The developing Community in North America

We have seen the US edition of 'Celtic Daily Prayer' published in the States, and along with our updated Website, this has given an opportunity for many people on that side of the water to find out more about the Community. We are currently in the process of setting up administrative structures to 'cope' with this - whilst ensuring that we can continue to put relationship first. Not an easy task!

This page has a lot of words, and you will need to be quite determined to get through it all... but as there are more and more people in the USA and Canada who are asking questions about walking the journey in Community, we thought we should try to give some indication of 'where we are up to' in our thinking on this. So here it is!

We did not anticipate so much interest from across the Atlantic, and it has caused us to stop and think and pray about what this means. The simple truth is that being a ‘monastic’ Community based in the UK, we do not have the resources and systems in place at the moment to fully cope. In this we are seeking to be true to the very heart of our Community ethos in being both available and vulnerable.

This interest in itself highlights a major difficulty for us because in acknowledging and welcoming this interest as a God initiative from kindred spirits, we also long to retain the rather anonymous, raw and ragged style of our journey thus far, as a vital part of the Community’s ethos as it grows and develops.

This commitment to anonymity rather than popularism, to being relational rather than functional, to being descriptive rather than prescriptive, is extremely important to us and we are very concerned that the Community does not become institutionalised, uniform or overly organised to the detriment of simply living the life in everyday ordinariness.

We can readily address these issues at our Community Weekends, held regularly at the Nether Springs here in Northumbria. These are weekends specifically convened as the central factor in beginning the process of becoming a Companion in Community, not least because they are held in the context of home, history and heritage. Because the Nether Springs is the Mother House of the Community, being a focus for its spirituality and an expression of its life, the psychical dimension of place, ambience and just being 'at home' has been a crucial aspect of the discernment process.

How can we relate this to those living so far from Nether Springs? It may be of course that some would be able to travel to Northumbria for such a weekend (as very many have) but it is simply not feasible to expect all to do so. How then do we respect and validate this huge interest? This is the question we are prayerfully reflecting on at the moment.

The Way Forward

Although we do not have a central organised ‘presence’ in North America, we do have scattered pockets of individuals and families  who have been to the Mother House in North East England and have become Companions in Community. Some of these folk have had a long history with us and are key people in any future developments.

These folk are actively helping to process the interest and seeking God with us as to ways in which involvement in the vision and vocation of the Northumbria Community can be real and meaningful to those who live, work and have their being in the USA & Canada.

Becoming a Friend of Northumbria Community

We recognise that one of the principal reasons for this interest is that many people are discovering that they are walking a similar path with us; like us they are drawing from some aspects of the wisdom tradition of desert and Celtic monastic spirituality and applying this wisdom to the following of Jesus in everyday ordinariness. For us it is a life seen through the lenses of availability and vulnerability that allows the Christ centered spiritual disciplines to inspire and inform both our inward and outward journeys.

If this describes something of your own heart, then we would be glad to accept you as a Friend of the Northumbria Community; as a Friend, one who already thinks positively about us and supports the work we seek to do. This is a first step in the ongoing process of discovering what it means to be part of the Northumbria Community in North America. We would ask that you contact the office at Acton Farm, etc. and request an information pack (which will be sent to you via regular mail - so, be sure to include your address). We ask that you carefully read through the material and if you are still inclined to pursue us, please complete and return the database form (included in the packet) via regular mail to the office in England. This enables us to comply with data protection legislation in UK!  A donation to help with the upkeep and costs of the database would be appreciated.

Concerning Making Donations to the Northumbria Community in the USA

We regularly receive checks in US funds sent to the office at Acton Farm. Please be advised that there is a better way!

You can make checks out to Northumbria Community USA in US funds (but not Canadian) and send them to:

The Northumbria Community USA

PO Box 1824
Keene,
NH 03431

Your donations will be deposited in our American account and will be fully tax deductible.  We periodically wire money over to the NC in England so your funds will be helping the entire Community. However, we watch the exchange rate and transfer larger sums at once in order to cut down on the processing fees incurred with single checks. One time credit card transactions can be handled through the office at Acton Home Farm, but will not be tax deductible. Please note: this information  relates only to donations made to the Community in general.

As a Friend you will receive regular mailings of our Prayer Guide, our Newsletter ‘CAIM’ and receive any relevant ongoing information related to the life of the Community. We would ask you to make a contribution towards the cost of such regular mailings. Information on how to do this will be on the database form.

Because you will now be on our database, we will be able to put you in touch with those who are overseeing the development of the Northumbria Community in the USA and you will have access to the Forum (a place to enter into discussion with others) on our web site.

 Many of you have enquired whether there is a faster, less cumbersome way to complete this process. The answer is - undoubtedly!  However, we have intentionally designed the process for becoming a Friend in keeping with the ethos of our Rule. A Rule of life helps us to stay connected to God in the present moment by noticing the 'now' - by becoming conscious of God in what we are already doing. Our part is to remain available, to listen, to observe, to act, to be. This enables us to remain spiritually alive – mindful of God’s presence with us. Mindfulness is to be aware of what is going on.

We ask that you hold the essence of these values as you consider joining us on this journey. Be mindful of God in this process and look to what He is doing in your heart as you discern your ability to say ‘Yes’ to this Community.

If you want your dream to be, build it slow and surely.
Small beginnings, greater ends. Heartfelt work grows purely.
If you want to live life free, take your time, go slowly.
Do few things, but do them well: simple joys are holy.
Day by day, stone by stone, build your secret slowly.
Day by day, you’ll grow too; you’ll know heaven’s glory!
from Donovan's music for the film 'Brother Sun, Sister Moon'