Frequently Asked Questions
• Who was Hildegard of Bingen and why is she the namesake of St. Hildegard’s Community?
• Why is St. Hildegard’s called a community instead of a church?
• What is the relationship between St. Hildegard’s Community and St George’s Episcopal Church?
• What is the relationship of St. Hildegard’s Community to the Episcopal Church?
• What does the Episcopal Church offer seekers?
• Why does St. Hildegard’s gather in Kleberg Hall rather than in the St. George’s parish sanctuary?
• Who leads St. Hildegard’s Community?
• What is the mission of St. Hildegard’s Community?
• What can I read to familiarize myself with the community’s influences?
• Why does St. Hildegard’s sit in a circle during the Sunday liturgy?
• Who is Sophia and why is she mentioned so frequently alongside Jesus?
• Why does the priest sit during the sermon?
• Who are the people dressed out in robes during the liturgy?
• What is the purpose of the public response time during the liturgy?
• Is there significance to the colors used to decorate the gathering space?
• What is Viriditas?
• Why is music so central to the liturgy at St. Hildegard’s?
• Why do people occasionally dance during the playing of music?
• I keep hearing about Miriam, Martha, and Sophia. Who are these women?
• Why does St. Hildegard’s so frequently join together for meals following the Sunday liturgy?
• What are Weavings and Communitas?
• Why does the priest sing the Eucharistic Mass?
• How should I dress for the Sunday liturgy?
• What is the Servant Leadership School?
• What is the Viriditas Project?
• Why is there such an emphasis placed on using inclusive language in the liturgy?
• I’m gay. Am I welcome to participate in the liturgy and community life of St Hildegard’s?
• I am not Episcopalian. Am I able to participate in Eucharistic Mass anyway?
• What is the history of the community?
• What are the doctrinal beliefs of the community?
• I am not a practicing Christian. Will I feel welcome at St. Hildegard’s? • I like what Jesus said and did, but I’m kind of wary of churches and Christians. Why should I check out a service at St Hildegard’s anyway? • I have small children. Is there a program for them while I am at the Sunday service?
• Who was Hildegard of Bingen and why is she the namesake of St. Hildegard’s Community? Take a look here.
• Why is St. Hildegard’s called a community instead of a church?
We value the communal practice of faith, believing that personal relationship with the Divine is deepened through the truth and growth of community life, of understanding Scripture and sacred ritual from a perspective of companionship on the journey of faith. Jesus called his first disciples into a small community of friends and followers. By hanging out together with him they began to ‘catch’ faith and embody transformation from alienation to belonging in love. Movements of renewal often come to institutions through small communities: St. Benedict and his twin sister, St. Scholastica, St. Francis and St. Clare brought renewal to the church in their own time through living a way of life together with others.
• What is the relationship between St. Hildegard’s Community and St George’s Episcopal Church?
St. Hildegard's was founded by members of St. George's and our priest has been on staff at St. George's since 1984. Since our beginning in 1996 the church has supported St. Hildegard's call to offer creative informal worship with their prayers and generous use of their buildings. Our priest meets regularly with the rector and vestry and speaks to the Annual Parish meeting. We are considered part of the St. George's family and keep the parish informed of our joys and challenges.
• What is the relationship of St. Hildegard’s Community to the Episcopal Church?
Our priest is an ordained Episcopal priest and our worship follows a form that is offered in the Book of Common Prayer. Through St. George's and through our priest we are part of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas, on the creative edge of a diverse diocese. Our Vision affirms that "we are part of the larger Body of Christ" and these connections keep us from isolation and also allow us to offer our gifts. Periodically we offer classes for those who want to explore the Episcopal Church. Our members include both Episcopalians and non-Episcopalians. St. Hildegard's is on the creative edge of the Episopal Church, in amicable tension with tradition.
• What does the Episcopal Church offer seekers?
The Episcopal Church welcomes our minds, hearts, and bodies… all of who we are. Scripture, Tradition and Reason are all considered important and inform each other. At St. Hildegard’s we see all of these resources come together in ways that are helpful for seekers and for those wanting a place of deep commitment.
• Why does St. Hildegard’s gather in Kleberg Hall rather than in the St. George’s parish sanctuary?
We have chosen to gather in the parish hall rather than the sanctuary so that we can put our thoughts on the theology of word, music, and space into practice by sitting in a circle beneath a fabric canopy (worshipping that is relational instead of hierarchical), and journeying from the Liturgy of the Word to the Liturgy of the Table.
