catapult magazine

So I'm thinking of joining a monastery...

by Brenda Heyink

Joining a monastery was not exactly on my “what I want to do when I grow up” list. It was not even a possibility in my mind, nor in the minds of anyone around me. Reformed folks don't join monasteries. We get married and have lots of kids and work hard at our jobs (preferably jobs that use our unique gifts) so we can make a difference in the world. Perhaps that's a bit of an exaggeration, but joining a monastery seems to be antithetical to what most people understand to be the calling of a Reformed Christian.

Yet, my thoughts on joining a monastery do somewhat fit in with (Reformed) Christianity as I've grown to know it and love it more. The church I went to while I was in seminary instilled in me a love for liturgy, following the Christian year closely and having Lord's Supper every week. During college, I was encouraged and challenged to pray with and for others daily; my desire to pray with others has only grown since then. Growing up, my parents instilled in me a desire not to live a selfish life but instead to make space in my life for others and share what I have. I have been encouraged by the church to live out my faith in all of what I say and do—and share it with people who have not yet heard. I've discovered that living in a Christian community provides an amazing and challenging way to combine all of these things.

Even as much as joining the community of Oudezijds 100 provides amazing possibilities, there is still something distinctly odd about it. The community in Amsterdam is a bit different than what one expects when one hears the word “monastery.” There are still expectations of obedience, chastity and poverty, but these are modified so that members are held accountable in the community, they can still get married and have children, and they can still have regular jobs (in fact they'd like me to have one–it helps pay the bills). And as far as engaging with the world, the community's in the middle of the Red Light District and we interact with our neighborhood both in and outside of our doors.  Sometimes it feels like we're a little too engaged with the world!

As I already participate in this community, I am encouraged to explore how my gifts might fit with the gifts and needs in the community. I've been given structure to pray daily for the world, the church and the communities of which I am a part. I live with people whom I would never even have met before becoming part of the community—which is, as you might expect, sometimes a bit more of an adventure than I'd like! Through our prayers and laughter and shared meals and events, we pray that we may be a light and that we might share hope. And my wanting to be part of that seems to be a good desire that God has placed on my heart.

Even with all of the wonderful possibilities involved in joining the community, I'm not sure yet whether I will fully join the community. It's not just that Sister Brenda (or Zuster Brenda, as they say in Dutch) has a bit of an odd ring to it. More so, like many of my generation, I'm not entirely sure what's next in my life.  I know I'd like to teach the Old Testament and serve God, but where and how much are pretty large deciding factors. There are many people and communities in my life whom I love and who would be affected by my decision to join a monastery. As much as the thought of joining the community in Amsterdam fills me with joy, I know that joy would disappear without a sense that this is the place that God would have me best serve Him among the communities of which I am part. As I keep seriously considering this crazy notion of joining a monastery, I pray that no matter where I end up, all that I've learned from the community in Amsterdam about living wholly for God will continue to grow and be nourished.

your comments

theunseenpen
May 12 2009
03:18 PM

So have you found what it was you were looking for? did you ever commit to that monastic life? I’m curious b/c I’m a Reformed Christian myself who attempted to attend SBTS but could not afford it on my meager wages, now I’ve come to google “joining a monastery” and these thoughts of yours were first to hit, to come burning hot into my mind and soul, just wondering b/c I feel as though I might be lead towards that dedicated life myself for a time…be well comrade

brenda
May 31 2009
04:06 AM

Sorry it’s taken awhile to respond to your question.

I did find what I was looking for – and I have stayed with the community. How I relate to the community continues to change over time – but I have a strong sense that this kind of life in community is how I want my life to be. It’s hard at times – the challenge of being fully myself (and discovering that i’m not always as nice or gracious or loving as i think i am!) and the challenge of bumping into other people’s messiness and just trying to find a healthy balance in the midst of what can be a very busy life of work and helping and socializing and processing and so on. But it is at the same time a very vibrant life where one is always being chalenged – and a place where I have been accepted for who I am.

In this sort of ‘new monastic’ community, there is a good mixture of prayer and reaching out to the world around us. Our community is also ecumenical and encourages healthy connection to one’s own church while also interacting with many outside of it. I think that’s pretty typical of most ‘new monastic communities (they’re also called boiler room communities in some places). In our community (and this helps make it sustainable for me as a life choice), most of us have ~60 percent jobs outside of the community – which allows us to have a bit of space from the intense-ness of living in community and reaching out to others while also developing different gifts that wouldn’t necessarily be used in the community.

And I would definitely recommend exploring this sort of life. I know our community takes volunteers, and I know that different communities have summer programs (we have one – and a traditional monastery in Three Rivers, MI [St Gregory’s] has one, and the Stockbridge Boiler Room in Grand Rapids, MI also has one. This could be a short-term way of asking whether this is something that fits you.