Dear Friends
Summerfest was amazing, and over the three weeks we were able to welcome many guests including over one hundred young people. Please pray for the Community as we gradually return to our usual rhythm, welcome new Community and say goodbye to much-loved members.
Thank you for your prayers for another Chaplain to join us, and I am delighted to say that Rev. Annie Naish will be arriving in early October. Annie will be known to some of you through Lee Abbey, and she comes to us after being Chaplain on the Mercy Ships over the last couple of years. It is great news that Annie is joining us.
We are also pleased to announce that Sarah Collett, who has been a working friend over a number of years, will also be joining the Admin Team – this is also very good news.
Ailsa, who has been leading House wonderfully over the last few years, is moving on this Autumn. We are very grateful for the way that she has kept the House looking so beautiful and homely, and coping with the challenge of two changeovers most weeks. We have very much valued her contribution to the life of Community. She is going on to Thornleigh Christian Hotel in Grange-Over-Sands in Cumbria to be Resident Duty Manager.
We are working on our new Programme and Momentum, which should be with you this Autumn, covering dates up to August 2024.
In the current programme for September we have two online events – we would love to see you on Zoom for these:
Thu 14 September – Online Quiet Day
Mon 25 to Thu 28 September online – ‘A second childhood’ led by John Bell
There is also an opportunity to come to Scargill for a refreshing residential retreat (different from what is on the programme) – ‘Walk with me and work with me’ – Wed 11th (lunch) to Fri 13th October (after breakfast) – We are opening it up to anyone who would like a break away (no longer just for couples), and we are delighted to have Tony and Lucille Porter with us for those couple of days, who will be doing some of the teaching.
Thank you for your continued love and support, it means so much to us.
Here is Di’s reflection on hairdressing. Enjoy!
I was sitting in the hairdresser last week, I always enjoy going because there is a warm welcome: “Hello Diane, would you like a cup of tea”, and a sense of being cared for as my hair is washed, cut and dried; often with a brief scalp massage thrown in for good measure! Over the years, 13 in fact!, a relationship has developed and there are times we speak a lot, other times hardly at all, but we have always journeyed and shared a little of our stories which in many ways is much like my journey with God /Jesus.
Looking for a suitable painting, I found ‘Art UK’, which is an online home for every public art collection in the United Kingdom. They have a section on ‘The Art of Hairdressing’ where I found – ‘Combing the Hair (‘La Coiffure’)’ by Edgar Degas. The blurb for which says: ‘Hairdressing has been at the heart of communities since time began. An intimate ritual, it’s at once private and very public; there aren’t many jobs which allow you to get as close as a hairdresser …. caring for the hair, allows an unparalleled closeness… which this painting captures, a very private act feels incredibly intimate – even when the hair brushing looks painful!’
For some reason, this painting brought Martha, of Mary and Martha fame, to mind. We seem to get caught up on Martha being “distracted by all the preparations” but the fact of the matter is, she’s the one that opened her home to Jesus in the first place, showing a generous heart of hospitality and servitude. And we know she found it stressful. In return Jesus teaches her that the most important thing in life is to seek His presence. Something we too should emulate. It is important for all of us to seek God’s presence, to develop a close and intimate relationship with Him even if at times it feels painful, like having your hair brushed.
Going to the hairdressers we set aside time and, in many ways, surrender ourselves into their care, which can be quite daunting! As we settle into the chair we trust in their experience and creativity to work, for me at least, a miracle!
Can we too sit before God, surrender ourselves, for even the briefest of moments, into God’s care? Can we too invite and receive a miracle?
With love and prayers from