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Dare we imagine the generosity of God?
Traditionally symbolised by the honeysuckle flower, the generosity of God is visible in all creation. Abundance, creativity and imperfect perfection. In our individualistic culture the gratuitous of God’s generosity is more starkly highlighted and all to more startling to us. God awakes our senses and moves us with beauty. Picture the most perfect sunset, the ripest juiciest fruit, the most beautiful piece of music, the scent of flowers or coffee or frying bacon. We are moved to no other benefit and to no other end than to be overwhelmed by the abundance and generosity of God.

Our generosity, although a shadow of that of God’s, is a very individual response. We do what we can with whatever we have. Just like the woman we will be hearing about, we might never know the impact of our acts of generosity, but we can be hopeful that these acts, mimicking Gods abundant generosity, will be significant to God and sufficient as our worship.

She places herself at the feet of Jesus in the position of disciple. She breaks the jar, and pours precious oil over his head. As it runs through his hair, the room fills with the scent of the oil, everyone is watching now. She then pours some on his feet and wipes them.

Jesus says:

Leave her alone! Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing for me. You will always have the poor with you and can help them whenever you want. But you will not always have me with you. She did what she could. She came to pour perfume on my body before it is placed in a tomb. I can guarantee this truth: Wherever the Good News is spoken in the world, what she has done will also be told in memory of her.

“God’s act in creating the world is gratuitous, so everything comes to me as a gift. God simply wills that there shall be joy for something other than himself. ”
Rowan Williams

Honeysuckle wine

http://www.herbsociety.org.uk/hom-honeysuckle.htm

Honeysuckle sorbet http://higgledygarden.com/2011/05/11/edible-flowers-honeysuckle/

Honeysuckle jelly http://newlifeonahomestead.com/2011/05/honeysuckle-jelly-recipe/

Honeysuckle throat syrup http://www.food.com/recipe/honeysuckle-sore-throat-syrup-117217#ixzz1SJCVrBWf

POSTED 10.09.11 BY: Keira | Comments Off

Whenever I walk by a homeless person, my heart aches. Their misery makes me angry and sad. They remind me of my own selfishness but also of my own fragility: I know all too well how I could have ended up on the streets several times in the past 27 years – but somehow I didn’t. I am thankful to and for those who were around me during tough times. Others have not been so lucky to have had friends and family to help them.

In a city where egoism, consumption and narcissism are all too often the very fabric of social relations, there is little room left for the weakest and lowest. Income is certainly a prime factor in predicting people’s suffering in this city. Yet economic poverty is not the most terrifying aspect of London’s ruthlessness and injustice. The ongoing weakening and perverting of the city’s social fabric as well recent cuts in state assistance to the poorest have been met with some resistance. But it has also provoked another kind response by the silent majority: a stiffening of an already acute condition where people fight even harder for their survival often harming their neighbour. Why should they now be more generous to others when they are themselves starting to feel the pain?

As Christians though, can we respond in a similar fashion or are we called to show love and generosity in the face of increasing ingratitude? As we consider our contribution and our response to economic and social (in)justice as part of our Rhythm Of Life and as we ponder the meaning of justice and generosity in the context of Greenbelt’s 2011 theme “Dreaming of Home”, can we be inspired by the homeless and what God is telling us through them?

POSTED 27.06.11 BY: Nicolas | Comments Off

At this year’s Greenbelt festival, the Moot Community contributed three contemplative eco-spirituality services, Ian Mobsby gave one talk and facilitated a discussion on the emerging church, whilst Sarah Edwards gave a talk and contributed to a panel discussion.  This year, we played host to Mike Angell, and Ordinand involved in a neo-monastic type initiative in San Diego, Karen Ward, the Episcopal Priest and Abbess of the Church of the Apostles, Jon Myers Ordinand with the Bekon collective in Seattle and Eliacin Rosario-Cruz, new monastic also from Seattle.  It was a great success, packed out services and talks all round.  So well done Greenbelt and Moot.  To integrate all our resources at Greenbelt, see the links below.

If you liked what you saw of the Moot Community at Greenbelt – then do make contact and come along to one of our events or gatherings.

