Seeing a need for monastic values in busy London life, Richard Carter founded the Nazareth Community. Part story, part spiritual meditation, The City is My Monastery shares the community's values of Silence, Service, Scripture, Sacrament, Sharing, Sabbath Time and Staying.

Richard Carter

Title page

Copyright information

Dedication

Foreword

Acknowledgements

Introduction

1. With Silence

I. Seek in your day a space for solitude and silence – a time to be with God

II. Develop a simple practice of contemplative prayer

III. Become aware of your distractions

IV. Seek natural spaces for your prayer

V. Pray the shape of the day into being

VI. Praying while walking

VII. Praying together and praying alone

VIII. Make a time of creative encounter

IX. Spend time praying for this city

X. Examen

XI. The practice of silence

XII. Keep a notebook, journal or sketchbook of your reflections and discoveries

2. With Service

I. Service is recognizing the humanity of your neighbour

II. Service is just turning up

III. Service is gift

IV. Service is discovering compassion

V. Service is staying with

VI. Service is living the Beatitudes

VII. Service is visiting the prisoner and the prisoner visiting you

VIII. Service is hearing the cry

IX. Service is praying with

X. Service is costly

XI. Service is belonging

XII. Service is realizing that we are all part of the body of Christ

XIII. Service is being there at the cross

XIV. Service is resurrection

XV. Service is becoming part of the orchestra of heaven

3. With Scripture

I. Scripture is learning obedience

II. Scripture is Lectio Divina – divine reading which seeks communion with God

III. The contemplative reading of Scripture allows the Word to do its work

IV. The contemplative reading of Scripture allows us to enter into the Scriptures ourselves

V. Reading Scripture is becoming the Scriptures

VI. Scripture is finding a language

VII. Scripture is forgiveness

VIII. Scripture is setting free

IX. Scripture is the story of coming home (Luke 15. 11–end)

X. The Bible study does not end

4. With Sacrament

I. Sacrament is communion

II. Sacrament is presence

III. Sacrament is incarnation

IV. Sacrament is going out into the world as a bearer of God

V. Sacrament is beholding both transcendence and immanence

VI. Sacrament is transfiguration

VII. Sacrament is becoming part of the body of Christ

VIII. The sacrament of the Eucharist is the remembrance of a death but also the beginning of new life

IX. Sacrament is discovering a new truthfulness in which we all are included

X. Sacrament is at the centre of liturgy

5. With Sharing

I. Sharing the Church

II. Sharing the blessing

III. Sharing the journey

IV. Sharing baptism

V. Sharing is encountering that which we do not own

VI. Sharing is discovering the community of the dispossessed

VII. Sharing the dance

VIII. Sharing our spiritual journey with a guide

IX. Sharing home

6. With Sabbath

I. Sabbath is the gift of time

II. Sabbath is realizing the mystery and miracle of life

III. Sabbath is discovering sacred space

IV. Sabbath is coming and seeing

V. Sabbath is forgiveness

VI. Sabbath is presence

VII. Sabbath is tasting the gifts of God

VIII. Sabbath time means living in the kingdom of God now

IX. Sabbath is hospitality

X. Sabbath is thanksgiving

7. Staying With

I. With steadfastness

II. Staying with the seasons

III. Staying with truth

IV. Staying with suffering

V. Staying faithful in death

VI. Staying with love

VII. Abiding

8. When the Me Becomes Us

I. The community we begin on earth is continued in heaven

II. The Nazareth Community

III. What is the purpose of the Nazareth Community Rule of Life?

IV. Blessing of the Nazareth Community

Afterword

Appendix

• A monastic spirituality for everyday living from a busy London community. • 'What this book describes is immersion in the ways of the Spirit – an infectious immersion that draws others to trust, to hope, to try, to persevere.' - Samuel Wells

Richard Carter swapped a life of simplicity with an Anglican religious order in the Solomon Islands for parish ministry in one of London's busiest churches, St Martin-in-the-Fields. Seeing a need for monastic values in the centre of the city, he founded the Nazareth Community. Its members gather from everyday life to seek God in contemplation, to acknowledge their dependence on God's grace and to learn to live openly and generously with all. Part story, part spiritual meditation, The City is My Monastery offers spiritual wisdom for daily life rooted in the Nazareth Community's seven guiding principles: Silence, Service, Scripture, Sacrament, Sharing, Sabbath Time and Staying.