Sitting in a circle under a canopy – our “tent of meeting” – goes back to the days of Moses, Miriam, and Aaron… and possibly even earlier, to the nomadic customs of the ancient Israelites. Our tent reminds us that our only security is in God.
Another reason we have chosen to gather in the parish hall is because of our love for joining together in another ancient expression of prayer: dancing. While you are certainly not expected to dance, we gladly offer you the opportunity to participate and join with us as we celebrate the memory of Miriam, David and other dancing saints through the ages.
• Who leads St. Hildegard’s Community?
• What is the mission of St. Hildegard’s Community?
• What can I read to familiarize myself with the community’s influences?
• Why does St. Hildegard’s sit in a circle during the Sunday liturgy?
We choose to sit in a circle because it is non-hierarchical. We may have different functions in the liturgy - some as leaders - but the circle reminds us that no one is above or below; we all share responsibility to listen and respond to the Spirit.
Also, a circle is an image portraying connection and interconnectedness. That, in turn, suggests kinship and friendship, a womb birthing new life and healing. A circle is more intimate as we look into each other’s faces and also gives us the freedom to move and dance.
• Who is Sophia and why is she mentioned so frequently alongside Jesus?
Sophia is the great wisdom figure of the Hebrew testament. Wisdom, personified as Sophia, is portrayed in wisdom literature as God reaching out to the world, giving life, supporting justice, and protecting the oppressed. Manifest within the fuller mystery of God, Sophia was present at the beginning of all creation and all life coming into being. She is present at the moment of the quickening of human consciousness and its apprehension of Divine Mystery. It is not surprising that early Christians, raised in Hebrew traditions, and familiar with Sophia, would associate Jesus with her. Biblical scholarship reveals traces of Hebrew Wisdom references in the earliest Christian texts.
The association between Jesus and Sophia was suppressed as the early church adopted more completely the domination language and images of empire after the conversion of Constantine. Theologians of the middle ages and early modern period further obscured the association in order to reinforce associations of Jesus’ maleness with divine incarnation.
Feminist theologian Elizabeth Johnson in her book, “She Who Is,” reclaims the obvious connections between Jesus and Sophia and creates the christological title Jesus-Sophia, that is Jesus, the Wisdom of God. Christology is theory of what it is about Jesus that saves us.
As with so many theological concepts, St. Hildegard’s is attempting to live the question: What does it mean for our understanding and awareness of the presence God to associate the saving incarnation of Jesus with Sophia, the female face of the Wisdom of God?
• Why does the priest sit during the sermon?
Sitting during a sermon or teaching is a more ancient practice than standing and fits our community better as well. During the Reformation the sermon in Protestant churches was elevated in importance during worship; standing became the norm and pulpits became very ornate and sometimes literally elevated above the people. In many cases Holy Communion dropped out of the weekly celebration and became a monthly or quarterly observance. At St. Hildegard's we want the liturgy to be whole with each part valued for its role, with balance between sharing the sacred meal and gathering around the sacred texts. Sitting to preach within the circle helps us to remember that the sermon is part of a communal process. We learned this practice in a contemporary form from St. Gregory of Nyssa Church in San Francisco.
• Who are the people dressed out in robes during the liturgy?
The people in robes are leaders for the liturgy of the day. The priest, music director, and lay liturgist usually sit together. Across the circle from these three, there are two deacons who assist the readers and assist during Communion and with other tasks; they are not ordained. Many community members serve as liturgist and deacon during the year so leading, serving, dressing in robes is a shared practice and not reserved for clergy or professional musicians.
Wearing robes, called albs, is the common practice in the Episcopal Church. Dressing in special liturgical clothing connects us with centuries of tradition, lends dignity, and shows our communal intention to become aware and open to the sacred. White robes are also used as baptismal garments. Wearing the robes indicates a servant leadership role in any particular liturgy and also reminds us all of our baptismal calling. Without church architecture to remind us of these things, the robes are especially helpful. Others are free to dress informally while the circle itself is given more formality. The outer coverings, called chasubles, change with the season and bring color into the circle. The people in robes and chasubles help create the awareness of sacred space.
• What is the purpose of the public response time during the liturgy?
The response time is an opportunity for the whole gathered community including visitors to weave a response to the theme of the day experienced in readings, prayers and songs. The sermon begins the response and hopefully 'breaks open' the scriptures so that the people can speak from their experience finding connections with their own lives. There is also freedom to bring in points that haven't been touched on.
