Community of the Living Sacrifice

Refectory at St. Joseph’s House

About Us

In the beautiful Morning Chapel of Lincoln Cathedral, on March 19th,1985 the first vows were taken by the founding Brothers of The Community of the Living Sacrifice. Before this however, there was much preparation, and indeed, much life.

When John Adams and Bill Lindley arrived at Lincoln Cathedral in October of 1983, it was to do volunteer maintenance Work on Lincoln Cathedral. Both had worked at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, California, and had made contact with Lincoln through the friendship of Deans Gillespie and Fiennes.

One Sunday, at Mass, a small piece of paper was placed on the chairs of the Angel choir, stating that the Sisters who had been serving as guides, welcomers, and friends of the Cathedral, were being called back to their home convent. Bill and John, without anyone saying so, knew immediately that they would be replacing them. It had long been in the hearts of the two, to give up everything and follow Christ. They had left jobs in the United States, sold everything they had, and moved to Lincoln to volunteer for anything necessary . Now it seemed they were called to something new!

On the following Monday, they proposed the beginning of a New Religious Community to Dean Fiennes, who, to their surprise, was very eager. The Dean asked Bill to write up a Rule for the Community. And so began The Community of the Living Sacrifice. The name of the Community came from the Eucharist:

“Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice.”

The Community took over a house in Minster Yard at Pottergate, which they named St. Joseph’s House, as St. Joseph is the patron saint of both workers and the family. There, they took in homeless, ill and troubled people from all over Lincolnshire. The Community did well, and interest was great in the community, including both Lincoln colleges, the local press and Lincolnshire Radio.

Trouble however, raised it’s head in the person of the Sub Dean: Rex Davis. The Sub Dean wanted to make money from the project, and was none too subtle about it. He wanted to have the Community operate a boarding house that would take overflow from Edward King House, his pet project and money making enterprise. The Community explained to The Sub Dean that the Community had many vulnerable people in it’s care, and that a boarding house was not compatible with the mission of the Community. Thus, Rex Davis turned his face against the Community, and would not be satisfied until he poisoned the mind of the Dean and Chapter against us and by June of 1986, John and Bill were forced to close a worthwhile project, find homes for the residents of the house, and Return to the United States.

The trouble between the Community and Dean and Chapter did have a positive effect however. Being “cast out” as it were, Our Brother in Charge started reading spiritual writings of other faiths, and found the Eastern idea of Advaita; an extreme non dualistic understanding of man’s position in the world, life and the spirit. Bill set about to reinterpret the Rule he had written for the Community, and thus was born the Book “Community of One.—The Journey Beyond Christianity”. And thus the Community was reborn, and Thrives on this website.

While the Community has at present no home, we are carrying on our ministry via this website.

We invite your comments, Ideas and beliefs at monkworks@windstream.net.

Peace

2008