Do you have Christmasitis?

Christmas is coming ... 

It's been in the shops for some time. Friends are boasting of starting (or in one case finishing) their Christmas present buying.

The countdown has begun. As I write, the timer tells me there are a mere 65 days to go.

I am still traditional enough that I would really like to put up the Tree on Christmas Eve and leave it up until Twelfth Night on January 6^th, the Feast of the Epiphany.  Now, I am not holding anything against those of you who have been ready for months, but you may have a problem. You may be addicted to Christmas which can result in Christmasitis. So, to see if you suffer from this, 5 quick questions to help you determine if you have contracted this disease. Give yourself a point for every question you answer with yes.

1. Did you buy any of this year’s Christmas presents or decorations  at the ‘after Christmas sales’ in January?

2. Have you ever bought an artificial tree because real ones don’t last long enough?

3. Do you have the Christmas countdown clock bookmarked on your computer?

4. Are you convinced that this year Christmas will be even more special than ever before?

5. Have you already planned what to wear on Christmas Day?

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So - do you have Christmasitis?

Are you ready for Christmas?

Normally when this question is asked, people mean do you have the tree up and decorated? Have you sent the cards out? Finished buying all the presents?

But for some of us,  “Are you ready for Christmas?”  means - Are you ready for the coming of the Lord Jesus?

Isaiah 40:3  “A voice of one calling: ‘In the desert, prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’ ” 

And if we are honest many of us have to say - no, not really, I'm too busy getting ready for Christmas and all it entails.

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Here at The Vine at Mays Farm, our new retreat house, we want to help you to be ready for Christmas! It's not too late to think about getting ready - being prepared - spending a few hours - to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord.  And to make it even easier for you, there is a choice of dates,  each giving the opportunity to take a couple of nights away from the hurly burly that is the world preparing for Christmas, and think about CHRISTmas.

ADVENT RETREATS

Dec 9-11          Mainly for clergy and those in full-time ministry. Arrive Monday late afternoon, leave Wednesday after lunch

Dec 13-15       Weekend retreat, open to all. Arrive Friday late afternoon, leave Sunday after lunch.

Stressed already with thinking about preparations for Christmas? Needing some space to be reminded of what the next few weeks are really about?  This Advent Retreat will include brief meditations, times of silent reflection, some prayer and worship. Sit by a roaring wood burner to have some down time; enjoy a brisk country walk to clear the mind; have an early night and a long sleep in a comfy bed  - with breakfast in bed the next morning if you would like.

Led by Penelope Swithinbank, it will be fairly casual-- the whole idea is to have a place and time to escape the madness of the Christmas rush! Take just a few hours to be intentional about watching and waiting for the coming of the King and it could make all the difference to your Christmas this year. 

2 nights full board: £90 per person sharing twin room with ensuite bathroom; £110 single occupation of twin room with ensuite bathroom

FOR FULL DETAILS OF THE VINE AT MAYS FARM RETREAT HOUSE  - take a look at our new website! It's the retreat part of Ministries by Design

http://www.thevine-at-maysfarm.com

To book your place on one of the Advent retreats, either :

email admin@ministriesbydesign.org

or

phone 01666 838332

Places are limited: The Vine at Mays Farm is a Retreat House with a difference. With only 5 individually furnished ensuite spacious guest bedrooms, it is intimate and never too busy. Everything is tailored to you and your needs to get away and meet with God. The house has been totally renovated and guests have access to a library, sitting room (both with wood-burning stoves) and a Chapel with a baby grand piano which loves to be played. There are also walled front and rear gardens (complete with vine) for use when the weather is clement and many lovely local walks; and underfloor heating throughout the ground floor to make sure you are cosy (bedrooms have central heating, in case you were worried!)

A 20 year old prophecy is coming true

"We prayed for Mays Farm to be bought by Christians, when it went on the market a couple of years ago," Jan says to me this morning.  "Di and I, we really wanted it to be a place where there was a Christian presence." "What made you think of that?" I ask.

