Dispersed Community: Touchstones

By: Andrea Lingle

The Missional Wisdom Foundation has a Rule of Life. Did you know that? If you want to know more, you can read more here: MWF essays on the Rule of Life. I am sure that, if you are reading this, you know that a Rule of Life is a voluntary commitment to living life in a certain way intentionally, mindfully—even hopefully. Committing to a Rule of Life could be seen as a radical act. It requires that faith overcome skepticism.
 

The first rule is: We will pray daily.

The MWF's Rule of Life is the basis for the MWF's Dispersed Community. The Dispersed Community is the collection of persons who make up the MWF congregation. It is me and you and Kathy and Larry and Mary and Rick. We are all the Dispersed Community. Do you, do we, follow a rule of life together? That is the question that drives the Dispersed Community. How do you build a community of grace when you are dispersed?

One way that the Dispersed Community follows the Rule of Life is the Touchstones. 

Touchstones is a daily prayer practice that was begun on pilgrimage to Iona, Scotland. Sprouting from the eastern shore of the isle of Iona is the Iona Abbey. Pilgrims from all over the world meet there at 9 am and 9 pm for prayer. MWF pilgrims walk to the Abbey from the northernmost point of the island, flowing along the ways of pilgrimage, a gentle walking way of prayer. Evening and morning.

The Touchstone prayer practice is an invitation to pray daily as a Dispersed Community. Set an alarm on your smartphone or watch or sundial for 9 and 9. When the alarm rings, pause and offer the Touchstone Prayer. The Touchstone prayer is in the Wisdom for the Way, listed on the website, and available for download as a smartphone wallpaper.

Please, let's join our feet on this pilgrim path.