Win two nights on Retreat at The Vine at Mays Farm

Win two nights on Retreat

at The Vine at Mays Farm

I'll tell you how you can do that in just a minute!

Welcome to our new online home! Ministries by Design has a brand new website and a dot com address -  how exciting is that? Well, not very unless you are geeky, perhaps, but even I am excited by this beautifully designed and fresh looking up-to-date site!  Designed and managed by Kim Swithinbank, this new site is where you will now find us.

So, while you are here, take a look at next year's calendar (the link to it comes in a moment)  There are lots of exciting new retreats planned - including the one that always gets an "Oooooh!!!" when I mention it: Hotel de Chocolat. A two night retreat using Chocolate as an illustration of God's extravagant grace. Lots of treats in store over 48 hours - not least hot chocolate around the fire pit and chocolate tasting ..... book soon, because there are already some bookings and places are limited! 

WHY RETREAT?

Because our daily lives are typically filled and busy - things to do, people to see, life to live. And all that is good. But we each need time to BE - and at The Vine at Mays Farm we offer you the much-needed opportunity to step back from the chaos in your life. We offer an oasis, a place of spiritual sanctuary, a safe space to reconnect with God.

Mays Farm - over a hundred years ago!

There are walking retreats 

and Silent Retreats

Retreats for clergy

and retreats for writers

Retreats to help you pray for others

and times for individuals to 'do their own thing.'

What would help you most? Which would suit you best? 

Maybe you find it easiest to connect with God when you are out in the countryside...

or when you are reflecting in silence in the Chapel...

Maybe you need others to share thoughts and experiences with....

or maybe you prefer to work through things on your own....

Maybe you like your own room...

or maybe you're happy to share a twin room (and pay a little less) ....

Maybe you'd like breakfast in bed ....

or maybe you prefer to keep the crumbs in the kitchen ...

..... Whatever you prefer, there is probably something to suit you, a time when you can step aside from 'normal' life, be revived and refreshed and renewed; and allow your roots to go deeper and remain in the Vine (John 15:4) You can hop over to the calendar/list of retreats here ... but don't forget to come back to find out how to win 2 free nights on retreat.

Pilgrims walking from San Gimignano to Montalcino , September 2013 

AND THERE'S MORE!

As well as retreats at The Vine at Mays Farm, we also lead Pilgrimages. In 2014 there will be two pilgrimages for you to choose. Both are on the Via Francigena, the old pilgrim route from Canterbury to Rome. It passes through glorious countryside in Tuscany, and in early June, we will walk from Montalcino to Viterbo, an 8 day holiday, with a walk of 85 miles. In very early September, another 8 day holiday will be a walk from San Gimignano to Montalcino, slightly less strenuous and 68 miles of fabulous countryside.  Click here for photos and descriptions and more information.

* * * *

WIN TWO FREE NIGHTS ON RETREAT in 2014

Yes - any two nights at Mays Farm! You might choose Hotel de Chocolat, or the walking retreat or your own individual retreat. But your two nights will be absolutely free, and will include all meals (except lunch on walking retreats). 

To enter the free draw you can either:

SUBSCRIBE TO RECEIVE THE BLOG IN YOUR EMAIL

HIT SHARE ON FACE BOOK  to share this post with your friends.

RETWEET ON TWITTER including the hashtag @minstriesbydsgn

For every time you do one of those things, your name will be entered into a hat and one name will be chosen by a Board Member who is here on a retreat this week! So the more times you share/retweet, the more opportunities you have to be chosen.

The draw closes on Tuesday December 11th at midnight (GMT) and a name will be chosen the next morning and the winner announced sometime on Wednesday.

* * * *

There are places still available on the ADVENT AWAY DAY on Saturday December 14th (10am - 3.30pm) but otherwise 2013 is now fully booked! Look at the calendar for 2014 and book soon.

We look forward to welcoming you to The Vine at Mays Farm. In the meantime,

GO WELL AND GO WITH GOD

www.ministriesbydesign.org

www.thevine-at-maysfarm.com

Silent. For HOW long? and other interesting questions answered.

She'll never do it! I'd pay to be a fly on the wall, to see if she can. 

People are often amazed by those who choose to go on a Silent retreat.

Why choose to be silent? What will you DO if you can't talk?

Oh - breakfast in bed? Well, yes, I'd like that.

And reading a book? Hmm - perhaps. There's a whole library in the house? With a comfy armchair? And a wood burner stove for the winter days? Now you're talking. Metaphorically speaking. Oops.

Sitting in the vintage farm-style village coffee shop, alone, journalling for a couple of hours? Yes, that would be good too.

Oh, and the little church is really old and beautiful and quiet?   And you had every meal cooked for you? And an early night in a comfortable bed?

Sounds better than I imagined. But even so - what else can you DO?

Just BE, did you say? For nearly four whole days? No rushing, no places to be, no people to see, no polite conversation ... and no social media? Goodness. Did it 'work'?

It did? Why, what did you do?

Oh, you're still not talking? OK, let me read the ideas you were given for your special time.

