Posted 359 days ago

A Year in the Life of MSA

by Christine Sine, Executive Director

When I wrote our annual MSA update a year ago, I wrote about the discernment process that we had embarked on to reimagine MSA more as a network of communities and individuals with a common purpose rather than as a program-based organization. We have now completed the work on the MSA rule of life and developed a foundational document that explains the MSA vision, goals, and pillars as well as the discernment process we continue to use for decision-making.

Over the last twelve months, this new structure has resulted in an explosion of creativity within the MSA team. We have assisted each other to identify and develop the seeds of creativity God has placed within us enabling us to expand both our learning opportunities and resources. Many of you have also contributed to these new developments, fertilizing, watering, and growing the seeds as you interact through our blogs and social networks like Facebook, Ning and Twitter. This is enabling us to develop a unique form of living curricula that will continue to grow and develop over the coming years.

Much of this creativity has been stirred by one of the distinctive MSA pillars: our desire to identify future trends that impact our lives and communities. We are concerned that the economic downturn we are experiencing will continue to have a major impact for several years into the future. We are convinced that we will need to continue to stir our creativity to develop sustainability and simplicity in these tough economic times so that can reach out to those at the margins.

In September 2008 and March 2008, Tom Sine led two brainstorming sessions on Recession Preparedness. A number of creative responses were suggested that Tom has added to a list of ideas contributed by Mustard Seed colleagues around the world. These responses and ideas have resulted in the development of a manual entitled Turbulent Times Ready or Not, a resource to enable congregations and faith communities to think about how to be God’s compassionate response in our rapidly changing world. This resource will be available through the MSA website shortly.

In February 2009, Ricci Kilmer conducted a workshop entitled
“Justice at the Table.” She encouraged participants to think about how we could bring about changes in our food culture by reimagining the dining room table as the communion table. How would our attitudes to food production, marketing, and distribution change if we thought in this way? She challenged us to think about what we would eat and whom we would include or exclude from the table. This was one of the most impacting and challenging events that I have attended in the last few years. We are looking forward to her conducting this workshop again either later this year or early in 2010.

Eliacín Rosario Cruz initiated several conversations on “Cultivating Intentional Communities” in 2009 and continues to challenge all of us with what it means to be part of a community-based organization. The first community conversation was held at the Mustard Seed House with Mark Van Steenwyk from Minneapolis. Eliacín and Ricci held a second conversation in Portland in May on intentional communities. Eliacín was also part of the planning team for Pentecost Seattle in May, a gathering that encouraged people to come together across denominations and theological differences to converse about the urgent and changing needs of Seattle’s neighborhoods. His attendance at other community-oriented events like the National Co-housing Conference and the Northwest Gathering of Intentional Communities have enriched all of our perspectives.

Eliacín also continues to nurture and expand the MSA community networks, companioning with others who are interested in community living and in developing a rhythm of life. At the Mustard Seed House, he initiated the observance of morning and evening prayers, which have become an important part of the rhythm of our shared life. In the next few weeks, we will publish Rhythms for the Journey: Morning and Evening Prayers for Living Into God’s Resurrection World, a prayer book compiled from the liturgies we have been using over the last year.

The Mustard Seeds Calendar that Eliacín initiated at the end of 2008 has also received a lot of attention. Many have participated in events and celebrations suggested on this calendar and are looking forward to more involvement in the future. We intend to revise and update this for the coming year.

The Seed Sampler continues to grow and flourish. Many of the topics are provocative as well as informative, encouraging all of us to grow our understanding of what it means to be a follower of Christ in today’s world. The issues on Suburban Missional Church and Rural Intentional Community and Encountering the “Other” have particularly stimulated thoughtful and varied discussion, which enables all of us to stretch and grow.

The Celtic Project is also moving ahead. Our architect David Vandervort hopes to have plans for the development of the Camano property to submit to Island County before the end of the year. The design of this community will preserve much of the 40 acres in natural forestry and will model high degree of sustainability and self-sufficiency.

One of my delights this last year has been the encouragement of the Mustard Seed team to hold seminars on the spirituality of gardening. We conducted the first seminar in April and, because of its popularity, held a second in May. Both of these were held at the Mustard Seed House in Seattle, but we anticipate that next year these will be conducted in other localities. In conjunction with these seminars, I have written a series of reflections called To Garden with God, a resource that I hope to expand and develop over the next year.

Another place where the MSA team has encouraged my creativity is through my blog. During Lent this last year I hosted a synchroblog series to encourage people to interact with the Lenten guide we published. Over the summer I hosted a series on What Is a Spiritual Practice? which has not only stirred my creativity, but that of many others as well. I am delighted at the ways this series has encouraged those who read my blog to reflect on how we relate to God and deepen our intimacy with God.

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