Order of Bethany 2024
St. Mary’s offers a way of membership in the community called the Order of Bethany and is open to anyone who desires to live this way of life together. The vows for the order are vows of fidelity, hospitality, solidarity, & levity, and grow from the lives of the saints in Bethany: Mary, Martha, Simon the Leper, and Lazarus. The vows are simple ways of committing to God, one another, and the world with a posture of joy for one year.
Bethany was a village a few miles from Jerusalem where those on pilgrimage could rest before the journey into the desert or rest before re-entering the city. It was considered a “house of the poor” or “house of the afflicted” and offered hospice care for those suffering from various diseases—including leprosy. It was a village where Jesus enjoyed eating and resting with friends. St. Mary’s hopes to be this kind of space in and for the world.
This year’s vows are:
Fidelity (Mary): Our relationship with God
Daily prayer (set an alarm for three pauses for prayer a day. This can be as simple as thank you, crossing yourself, or another prayer). Ways of praying will be offered each month for us to pray together.
Receive Eucharist twice a month
Read the weekly e-mails
Give a minimum of $25 a month to St. Mary’s
Hospitality (Martha): Our hospitality for visitors and one another
Serve on Sundays at St. Mary’s in some capacity… usher, greeter, Godly Play or middle school youth volunteer, cleanup after worship, serve during worship as a LEM, setup for church meals, or bake bread for communion
Provide meals when needed for those in our community
Pray for those who visit St. Mary’s
Solidarity (Simon the Leper): Our solidarity with the world
Participate in St. Mary’s work of merciful justice in the world. We are currently involved with Nashville Diaper Connection, Black Mental Health Counselor Reparations Foundation, Open Table Nashville, Siloam Health, and Room in the Inn. We are always open to more suggestions and spaces for justice work.
There will be three or four monastic work days throughout the year for people to work, pray, and eat together. Participation in one is part of the vow of solidarity.
Bring something for the communal offering basket three times during the year
Levity (Lazarus): Enjoying life in the spirit while taking the work seriously and not taking ourselves too seriously. Laughter and resurrection.
Participate in the order with a posture of remembering to have fun.
Participate in events throughout the year like our church picnics, bowling nights, or softball (as a tambourine playing fan or someone on the team)
2024 Readings
Read Mark’s Gospel three times in three different versions (It’s only 16 chapters)
Being Christian by Rowan Williams — January 7-February 13 (Epiphany)
The Whole Language: The Power of Extravagant Tenderness by Fr. Gregory Boyle — February 15-March 30 (Lent and Holy Week)
Joy: A Collection of 100 Poems by Christian Wiman — March 31-August 30 (Easter and first half of Pentecost)
I’ll Take You There: Exploring Nashville’s Social Justice Sites — September 1-October 31
Crisis Contemplation by Barbara Holmes — November 1-December 31
The Vows
Vow of Solidarity
Do you take the vow of solidarity for this year in the Order of Bethany? Do you commit to living a life of prayerful and engaging attention to the needs for just mercy in and around you in your neighborhoods and cities? Do you commit to praying daily for the needs of the church and the world?
We do with God’s help.
Let us pray. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, make us, with your host Simon the Leper, homes for your kingship to be embodied and proclaimed to all we meet who are suffering, bereaved, and lonely. Give us awareness and sensitivity to where your Spirit is calling us to live in solidarity with our neighbors, friends, and enemies.
In your mercy, hear our prayer.
Vow of Hospitality
Do you take the vow of hospitality for this year in the Order of Bethany? Do you commit to living a life of hospitality for the flourishing of Saint Mary of Bethany Parish by coming to worship attentive to helping prepare holy space for all ages in our community to experience the mercy and grace of God at his table? And do you commit to praying daily for those who will visit St. Mary’s?
We do with God’s help.
Let us pray. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, fill us with the spirit of hospitality so that with your friend Martha we may enjoy making space for others to enter into your healing presence. Give us attentive eyes, ears, feet, and hands for serving our brothers and sisters in this local expression of your family.
In your mercy, hear our prayer.
Vow of Fidelity
Do you take the vow of fidelity for this year in the Order of Bethany? Will you commit to a posture of living life at the feet of Christ remaining open to his friendship and lordship? Will you spend daily time in prayerful communion with him for the sake of him, yourself, and the world?
We will with God’s help.
Let us pray. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, fill us with the spirit of fidelity so that with your adoring and listening friend Mary we may delight in your faithful presence. Soften and enlighten our imaginations, desires, and wills so that we might with patience and alertness receive your caring love.
In your mercy, hear our prayer.
Vow of Levity
Do you take the vow of levity for this year in the Order of Bethany? Will you commit to participating in all of these vows with a posture of levity, always waiting and trusting in the resurrection life of Jesus to enter into each situation and circumstance? Will you remember to laugh at yourself and not take yourself too seriously while taking serious God’s commitment to finish the work he has begun in you?
We will with God’s help.
Let us pray. Father, Son, and Spirit, Holy Trinity, Lord of Joy, fill us with a playful and patient spirit of levity so that with your resurrected friend Lazarus we may experience the slow and joyful work of new creation in all of our lives, by your grace and for your goodness to be made known.
In your mercy, hear our prayer.