Apostolic Sisters

Apostolic Sisters are called to live a vowed life of dedication to Christ’s way and to take a full part in this apostolic commitment in prayer, seeking to enable others to find their God-given, intrinsic talent and their true path. Initially, temporary Vows are taken, with the opportunity to take Life Vows after seven years of commitment to the Community.

1. To pay an uncommon attention to the things of God, so that like Gabriel, we seek to know the reality of the things of the Spirit: to bring that good news in these fractured and changing times in which we live. We desire to know spiritual realities in everyday circumstances, inspired by Ignatius of Loyola’s exhortation ‘to know God in all things,” so that prayer may bear fruit in actions that bring hope, one to one, even as in the story of the lost sheep, Jesus makes clear God’s concern and compassion for the one as well as for the many.

2. To embody God’s compassion through our Apostolic Work: an ethical and practical outworking of our spiritual lives, not only in our everyday experience but also through our registered Charity: The Gettalife Project. www.gettalife.org.uk

3. To be committed to each other: ours is a dispersed way of life, with the Sisters living in their own homes. All who are called to share this vision are our Sisters, across age, race and class.

Our Rule Of Life:

We are committed to:

• Daily prayer, Bible reading and space for silence

• Daily use of our Psalm lectionary

• Praying our Gabriel Sisters’ Prayer

• Meeting together regularly: three weekends a year.

• Interim meetings, as required, for matters of principle and action.

• Prayer time on the first Wednesday of the month, each Sister in her own home.

• Tithing a minimum of 1% of our income to the Community.

• Linking with a Spiritual Director.

• An annual Guided Retreat.

• Commitment to the Community’s Apostolic Work:

  
  

This commitment is embodied through four key lifestyle choices:

• Faithfulness, whether married or called to the single, celibate life. We affirm a dedication to long-term commitments and consecrated partnerships, as is the practice within the Anglican Church in the UK.

• Simplicity of Lifestyle, so that we hold lightly to material things and share generously with others.

• Welcome and Hospitality to both friend and stranger that the Spirit or God may bring to our door.

• Commitment to our Apostolic Work.

Fellowship Sisters

A new role with a looser commitment to being present at Sisterhood weekends and other meetings, and more limited involvement in the Gettalife Project, the Sisterhood’s Apostolic work. They have a simple Rule of Life and, although not taking Vows, they make a pledge to the Community and to the style of life to which they are being called.

Prayer Friends

This role is open to both men and women who feel called to pray in support of the Gabriel Sisters and our Gettalife Project. Prayer Friends will receive a brief update two or three times a year, usually after the Sisters meet in person. Vows are not taken.