"Because when my husband and I moved into the village 20 years ago, people were talking about a prophecy.  A prophecy that one day Mays Farm would be a Christian place, something special like a retreat centre. So, two years ago when it was up for sale after the very elderly farmer died, Di and I decided to meet regularly and pray that the prophecy would come true."

She pulls a face. "But it didn't.  The whole farm was bought by someone who obviously wasn't going to do that.

So we stopped praying."

Jan laughs. "But then of course last year he puts the farmhouse and gardens back on the market and keeps the farmyard and barn. And you bought it. And it seems the prophecy is coming to fruition."

All those years ago.

A prophecy about this place. To be a Christian presence in the village, somewhere special like a retreat centre.

I feel the goosebumps.

God knew, all along.

Well of course He did.

But He let others know too.

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At the Open Day, there was a short service of dedication in the Chapel, to pray for the house and the Chapel and for those who live here and those who visit here. We'd given a general invite to local people to come and see and join us.

Afterwards, a lovely older couple from the village introduce themselves. They attend the Mount Zion Chapel in the village, we discover. "We've been praying for this farm.  But we could never have imagined that there would be worship here like this."

Surely God is in this place.

Surely God meant for all this to happen.

*  *  *  *

And in the hard times, in the times when there's too much month left at the end of the money (is it REALLY only halfway through October?), in the times when it feels as though it 's a moment of madness to be doing this, God gives something special.

This time it's the assurance that this is what He intended all along.

A 20 year old prophecy.

People praying for this place.

*  *  *  * 

Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

*  *  *  *

Come and be part of this prophecy.

Come on retreat to Mays Farm; enjoy the peace and tranquillity of this place of spiritual sanctuary; spend time with the Lord; and even have breakfast in bed! Oh, and there's a wood burner to keep you cosy as you sit and read or pray after a refreshing glorious country walk; plenty of space to BE.

ARE YOU TIRED? WORN OUT?

Come and enjoy this place of spiritual sanctuary – and warmth.

You can sit …. read …. pray …. Think

Or just sit.

And be renewed and refreshed, as you step away for a while from the busyness of your demanding stressful life, into this place of quiet and rest.

Lovely warming fire in the retreatants' sitting room - installed just today!

Imagine sitting here awhile to enjoy BEING

Come for a day.

Come for a weekend.

Come for as long as you need.

Come for refreshment, renewal.

Come for remaining in the Vine (John 15:4)

More details on the Retreats page – click here to reach it

WHAT A DAY!

The Vine at Mays Farm is officially launched and open. And it was a very special day, as friends old and new came to help the launch and have a look around. They came from London and Stamford and the New Forest; en route from Cornwall and Edinburgh and from just up the road in the village. My Pilates teacher; friends from university days; villagers we'd not met before; my psychotherapist and her husband; representatives from the Diocese of Derby; members of congregations from previous parishes. What an enormous privilege and joy to have so many come. A steady stream all day!  Gallons of tea were consumed, apples picked to take home, lots of conversations with lots of different people. What a blessing. But the highlight of the day was the fact that the chapel was used for the first time! It so nearly wasn't. An hour before the celebrations were due to begin, the chapel was still a store room, thick with dust and unusable. I was disappointed; there just had not been time to get that ready, with everything that needed to be done. And then one of our dear Trustees picked up a broom and my husband and her husband set to and moved things  - including the grand piano which was still in the middle of the chapel; and just in time, the little room began to come into life. It's not finished, and the money needs to be raised to complete it. But it's usable.

So we had the service of celebration and dedication, and some 35 - 40 of us squeezed in and Phil Lawson Johnston led the worship and I led the prayers. We sang "The Lord's my shepherd I'll not want .. and I will trust, I will trust in Him..." and we prayed for every single room in the house and for all who come to visit and to stay.

"Heavenly Father, make the roof of this house wide enough to shelter all who come; oil the door of this house so it opens easily to friend and stranger ... May all who enter encounter the Risen Lord, may all who visit grow in your love ... "

And the readings -

2 Samuel 7:28-29 -

the verses Kim & I read on one of our early dates and which have been so special to us for years:

And now, O Lord God, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant; now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue for ever before you; for you, O Lord God, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed for ever.’

