Pecos Benedictine Monastery

—'Let all guests be received as Christ.'

Rule of St. Benedict

Our Lady of Guadalupe Abbey is otherwise known as The Pecos Monastery.

 

In 1947, Trappist monks from an Abbey in Rhode Island bought the Valley Dude Ranch and formally established a monastery in on the property in 1948. The Trappists moved to Oregon in 1955 and sold the property to Benedictine monks from St. Benedict's Abbey in Wisconsin who ran the monastery until 1985. Today the Monastery is 1,200 acres that sits on the Pecos River and is now a Benedictine Olivetan Monastery.

I attended a Charismatic Catholic retreat at Pecos Monastery from September 18-21. 

The monastery currently has almost a dozen community members - several monks, a nun, a few oblates in residency, minou the cat, and sophia the dog. Father Aiden is the current elected Prior. They are very gracious to their guests that stay for retreats. They provide 3 meals a day and they have individual rooms for guests. The center is open as a retreat center The Monastery, though Catholic, is open to all faiths and disciplines for retreat purposes. They have multiple services every day, the schedule varies depending on the day of the week.  Most days, they have Lauds at 7am, Holy Mass at 7:30am, 12pm Midday Prayer, Rosary at 4:30pm, Vespers at 5pm. Some days there is Compline, Vigils, or Confession in the evening. Lauds, Vigils, Vespers, and Compline are different Catholic Prayer services. 

This Monastery is governed by the Rule of Benedict (RB) which constitutes the basic guide of monastic life. Written in the sixth century the Rule was followed by thousands in monasteries in Europe during the early Middle Ages. "It is written for ordinary Christians who wish to immerse themselves in a pattern of living in which the life of Christ can be lived out with understanding and zeal. Monastic communities accept it as their basic inspiration even as they mitigate it, supplement it, or adapt it to the living conditions of today." ~ The Order of Saint Benedictine. 

One of the Monks, Father Sam, is 90 years old and has been a monk since 1957. He has a True Cross artifact he blessed all of the items guests had. A True Cross Artifact that has a sliver of what is considered the be from the True Cross.    

Normally in Catholic Churches, communion is reserved only for baptized Catholics. The monastery states in their information publication that what they require to receive Holy Communion is:

1. Be a baptized Christian
2. Share the Catholic understanding of the Real presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
3. Be properly disposed in Heart and Mind. 

I really was not sure what #2 meant, so I just went up and received a blessing from the Prior. 

The first mass I attended Father Aiden's sermon spoke of the loyal women followers of Jesus and how important a role they played in the early years of Christianity. The second Mass, Father Aiden shared his personal testimony of conversion. How his recent medical condition brought him even closer to God and renewed his faith again.

Thank You Pecos Monastery for graciously accepting me into the Community for the Weekend Retreat!

Disciples of Christ

The Disciples of Christ Church was the result of two movements seeking Christian unity due to denominations not being able to share communion together in the early 1800s. A few Presbyterian ministers from Pennsylvania and Kentucky were behind the merging and formation of the Disciples of Christ. 

The Disciples of Christ Church is a place to grow in FAITH in an Atmosphere of Freedom, with others that become your Family.

They celebrate Open Communion - All that believe in Jesus are welcome to partake in Communion. 

The Church is ONE - they believe that all Christians are called to be ONE in the Body of Christ and seek unity and fellowship with all denominations.

The Disciples have Freedom of Belief - they are called together around two essentials of faith: a believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of the Living God, our Lord and Savior, and a belief that Christians are free to follow their own consciences, guided by the Bible, the Holy Spirit, fellowship and study in community, and prayer. As Disciples we not only enjoy this Freedom in Christ, we respectfully extend that freedom to others.

They have Baptism by Immersion. They encourage both ministers and lay people to lead in the worship service and at the table. We are ALL called to minister and serve each other and are dedicated to spiritual growth. 

I visited Los Altos Christian Church at their 10:30 am service.

