The Lee Abbey Movement’s vision is ‘communicating Christ through relationships’. We are committed to following Jesus and to be changed in the process. Prayer is the centre of our life as community.
Shared purpose
We:
- live and serve in deprived urban communities
- seek to make Christ known in these communities
- are concerned with both physical and spiritual needs
- are seeking to develop more small communities across the UK
Rule of Life
In response to Jesus Christ’s love we seek to…
- worship him and seek his will
through regular prayer, Biblical reflection and joining with others for fellowship and communion
- deepen our personal commitment
recognising that our minds, time, talents, possessions and relationships, as gifts from God, are to be increasingly surrendered to Him
- share his saving love
through our attitudes, lives and relationships
- live in openness and honesty
being open to be known for who we are, accepting one another in love and saying nothing of others that could not be said to them personally if love and wisdom required it
- help build community
where we live, work and worship
- respect and serve all others
welcoming the stranger, being a voice for the voiceless and working to alleviate poverty and injustice
- cherish and protect God’s creation
which God the Father loves and entrusts to our care
… trusting in the help of the Holy Spirit
The hallmarks of Lee Abbey small missional communities
We have developed these hallmarks to cover the main issues which need to be addressed to have a functioning small missional community.
What makes us a community?
- Commitment to life together – praying, discipleship, eating, care of home and garden, supporting and respecting each other
- Participation in the Lee Abbey Rule of Life
- Under one roof, though may have associates
What is our outward focus?
- Lives marked by the desire to bless and honour all in community and neighbourhood
- Working with churches
- Clear missional focus involving all
- Essentially in urban situations
How are we organised? (internal focus)
- Locally supported in prayer and accountability
- Members should have part time paid work (ideally no more than three days)
- Financially sustainable
- Identified leader (enabling not authoritarian)