1. Information on the music we used at Greenbelt compiled by Jonny Spoor our music master at Greenbelt.

2. Photographs of Mooters at Greenbelt – please add in photos if you have any others to share.

3. Information exchanges going on in our Facebook Moot Group.

4. Information for new people interested in attending moot events or participating in the community – register on this site and see our info for new people

5. Interested in participating in our WEDNESDAY MEDITATIONS, SERUM discussion group or ENNEAGRAM training see here for details

6. Interested in our service liturgies, contemplative and meditative resources – see our mootique.

7. Need more info? click on the contacts for Ian Mobsby for general information, or Jonny our communications person

POSTED 02.09.10 BY: ianmobsby | Comments Off

As part of our new programme for the Autumn “term”, Moot has the privilege of embarking on a new venture next week, starting a new series of meetings working with “Serum“.

Serum is a group that already exists and meets in South-East london to discuss matters of spirituality. It is an informal group with no particular agenda, except a gathering of people from wildly different perspectives comparing notes and fostering interconnection in discussion about the various possibilities of what spirituality looks like today in people’s lives. The group usually meet in the pub, which is always the best place for such discussions.

About a year ago, Serum led a series of discussion at Greenbelt, the annual arts festival that meets at Cheltenham Racecourse every year (they also did the same this year, but I’ll come to that shortly). One of their discussions was attended by an atheist who gave Serum a very favourable write-up in The Guardian newspaper. It was clear that although apprehensive, she felt very comfortable being there, and discussing her thoughts openly. I’m really pleased that something of this nature is coming to be part of moot, and the discussions look very interesting indeed.

You can read the article on the Guardian website. Serum starts at moot on September the 8th 2010. The venue is the Cross Keys pub on Gracechurch St. in the centre of London.  For more information about the Moot Serum group click here.

POSTED 01.09.10 BY: artbizness | Comments Off

GREENBELT ARTS FESTIVAL 22nd-25th AUGUST
Members of the Moot Community are contributing a number of elements at this years festival..

Panel: What kind of Church is Emerging? Panel discussion from Emerging Church practitioners incl Ian Mobsby
Place: Shine Stage
Time: Fri 22nd Aug 7.15pm

Seminar: What the emerging church and the desert mothers & fathers have in common
Place: Ian Mobsby contributes to the Evening Seminar Programme, Children’s Festival Stage
Time: Sat 23rd Aug 6.15pm

Moot Service: Perpetual Dawn?
Dawn follows night follows dawn. In this contemplative and visceral service, Moot explores the (im)possibility of the second chance, the fresh start, with the Christian God.
Place: New Forms Venue
Time: Sat 23rd Aug 9pm

Moot Service: Trinity Twister
This active, family-friendly Communion service will be an opportunity to re-imagine our relationship to God and others in the light of the love and intimacy modelled within the Trinity.
Place: New Forms Venue
Time: Sun 24th Aug 10am

Seminar: I just can’t stop! Addiction: the hidden secret
Clare Catford is leading this important seminar following on from her book.
Place: Cabaret – Sovereign Venue
Time: Mon 25th Aug 10am

POSTED 14.08.08 BY: admin | Comments Off

As part of the service we did at Greenbelt we invited people to wash the hands of a stranger. [Mike has posted some other stuff here.]

So often Christian spirituality can become about an individual pursuit, about trying to find God within ourselves and attempt some sort of internal transformation. Part of the point of the soap ritual and the service generally was to suggest that God may be found in others. In being present to others we are being present to God. Somehow God is present in this interaction. [See also Ian's post on the importance of community.]

At the end of the service we handed out a number of bars of soap so that the ritual might be repeated after the service. I was wondering where all those bars of soap ended up…? Did anyone repeat the ritual? What happened?

technorati tags:greenbelt, soap, stranger, moot community, ritual

POSTED 15.10.07 BY: admin | Comments Off

Aaron reminded me today of Beth Rowley who played at Greenbelt this year, where her performance sounded like it was awesome. She has an incredible voice. Anyway, she is gigging around, and I see that she may perform at the Clapham Grande, which would be great.

To listen to her 3 songs on myspace – click here

She is a girl with a big voice, so watch out for her.

POSTED 12.10.07 BY: admin | Comments Off

POSTED 28.08.07 BY: admin | Comments (4)

Moot at Greenbelt

POSTED 20.08.05 BY: admin | Comments Off

Ian & Mike attended the Greenbelt Arts Festival in London along with many friends including Jenny from Vaux, Jonny Baker, Mike Gough, Noel Moules etc to start generating ideas for this years festival. Great ideas were spouted. Its on a theme of Freedom this year – excellent!! It is looking likely that Moot – as a new group will be invited to do two services this year – hoorraahh. Ian is probably going to be on the worship planning group, and Mike on the fine arts side working group – we will see.

Ian & Mike

POSTED 17.01.04 BY: admin | Comments Off