They had bags hanging on the back wall for children with coloring books and crayons. They started with the Call to Worship with hymns and prayers. Then members great each other. The pastor gave a children's lesson. They had a nice choir that sang many songs throughout the service, at times they also have a bell choir. The Pastor was Bill Harrold. He gave a sermon about Moses. 

The sermon was about God and the Mighty acts of God. He talked about Moses and the parting of the sea to save the Israelites. The Pastor talked about how we can walk together and we are here to tell God's story.  Christ died for our sins, so that we may live a life free of sins.  God gives us a new name and identity, so give God the credit. He told us God is with us and the Lord is good all of the time. He reminded us that our Lives are in the hands of God. Have Faith, Hope in Jesus. 

The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.   ~ Exodus 21-22

For communion, the Pastor broke the bread and prayed over it. Bread and cups of juice were passed out to the members in the congregation. The Pastor then prayed over the chalice and the members took the sacrament together. 

There was another hymn then the benediction prayer.

And All God's people said, "AMEN."

They have a Taize service at 5pm on Sunday evenings. 

THANK YOU Los Altos Christian Church for your beautiful service. 

Church of the Nazarene

The Church of the Nazarene is located in every state in the U.S. and in over 157 world areas. It has a very strong emphasis on missions, with over 600 missionaries worldwide. Church of the Nazarene emerged from the Pentecostal and Methodist faith, with a belief in Entire Sanctification. It a protestant church of the Wesleyan-Holiness tradition that was founded in 1907 as the Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene. The church dropped the name 'Pentecostal' due to "the modern Pentecostal tongues movement."

Holiday Park Church of the Nazarene calls itself a Life-Saving Station. Their mission states they, "pull men and women from the wreckage of sin and offer them new life and hope through Jesus Christ."

I attended the Holiday Park Church's 10:45 am Sunday service. They have a substantial group of Pakistani congregants, so they also have an Urdu Service at 7 pm on Sunday Evenings.

They started out with musical worship, then Pastor Michael Johnson gave his sermon. He referred to the members as Beloveds. The sermon was about Solomon and his fall from Wisdom to Folly. The minister gave congregants a Formula to Avoid Disaster:

A. Don't allow a little Wiggle Room 1 Kings 3:1-3
    There is no such thing as partial commitment. Bolster your Humility and Banish your Arrogance. 
B. Don't ever think that you can be the exception Deuteronomy 17:14-20
    Keep a close relationship with God. Do not take liberties in God's love. 

The Lord has told you, “You are not to go back that way again.” Deuteronomy 17:14

C. Deal with your weaknesses 1 Kings 11:1-8 
    Deal with the issues of your own lives, so that you do not perpetuate them on the generations to come. Glorify and be content with the Blessings you receive, do not always crave fro more or greater ones. 
D. Embrace correction 1 Kings 9:1-9
    Have a heart open to correction. 

"THERE ARE NO EXCEPTION CLAUSES IN DEVOTION"

Afterwards, they passed out communion to everyone as they remained seated. The bread appeared to be flatbread or Naan. There was a group prayer and then people took the sacraments. The services concluded with a send off prayer.

Several people greeted and welcomed me. 

THANK YOU Holiday Park Church of the Nazarene for sharing your service with me. 

Church of the Holy Cross

The Episcopal Church is a protestant Reform denomination that originated from the Church of England. The Church of England split from the Roman Catholic church in the 17th century, when the Pope refused to annul the marriage of the then King of England - Henry VIII. The church however still had to submit to papal authority until the Queen Elizabeth I era, when that decision was reversed. When Britain began colonization, the Church of England spread to all continents. As a successor to the Church of England, the movement in the American colonies became known as Episcopal/Anglican and was formalized in 1789 in Philadelphia.  

Episcopal faith is considered 'catholic' by ritual and liturgy and 'reformed' by application of theologies. Both men and women, including those who are married, are eligible to be ordained as deacons, priests, & bishops. Episcopalians do not forbid the sacraments to those who have been divorced. They use the Book of Common Prayer in services. 

Settled at the base of Southern Mountain in Edgewood NM, Church of the Holy Cross is a small inclusive and heartfelt community. Besides being Father's Day, it was Trinity Sunday - the first Sunday after Pentecost. Father Raymond Raney presided over the service. 

