joining. This includes anyone who abuses or preys on people within or beyond this community. Statements of exclusion and hatred, while not physical or sexual abuse, may be grounds for exclusion. The second is if they do work that is prohibited due to its relationship with violence. In either case, a conversation will be had about how this person may be welcomed, or not, to be involved in the future. This decision will be publicly disclosed once it is made.

Choosing to Leave Urban Monastics

As a voluntary order, if you decide to leave, we would appreciate it if you would let the leadership know of your decision.There is no obligation to live this life forever. If there comes a time for you to move on, you do not need our permission or approval. Thank you for your time, presence, energy, and participation in Urban Monastics. We hope that this Way of Life blessed you and was fruitful in your life. If you are willing, we would like to pray and bless you into the future our Lord has for you.

• How do you sense God inviting you to become an Urban Monastic? Share your sense of calling.
• What about the Urban Monastic Way of Life resonates with you?
• Contemplate the unseen steps that have brought you to Urban Monasticism.
• Celebrate the journey that our Lord has walked with you into Urban Monastics.
• Meditate on how this Way of Life will weave life and hope within you.
• What concerns or hesitations do you have about becoming, or being, an Urban Monastic?
• Reflect with gratitude to God on the ways the Holy Spirit has brought you to your monastic life.
• What hopes does this Way of Life stir up in you? What fears?
• How has this Way of Life challenged you? How might you find God’s grace offered in those challenges?
• Contemplate the ways that God may use Urban Monastics in your life this next year.
• Reflect on some of the pivotal moments in your faith journey that make you so deeply desire to be present with God and others.
• Reflect on the ways this Way of Life has shaped you, and give praise to God for each expected and unexpected way.
• Grieve the things that you will leave behind to follow the Urban Monastic Way of Life.
• How do you think journeying with Urban Monastics will change your walk of faith? Consider writing this down and revisiting later.
• Reflect on the ways God has met you in your life since becoming an Urban Monastic or Sojourner.