 First, An MSA Update
Over the last twelve months, there has been 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 we hope 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, 2009, 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 entitledTurbulent 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 Light 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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Involvement Opportunities
Mustard Seed Associates is on an exciting journey in which we hope you will participate. There are many ways in which you can be involved:
- Explore the Mustard Seed Rhythm of Life and join us in shared practices and spiritual disciplines that will enable you to both live differently and make a difference in God's world.
- Join the discussions stimulated by the Seed Sampler, blog posts, and conversations on Facebook and Ning and participate with us in developing a living curriculum that will enable all of us to move into deeper places of intimacy with God.
- Become part of a future's watch group that will be established over the next few months to enable us to both research trends that will impact our lives and communities and develop creative responses to these trends.Email Tom at tom@msainfo.org
- Become a Mustard Seed volunteer. We are in need of help, but not just at the MSA office. Perhaps you would like to host a Mustard Seed conversation in your area or help manage our growing needs on the internet. If you would like to have more involvement with the Mustard Seed community, please contact us at mail@msainfo.org.
- Become a part of the Mustard Seed Support team and help us expand the influence of the Seed Sampler and other MSA resources. Tom and I do not receive a salary through Mustard Seed Associates, but we do need to raise support for our MSA team members Judy Naegeli, Eliacín Rosario Cruz and Ricci Kilmer and for the ongoing work of MSA as well. A yearly gift of $25-$50 from each person on the Seed Sampler mailing list would more than cover its costs, including the coordinator's salary. Your monthly donation of $25-$50 would make possible the development of new resources to enable you to make a difference in your communities and our needy world. Donate here or send a check to PO Box 45867, Seattle, WA 98145.
- Help us to expand the Mustard Seed network. Forward the Seed Sampler to your friends and suggest they sign up. Connect them with creative ways God is changing the world through the mustard seed.
- Join our writers bureau. Send us information on trends and new areas of need and connect us to stories from all over the world that describe where people are finding new ways to be a difference and make a difference. Click the "Update Profile/Email Addess" link at the bottom and check the box to receive Writer's Bureau updates.
- Join our Mustard Seed Prayer network and sign up for the monthly prayer letter and MSA update. Sign up using the "Update Profile/Email Address" link at the bottom of this email.
- MSA is hiring a Communications Manager and an Administrative Assistant to join the team. You can read more about these positions here. Both positions will raise much of their own support.
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