The standard liturgy prayers were conducted and then there were readings, which was a group effort - different passages were read by members that were sitting throughout the congregation. Fr. Raney's sermon focused on Fathers. He talked about the relationship we have with our heavenly father and how it is often similar to the one we have set up with our Earthly father. If our father was loving, then it is a loving relationship. If our father was stern and distant than often so too is our relationship with God. He encouraged us to not let the shortcomings of our parents, dictate our perception of and relationship with God.  

For the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights. ~ Proverbs 3:12

Earlier this week, this congregation lost a member to death. The Paten and Chalice used during the service's communion ritual were pottery that was crafted by that beloved member. Holy Communion may be received by all baptized Christians in Episcopal churches. There was a choir that led the songs and the men of the choir performed a solo for the congregation. It was very touching because the man who had passed away was a big part of the choir and this song became a tribute to him.  

They handed out a small gift to all of the Dads at the service and then there was food and fellowship after the service. 

They are a lovely community, very open and receptive. People of ALL Lifestyles are welcome to worship at Church of the Holy Cross. 

THANK YOU Church of the Holy Cross Episcopal Church for sharing your service with me. 

Mystics ~ Center of Light

Mysticism is not a religion, it is rather a way to practice a certain religion. Mysticism is defined as distinctive practices, discourses, texts, institutions, traditions, and experiences aimed at human transformation, it is expressed differently in each religion.  There are mystics in Christianity, but there is also Judaism mysticism called Kaballah. Muslim mystics are Sufi. 

Christian Mysticism is the "spiritual process of coming into the experience of God at the center of one’s being." Mystics do this through practices of meditation, prayer and being in relationship with God on a daily basis, all in an attempt to know God with a personal relationship. Famous Christian mystics are St. Francis of Assisi and St. Catherine of Siena. 

Centers of Light otherwise called Order of Christ Sophia, are a Christian Mysticism self proclaimed Holy Order with multiple centers around the United States. They "teach, share, and cultivate spirituality through sacraments, meditation, seminars, classes, and practical instruction" and are unique to other denominations that they believe Jesus represents the masculine aspect of God and Mary represents the feminine aspect of God. The Order's Co-Founder, Peter Bowes, left in 2012 and the group saw a major shift to a more inclusive and collaborative spiritual community. 

I attended the Santa Fe Center of Light Church's 9:30 am service. 

The center was in a small commercial area in a suburb of Santa Fe. There was a small group. They start out with a 30 minute guided meditation. There were two licensed ministers who performed the service. There were hymns sung, then a reading from the bible. 

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.         ~ Mark 12:30

One of the ministers, Leah Johnson, gave a sermon from The Poem of the Man God which is a text that was a forbidden text by the Vatican until the 1990's. It is an Italian nun, Maria Valtorta's, interpretation of the Gospels. The story told was one that compares Mother Mary to Lilies of the Valley with her humility. Then she talked to the two models that spirituality often speaks of - Wholeness and Perfection. The Wholeness approach is often referred to as the feminine model - inclusion, cooperation, and acceptance of all aspects of life and the world as some level. The Perfection model, often considered more the masculine of the two focuses on achievements, competition, and a results oriented approach. Johnson spoke of how the two should both be integrated and honored in spiritual studies. 

There was then Communion which everyone was welcome to receive regardless of their affiliations or beliefs. They first prayed over the wafers and wine. Their prayers, even the Lord's Prayer, incorporate Mary into them. The way they hold the Mother Mary in esteem and include her in their rituals and prayers, reminded me of some catholic practices. After the service, the members hugged one another. 

They offer a variety of classes, meditation times, and social events. 

THANK YOU Center of Light Church for allowing me to share your service with you. 

Church of Christ Easter

Church of Christ came about in the early 1800’s. There was a father/son pair of Presbyterian ministers named Thomas and Alexander Campbell who were leaders in the Cane Ridge Revival, They left the Presbyterian Church because, "they believed that Christianity had become too institutionalized, divided, formalized, and denominational." They desired to bypass denominational differences and bring church worship back to basics of the New Testament and the teachings of Christ.  