• Is there significance to the colors used to decorate the gathering space?
Liturgy is life and life is seasonal. Jerome Berryman, creator of Godly Play, has described the seasons of the Church Year as a ring of colors. Our highest holy day is Easter, and then Christmas. Right before these high feast days are what he calls the “getting ready” seasons of Lent (before Easter) and Advent (before Christmas). For many years, the color of these getting ready seasons was purple – symbolizing the royal priesthood of all baptized believers. But as the church became more institutionally entrenched in the political hierarchy, the purple color became identified with the royal foundation of the clergy. Many churches have now adopted blue as the color of Advent (being the color for loyalty) – symbolizing Mary’s “yes” to God, and of our saying “yes” to God as well. Lent is now often celebrated with the color of muslin or homespun – symbolizing simplicity, the desert, an empty palate on which to paint.
Following the high holy days of Easter and Christmas are the green, growing seasons of ordinary time. Here, the stories in the liturgy are of the life of Jesus told to help us live the life that will make us grow and green. One season notable exception to the use of green during Ordinary Time is the Feast of Pentecost. On Pentecost, the liturgical space is trimmed in the fiery color, red, symbolizing heat, burning with passion and surprise, and joy and wonder.
As well as the change of color for the seasons, there is a change of music, of mood, and of subjects for the readings and sermons.
• What is Viriditas?
Hildegard of Bingen saw the Holy Spirit bringing green growing power to all of life, transforming dried-up and shriveled lives and institutions into a New Creation. She called that power Viriditas.
St. Hildegard’s makes use of the concept of Viriditas in the naming of two different programs that are both essential to our community life: periodic Viriditas community gatherings and the Viriditas Project.
About every six weeks, we meet following the Sunday liturgy to reflect on community life and shape future plans. This gathering is open to both members and visitors. When necessary, longer meetings may be held on Saturdays. We call these gatherings, “Viriditas.”
The Viriditas Project is a program of spiritual formation offered through the Servant Leadership School of Austin - a ministry of St. Hildegard’s Community. The mission of the Viriditas Project is to form spiritual leaders to serve their faith communities and to work for justice and healing for the world. The curriculum offers six 10-week core classes in Spring and Fall over a three years period and two alternating 4-day summer retreats.
• Why is music so central to the liturgy at St. Hildegard’s?
Music and dance engage our bodies and emotions in our deepest inner language. Since very ancient times, humans have sought a connection to spirit-beyond-self through music and movement. Now, in our seeking at St. Hildegard's, music and movement continue to be integral to our way of worship. Rhythm and movement, melody and harmony are fundamental human responses to the physics of sound, reaching deeper into ourselves - and more broadly in outward communication - than speech and conscious thought.
When we sing and dance together, we create a sacrament of community - we breathe and move in unison, and share an emotional and spiritual connection that makes us one body.
• Why do people occasionally dance during the playing of music?
From the earliest days of our community, we have engaged in dancing together - sometimes organized, sometimes spontaneous. Music invites movement, and dancing - or simply tapping a foot or clapping hands. We engage our bodies in expressing our spirituality.
• I keep hearing about Miriam, Martha, and Sophia. Who are these women?
Take a look here.
• Why does St. Hildegard’s so frequently join together for meals following the Sunday liturgy?
Community meals provide us opportunities to cultivate friendships and strengthen our personal bonds with others in the community. They also allow us to get to know other Seekers who are visiting us in a more casual way. We take turns preparing the food, cleaning up afterward, and washing linens to remind ourselves that we are servants of one another in the Kin-dom of God.
Sharing our lives with each other in this way follows the example set by Jesus. He joined with people of all walks – some were his followers, others were merely curious or even skeptical – to engage them in conversation and share his vision of the Kin-dom of God.
We are a relationship-based community. Breaking bread together is one of several practical ways that we engage in breaking down barriers to find healing and support in each others’ companionship.
• What are Weavings and Communitas?
• Why does the priest sing the Eucharistic Mass?
We follow the form that is called "Rite 3," (outlined in the Book of Common Prayer, pp. 400-409) which invites creativity in the narrative parts of the Eucharistic prayer. The "words of institution" are said by the Presider, who also performs ritual actions that express the blessing of the bread of wine.
• How should I dress for the Sunday liturgy?
