A welcoming contemplative community,
exploring our relationship with God,
the world around us, and one another.
Our community meets in the historic church of St Mary Aldermary enabling the church to be a social enterprise and community hub.
Photo © Ilaria Foresi
Community
We are a welcoming community offering a Rhythm of Life to anyone who wants to dive deeper – exploring our relationship with God; the world around us; and one another. Spread throughout London, we meet in church, in local locations or online.
Rhythm
A Rhythm of Life is not a full symphony with every instrument written up, but rather the background beat that keeps everything else in order, calling us back on track, reminding us of the type of music we want to play, and the way we want to live, creatively exploring our spirituality and the Divine.
– St Mary Aldermary community
As a community, we
share a 'Rhythm of Life'.
This defines our core values and guides what we do. With the Rhythm at our centre, others can join with us, to be and to belong.
Welcoming community
In sharing the love of God, we offer space to encounter the Divine and accompany people on their spiritual journey. We listen to all, respecting difference and seeking the insights others may inspire in us.
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We are committed to Host Café and its outreach to the City, looking for opportunities to be with them in their weekday busyness and social occasions.
Contemplative community
Prayer and reflection, both collectively and personally, is part of our calling. To go deeper with God, we prioritise times of personal silence and seek regular retreats.
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Through the week at St Mary Aldermary, we support meditation and Taizé prayers, as well as reflective Wednesday evening services including Agape, Contemplative Evening Prayer, Eucharist and Taizé.
Relationship
Exploring our relationship
– with God
Through a regular rhythm of prayer, we are disciples seeking to discern the will of God for our lives, both collectively and personally.
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We spend time with the Bible, Christian writers and other sources of wisdom, learning about the nature of God and humankind.
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We seek the insights of others, especially a spiritual director, soul friend or other accompanier.
Exploring our relationship
– with one another
We worship as a community, daily through the week and on Sundays. We encourage one another and hold each other accountable as we journey together and personally with God.
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We commit to praying for each other, for instance by saying the Moot Collect each day.
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We create opportunities for friendship and support within St Mary Aldermary including: Mini-Moots, social occasions and time away. We also seek time to be together in friendship.
Exploring our relationship
– with the world around us
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In our choices, we consider our stewardship of the environment, justice for all people and opportunities for charitable giving in both time and money.
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In work, leisure and acts of service, we seek to be creative mirroring the Creator; we seek to engage with the arts and experience the divine Artist.
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Both as St Mary Aldermary and personally, we seek opportunities for loving service, offering models of community in an often individualistic and lonely city.
Worship
Wednesday evenings at 6 pm are midweek celebrations
We seek to engage the City around us: especially Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday commuters
Our service pattern is not set and can follow a variety of options
followed by the chance to catch up either in our local pub or around our cafe tables.
01
Agape
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An open relaxed shared meal with Bible readings, reflection, free flowing conversation and prayer.
02
Contemplative
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A service with quiet and reflection; mixing modern insights and traditional spiritual practices.
03
Eucharist
Meaning 'thanksgiving'. Recalling Jesus’ last shared meal with his disciples and remembering his death and resurrection. Followed by shared food.
04
Taizé
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From a religious community in France. A simple yet profound service of chanting, readings, silence and prayer. Followed by an optional trip to the pub.
05
Creative
This service takes a variety of forms. We see where the Spirit takes us!
Moot Collect
Mother God,
who tenderly gathered your children,
and embraced us as your own,
gather this community in hope,
and embrace us in our weakness,
that in silence we might hear your voice,
and in darkness we might shine your light,
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
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Amen.
Prayer
Prayer forms a vital part of our spiritual Rhythm of Life. Contemplative forms of prayer are very old and imaginative approaches to the encountering of God. This approach goes beyond mere head knowledge about God and instead promotes a direct, heartfelt awareness of the length and breadth, the height and depth of the love of Christ.
Contemplative Prayer Practices;
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Ignatian Contemplation on God's Love
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Centering Prayer with Lectio Divina
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You are welcome here
We are an inclusive church
We believe in inclusive Church – church which does not discriminate, on any level, on grounds of economic power, gender, mental health, physical ability, race or sexuality. We believe in Church which welcomes and serves all people in the name of Jesus Christ; which is scripturally faithful; which seeks to proclaim the Gospel afresh for each generation; and which, in the power of the Holy Spirit, allows all people to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Jesus Christ.