What most people do not know is that Church of Christ is not actually a denomination. There is no central headquarters or national organization that serves as a form of leadership. Each congregation is autonomous, self-governed by a group of elders selected by the congregational members, "The only tie which binds the many congregations together is a common allegiance to Christ and the Bible." The churches do tend to be very similar in structure and core beliefs, with five basic principles of worship:

• Singing A Capella
• Praying
• Preaching
• Giving
• Weekly Partaking of The Lord's Supper

Easter is considered by most Christians, the most important observation of the religion and it is coincidentally also the most well attended service of the year for most churches. Easter is the commemoration of the resurrection of Jesus, 3 days after his death on the cross. In Western Christianity it is celebrated on the Sunday after the Paschal Moon and marks the end of Lent ~ the 40 day period of fasting & spiritual discipline that starts on Ash Wednesday. 

I visited Netherwood Church of Christ's 8:30am Easter service. They had a second service at 11am, followed by an egg hunt. In the bulletin, there were many social and service opportunities for members with different needs. 

They began with the group singing hymns. Then there was prayer and people greeted each other. In most churches, the greeting is quick, this however was a good 10 minutes where people actually got caught up with one another. I felt very welcomed.  

There was a prayer for the Lord's Supper - it represents the Freedom and Salvation that Jesus left to us, the bread was passed around to the congregants, another prayer as said before the juice was served. 

Minister Walter Lane gave the sermon. It was part of a 7 week series and an interpretive sermon of the resurrection of Christ based on Luke Chapter 24. Come Follow Me ---> Every one will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. ~ John 13:35 He spoke of the encouragement that we all had being Christians and to be assured that we can always return to the Lord, even after times we have turned away. 

FEAR AND FAILURE OF THE CROSS AND DOUBT OF THE TOMB ARE REPLACED BY THE JOY OF THE RESURRECTION. 

THANK YOU Netherwood Church of Christ for sharing your worship service with me. 

NOTE: Church of Christ churches typically do not have women in leadership roles.  

All Nations Assembly of God

Assemblies of God were first part of the revival Pentecostal movement. In the early 1900's, tent revivals sprang up all over parts of the U.S. as a way to breathe life into stale Christian worship. The Assembly of God denomination came about in 1914, when people from the movement sought to organize the revivals into the structure of a permanent church community. Evangelism and missions are at the foundation of the Assembly of God Church.

The Assemblies of God have a four-fold Mission:

1. Evangelize the lost.
2. Worship God.
3. Disciple believers.
4. Show Compassion.

I attended the Sunday evening 6:30 service of All Nations Assembly of God. A small chapel, within a block of the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. All Nations is a church dedicated to evangelizing the gospel to people of all the tribal nations.  

ALL ARE WELCOME IN GOD'S HOUSE

It was a small group but a big and powerful message. Pastor Marleen Mercer has been preaching the word of God amongst the Native Cultures for almost 40 years. It opened with a prayer and songs. People shared their praises and a young woman recited John 3:16 in Navajo ~ it was very meaningful and touching. 

Pastor Mercer gave a powerful and moving sermon. She spoke of our Spiritual Body Armour - Armour of God that helps us withstand in the battles against evil and self destruction. She made the illustration that negative thoughts are like runaway wild horses and God is what you must use to reign them in. When we are clothed in the breastplate of Jesus, we are righteous. It is difficult to allow ourselves to believe that we are righteous because we judge ourselves on our own actions and our limitations. We are righteous, however because it is Jesus that is righteous for us. This she affirmed, is the armour that will defend you against the World and allow you to shine God's love. 

Shall they that receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, even Jesus Christ. ~ Romans 5:17

We closed the service with a prayer circle. We joined hands and prayed out loud for the person on either side of us, for the group, the community...The room was truly filled with the Holy Spirit. It was an amazingly uplifting service to be a part of. I now know why they call them Revivals!

THANK YOU All Nations Assembly of God for showing me that we are all part of God's Tribe.