St Hildegard’s Community
- INSPIRED by St. Hildegard of Bingen
- ROOTED in the Christian, Episcopal tradition
- OPEN to the wisdom of other ancient paths & modern science
![The music of our community is now published in a songbook!](https://hildegard-austin.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Songbook-party-768x644.png)
![Judith and Mary Claire Judith and Mary Claire](https://hildegard-austin.org/wp-content/uploads/elementor/thumbs/Young-Judith-and-Mary-Claire-scaled-pivd0xyrm8nx2rvh0gumll3lq00cztxu1fks2ll0wc.jpg)
Since 1996 St. Hildegard’s has worshiped using inclusive/ expansive language for the Holy. We invite you to join us.
Sundays @ 4
We begin with 20 minutes of silence. Scripture, poetry, science, and our lives weave together as we encounter the Sacred through singing and the Eucharist.
Friday 4 pm meditation
20 minutes to reset and be together in silent prayer. Join online from anywhere.
Classes
10-week classes through the Servant Leadership School build community and offer spiritual liberating deep dives.
Retreats
Each Advent & Lent we retreat to nature for silence and reflection. Journey Inward/ Journey Outward retreats offer a chance to discern your call.
Contemplation, Action & Community
Our way of living includes contemplation, action, and community.
We seek to empower and support each member to follow and develop their personal call for the healing of the world.
Here are some of the ways our members are living out their calls.
![](https://hildegard-austin.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/Hildegardians-on-beach-scaled.jpg)
Beloved community includes all of creation
What do you thirst for?
If you are seeking authentic community, if you long to know a compassionate God, if you want to live in reverent relationship to all of creation, we invite you to share from the springs of living water we know in our own lives.
What is worship like?
Our worship is both justice work and praise. Hildegard of Bingen wrote that, “It is through justice work and the singing of praise that the Surprise of God is consummated.” We believe that liturgy can be a living work for a living people preparing for the Great Surprise of God. Our time together in worship also gives us strength to continue our justice work in the world. When we gather, we sit in a circle. As we sing the Eucharist, we draw close together, near the round table. This reflects our relational theology and a Eucharistic celebration of Christ among us. The words we say and sing in the liturgy are chosen mindfully to liberate and expand our understanding of God.
Who is Hildegard?
Hildegard of Bingen was a 12th Century abbess who expressed a profound awareness of the sacred connection of Earth and Heaven. We were drawn to Hildegard as our name sake. In her life we see mysticism and exuberant creativity, silence and song, and an engagement with both church and society.
What do you mean by community?
We are an intentional, non-residential community. Members include women and men, single, married, and partnered. Members follow a Rule of Life. We have professed members who have taken vows, chapter members who are part of the leadership of the church, companion members, and friends and beloveds of the community. We are recognized under the canons of The Episcopal Church and are part of the National Association of Episcopal Christian Communities (NAECC)
Called to live in reverent relationship to all of creation
“The Word is living, being, spirit, all verdant greening, all creativity.
This Word manifests itself in every creature.”
— Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179)