HOW TO MAKE A RETREAT

Re:FRESH Re:NEW Re:TREAT

 Sometimes we need rest – physical, emotional, spiritual time away from normal everyday busy-ness.  We need to make time for meeting with God over a longer period, time for spiritual renewal and self-examination.  In Jesus’ time, long walks were part of everyday life – when one could presumably reflect and pray and think. We need to build in times of quiet, times of enjoying God’s creation.  At least once a year (and three or four times is better!) it helps if we go to a place of quiet and beauty and just BE. 

 If you have never done this before, it may be strange at first. Don’t be afraid to start with an hour for the very first time. Start small and keep adding. Don’t wait until you feel you can take on a whole day or you may never begin.  And if after a while you have had enough, don’t feel guilty; either push on through to see what happens or leave it there and try again another time. Or try something entirely different! These are just suggestions which I have personally found work for me and for many others; feel free to experiment.  You can try some of these ideas while you are on retreat here at Mays Farm; and you can continue with them or others once you are home.

-       Retire early. Get ready for bed earlier than you do normally, with a relaxing drink (Horlicks?!?!?!?! Camomile tea …) and read the Scriptures you have planned for tomorrow; but just read them, don’t do anything else, and then put the light out.

-    Awake whenever – no alarm clock! Breakfast will arrive soon after 8.30am, but you can stay in bed if you like. And don’t DO anything, for half an hour. Savour your breakfast, enjoy the peace, taste properly. Maybe later take a mug of steaming coffee and go outside to sit on a sunny chair, or under a tree. In winter, try a log fire. So now,  sit and BE with God.

 -  Take an extended time to praise and thank God.  Focus on the things you are grateful for.  Look at photos and momentoes you may have brought with you and praise and thank God for what they all mean to you. Then in your journal list 10 things for which you are grateful and thank God for each of them.  Put the focus on blessings, not problems. Then another 10 and thank Him; and another …. And so on.  Set yourself a maximum, say 30 or 50 …. And see where you end up.  No pleases, just thanks.

 -  Find a Psalm (Not a difficult one, but your favourite one, or a praise one) and read it out loud.  Slowly.  Twice.  Then put the Bible down and reflect on it, maybe recall words or phrases that stood out or leaped at you, or meant something.  Then write them down.  Read aloud again – slowly. Maybe learn by heart one of the special verses.

-  Turn to your daily Bible reading, or to a special Bible passage; or to a whole small book (eg Philemon or Jude) Spend an hour or two on this:  read it aloud, slowly; relish the phrases; repeat it until the meanings truly sink in. Listen – let God speak to you through it. Mark/write/record what happens. Was does it mean? Is there a promise, a command? Something you don’t understand which you can look up another time or ask someone about later?  Reflect and pray it through.

 -  Go for a leisurely walk and enjoy an extended time of praise.  Sing praise songs aloud in the glories of creation (the psalmist recommends making a joyful NOISE to the Lord so don’t worry if you are not an opera singer!!) Then envision God looking at you with love and walking beside you with His arm on your shoulder - a friend accompanying you on the journey, in love. Sing unaccompanied or have some things on the iPod to sing to.

 -  Then and only then, either whilst out or on your return, pray and write down your prayers  - for family, friends, loved ones; for self, spiritually, emotionally, physically, socially, intellectually; God, when you look at me, what do you see? Lord how am I doing? What do you want to change in me? Pray about your dreams, your challenges, your diary.

 -  Enjoy a leisurely lunch at some point (or you may want to fast for the day) and listen to some worship music – of whatever type you prefer!

 -  Take a nap; rest. Put your feet up. Do nothing for a while, with a cup of tea. Or you could look at a religious painting or a picture that speaks to you of God. The hammock is nice ...

 -  Read a wholesome but light book – maybe a Christian biography – a book which will bless, inspire, enthuse you.

After a few mornings, this may well all become much easier. But even if it doesn’t, keep pressingon. Remember Jacob – “I will not let You go unless you bless me …” 

 THERE IS A LOT HERE  - IT MAY BE THAT JUST ONE OR TWO WILL BE SUFFICIENT FOR YOU. While you are here on retreat, maybe take one or two ideas for each morning.  And experiment – maybe paint or draw; compose some music or play some if you have an instrument available (the piano in the Chapel will soon be available); take a siesta; write a poem or a prayer ….

 Finally, remember to write the date in your diary for your next retreat.

 *  *  *  *  *

Our retreatants this past week were on (almost) silent guided retreat, specifically spending time with God in the mornings, helping us paint and decorate in the afternoons (and there was often the sound of singing and laughter!) and then we had a devotional time of Contemplative Prayer each evening.

This next week, the retreat is a walking week - 6 to 7 miles each morning, painting and decorating each afternoon and devotional time each evening. No breakfast in bed for this energetic crowd!

*  *  *  *  *  

The end is almost in sight. Latest photos show some improvements, don't you think?

Don't forget - if you'd like to come and see The Vine @ Mays Farm retreat house, there is an invitation to the Open Day and Launch for you.

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 28th 2013

 OPEN DAY and LAUNCH

for THE VINE @ MAYS FARM

We would love you to come and enjoy The Vine @ Mays Farm

12noon- 4pm

Come for as long as you can – call in, or stay!

Light refreshments served all day

2pm  short dedication prayers in the Chapel

The Board of Trustees will all be here

Come and see what is on offer at this place of spiritual sanctuary -

retreats for you, for your leadership team, for your small group

RSVP -  Thank you!