'This wonderful book is both recognizable and startlingly new. What we are given here is not simply another book on 'spirituality' but a workbook for living in and with meaning, Christian meaning, Jesus-shaped meaning.'

'This book is a generous gift. The City is My Monastery is rich and moving reading which warmed my spirit and encouraged me to stay.'

'This is a book that moved me deeply and will surely strengthen and give heart to many. It is an autobiography of poetry and prayer. Above all, a powerful poetic meditation on meeting God every day on the streets and in the people of London.'

'Precious few are the books that accomplish what this masterfully practical and inspiring book accomplishes. Nor do they do so with such grace, depth and unflinching insight. Those who tread the pathless path of contemplation will be grateful to be in Richard Carter's debt for the gift of this remarkable book.'

'The City is my Monastery is beautiful, inspiring, humble and attractive. It is so deeply soaked in loving attention and that is what makes it so infectious.'

'This is a life-changing book, and needs to be read as it is written - as a prayer.'

'There are treasures on every page: wisdom gathered, practised and shared. This book is so readable it could be a quick read, but linger and use it slowly over the months and years. This is a guide to life.'

'This is one of those books that can be a lifetime's companion, holding before us what we are here for: Life.'

'Richard Carter has written a book not of abstract theory but of lived experience and practice. It will inspire urban and rural dwellers alike.'

\["For readers seeking contemplative faith in city settings","You'll find a story of pursuing holy life in a busy London parish","Richard Carter artfully blends the contemporary with the contemplative"\]

'This wonderful book is both recognizable and startlingly new. What we are given here is not simply another book on 'spirituality' but a workbook for living in and with meaning, Christian meaning, Jesus-shaped meaning.' -- Rowan Williams

'This book is a generous gift. The City is My Monastery is rich and moving reading which warmed my spirit and encouraged me to stay.' -- The Rt Revd Sarah Mullally, Bishop of London

'This is a book that moved me deeply and will surely strengthen and give heart to many. It is an autobiography of poetry and prayer. Above all, a powerful poetic meditation on meeting God every day on the streets and in the people of London.' -- Neil MacGregor, founding director of the Humboldt Forum in Berlin, director of the British Museum 2002-2015

'Precious few are the books that accomplish what this masterfully practical and inspiring book accomplishes. Nor do they do so with such grace, depth and unflinching insight. Those who tread the pathless path of contemplation will be grateful to be in Richard Carter's debt for the gift of this remarkable book.' -- Martin Laird OSA, author of An Ocean of Light

'The City is my Monastery is beautiful, inspiring, humble and attractive. It is so deeply soaked in loving attention and that is what makes it so infectious.' -- The Revd Sam Wells, Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields

'This is a life-changing book, and needs to be read as it is written - as a prayer.' -- Sarah Coakley, Norris-Hulse Professor Emerita, University of Cambridge

'There are treasures on every page: wisdom gathered, practised and shared. This book is so readable it could be a quick read, but linger and use it slowly over the months and years. This is a guide to life.' -- The Rt Revd Nicholas Holtam, Bishop of Salisbury

'This is one of those books that can be a lifetime's companion, holding before us what we are here for: Life.' -- Father George Guiver, Community of the Resurrection

'Richard Carter has written a book not of abstract theory but of lived experience and practice. It will inspire urban and rural dwellers alike.' -- Revd Lucy Winkett, Rector St James's Church, Piccadilly

A unique meeting of contemporary life and contemplative faith, The City is My Monastery is the story of the Nazareth Community in the busy streets of London.

Diane Wylie

There are 2 versions of this? The ‘newest’ is out in November. Should I wait for that one? Or are they the same? Same content?

The City is my monastery

Elizabeth Entwistle

I was gifted 'The City is my Monastery' by Richard Carter, by a friend, then I in turn ordered four copies from Eden.co.uk and passed them on to my friends. My response tells you how much I enjoyed this book. I passed my copy to my husband, and he has filled it with page savers. I truly can't recommend it enough. Brilliant!

A true Blessing!

City is my Monastery

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City is my Monastery

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Seeing a need for monastic values in busy London life, Richard Carter founded the Nazareth Community. Part story, part spiritual meditation, The City is My Monastery shares the community's values of Silence, Service, Scripture, Sacrament, Sharing, Sabbath Time and Staying.

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