Transitions

It is my sad duty to inform all those who have not yet heard the news that a member of the online Urban Abbey community has died. We lost Gideon this past weekend and we are still grieving. Online Abbey member Josh has written a beautiful post where you can read more about our dear friend. Please pray for Gideon's family and friends and for the repose of his soul.

The Urban Abbey is in a time of transition. Although the Abbey community here in Arlington is aware of these changes, the online community is not, so I wanted to post a few words here. A little over a week ago, I stepped down as Abbess of the Urban Abbey. Leadership of the community in Arlington has been transferred into the hands of a three-member transition team, who will lead the community over the next few weeks and months through reorganization discussions.

During my tenure as Abbess, I established a number of online outreach efforts, including this blog. As many of you know, a Twitter account was also set up, and I began a practice of leading online community prayer through micro-blog postings of the Daily Office. A true community, equal to any "real life" community, has grown up around those prayers. The evidence for the living, breathing body of Christ that exists in this online community was palpable last night as we held an online prayer service for Gideon.

The online community is strong and vital and several members of that group have come together to re-organize what was formerly an outreach effort of the Urban Abbey into a stand-alone, online monastic community. As details are worked out, further announcements will be made. We invite you to join us.

Blessings and Peace,
Raima