Come as you are! Depending upon the climate of any given season, in our circle you will probably see various ones dressed in shorts, pants, button-ups, t-shirts, sweaters, skirts, ponchos, heels, clogs, flip-flops, or boots. We have no requirement that you dress a certain way to participate in our services. Some of us like to dress creatively and others prefer to dress comfortably. We promise not to call the fashion police on your outfit if you promise to do the same with ours.
• What is the Servant Leadership School?
• What is the Viriditas Project?
• Why is there such an emphasis placed on using inclusive language in the liturgy?
Language shapes the way we experience the world, ourselves and the Divine. Language that balances masculine and feminine images and is expansive in using a wide array of images enriches and is transformative. We want to offer resources to the wider church in using liberating liturgical language.
• I’m gay. Am I welcome to participate in the liturgy and community life of St Hildegard’s?
Yes! We are aware that the Christian church has a vicious history of exclusion, not only of women but of sexual and gender minorities of all kinds. And of course, the Episcopal Church is only beginning to confront its particular history of exclusion. This history and present reality can make many folks skeptical of the welcome they will receive in a Christian community.
St. Hildegard’s was formed, in part, on the basis of a feminist impulse towards deepening the inclusivity of the church. We consider supporting the movement towards gender justice a central feature of our call. Some queer members of our community have found in St. Hildegard’s a major source of spiritual liberation. It is powerful to feel old, exclusionary associations lifted and transformed with refreshing reminders of our community with one another and of the abundance of the Holy Spirit.
As a result of your particular experiences, you may have particular sensitivities to different languages or forms of worship. We at St. Hildegard’s would like to be instructed by your awareness. We are always changing and growing in response to the spiritual needs of our community, and we hope that you will share your responses and your wisdom with us. We all need each other if we are to grow into spiritually mature human beings.
Our LGBTQ Welcoming Statment can be found here.
• I am not Episcopalian. Am I able to participate in Eucharistic Mass anyway?
Yes, everyone is welcome. One primary way that Jesus demonstrated the welcoming love of God was by eating with everyone--those considered sinners and unclean, the common folk as well as those considered righteous or having status. We believe that Jesus welcomes everyone now in our own time and we follow in his way of authenticity and compassion.
• What is the history of the community?
• What are the doctrinal beliefs of the community?
The word ‘belief’ found in the ancient creeds of the church means “I give my heart to …” or “We give our hearts to…” rather than agreeing with certain assertions as true or false. In the Anglican tradition our beliefs are expressed in our prayers and liturgies, especially in the Eucharistic prayer or Mass and in Baptism. The Incarnation is considered a primary Anglican conviction. Our core foundation at St. Hildegard's is that God is Divine Loving Compassion and that following Jesus is about opening our hearts and minds, to embody belovedness in ourselves, relationships, and in justice-love. You can read more about our beliefs and practices in our Vision and Commitments. Our beliefs are embodied and practiced in the whole of our lives. Come and experience our ‘doctrine’ in song and dance, lived affection and justice-work.
• I am not a practicing Christian. Will I feel welcome at St. Hildegard’s?
We certainly hope so. Although St. Hildegard’s is an Episcopal community, many of our committed members do not identify as Episcopalians or even as Christians. Some had little experience of religion of any kind at all before coming to St. Hildegard’s. Our use of Rite 3 of the Book of Common Prayer gives us great freedom to include the wisdom of other faith traditions in our worship. Many members of our community have been or currently are nurtured by their practices in traditions including Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, and others. There are even some atheists among us. Our Advent season uses the spiritual wisdom of physics and chaos theory. It has been our experience that the structure of the Episcopal liturgy has been a powerful vehicle for containing the insights of spiritual liberation from many different faith and secular traditions. We invite you to share openly about how your particular faith experience relates to your experience of St. Hildegard’s.
• I like what Jesus said and did, but I’m kind of wary of churches and Christians. Why should I check out a service at St Hildegard’s anyway?
As a local expression of the universal Body of Christ, called the Church, we root ourselves in the words and ministry of Jesus as they are preserved and recalled in the Gospel accounts of his life. While some church denominations and congregations have, over the centuries, drifted toward very extreme positions regarding certain doctrinal beliefs and professions of faith, we choose to find inspiration in the example of Jesus who emphasized compassion over judgment, justice over piety, and freedom in forgiveness over condemnation and slavery to guilt.
• I have small children. Is there a program for them while I am at the Sunday service?
Yes! We provide childcare during our Sunday service. Families are also encouraged to include their children throughout the entire service or just during various parts of it depending upon their preferences. We love children and we want to encourage family participation in all of our community’s various activities.