And my ordination verses, embroidered on my preaching scarf, and now so wonderful for this place with the vine in the garden -

John 15:1-8

“I am the true vine ..  Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me ... Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."

Some stayed in the chapel to pray for a while afterwards. One guest said  she wanted the chapel service to go on and on, it was so meaningful and glorious. Many  commented on how special the house feels and that there is a real sense of the peace and grace of the Lord.

All day, people were arriving and walking around -  nearly a hundred came, but in a steady stream so that there was time to greet and chat and proffer tea!  They walked around and viewed the rooms - it's all so nearly finished! And the house responds to people; it seems to come alive with the Lord's Presence when there are guests and visitors in it.

The bedrooms are each named after a place where we have lived - and with furniture or pictures of the places too.

There's also Cambridge and South Carolina. Come and and enjoy a retreat and try them out!

And the final prayer that everyone prayed together: might you pray it too for all who will use this place for spiritual sanctuary and sustenance?

Visit O Lord this home with the gladness of your Presence. Bless all who live here and all who visit here with the gift of your love. May your fatherly care shield them, the love of your dear Son preserve them from all evil and the guidance of the Holy Spirit keep them walking in your ways. Grant that they may show your love to each other and to all whose lives they touch. May they grow in grace and in the knowledge and love of you. Guide, comfort and strengthen them; and preserve them in peace, Lord Jesus, now and forever. Amen.

Feeling at the end of your rope? Me too ......

I got it all wrong last week. Ever feel you've reached the end of your rope? That you've got it all wrong; you're barking up the wrong tree; hopelessly out of your depth; mis-hearing God's Voice; and any one of the many other clichés I could quote.

Yes, all of that. And more.

So I posted a sad little note on Facebook.

Said that I wanted to give it all up, as it all seemed like a big failure.

I  felt totally out of my depth. Totally out of perspective.

What had happened?

- we moved into the new house on July 18th; the first retreatant arrived that same afternoon of July 18th.

- the house was full of retreats and lovely retreatants for the next SIX WEEKS! Even at weekends. Oh, and did I mention that I was leading the retreats and doing all the cooking - oh, and still have no Aga and for most of the time had just a microwave and then a small electric oven.

- at the same time, we had all the unpacking to do. The work was still progressing. The builders are still here.

- then we madly had a large party to celebrate rather large birthdays this year and to have a house-warming. Lots of lovely family and friends came. It was a fabulously happy day. And took a lot of organising and preparation. But there was no time to clear up properly for we were off to Italy.

- 2 days of rest and we were straight into leading a Pilgrimage. 10 amazing people came with us as we led them 70 miles on the Via Francigena, leading physically and spiritually. At least no-one was lost or inadvertently left behind.

Photos from To print

Returning home on Thursday, we walked into the lovely house we had left - and could not believe our eyes!

We'd left this:

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and we walked into this:

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you can't see the thick dust in the photos but it is everywhere, over everything, in every room

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The decorator we had hired came in while we were away. And did a terrible job; and didn't do half of what was supposed to be done.

And it's truly colder inside the house than it is outside, even at midday and with windows open to let in the comparatively balmy air from outside. It was much warmer in Tuscany and the difference is stark.

Then there was the post - and the bills and more bills; and no money and no support (we so far have just one person supporting us monthly and are desperately in need of financial support.)

Living by faith is hard. Especially when you are totally exhausted.

Living into God's calling is not always the easiest path - but it's the only one worth walking.

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Friends and acquaintances have given enormous support to me over the past few days, all via social media.

Lots of prayers, lots of verses from Scripture, lots of encouragement.

I am exceptionally grateful.

Of course, there's still dust everywhere and the house is upside down and there are about 100 people coming on Saturday for the Open Day and Launch. (will you come? please?) It's still cold and damp indoors.

There's still no money, and only a total of 4 nights of retreat booked in for the foreseeable future and lots of outstanding bills.

*  *  *  *  

But I need to be grateful for how far we have come in such a little time. Grateful for the extraordinary weeks of the Preview Retreats.

And to remember not to give in to despair and frustration.

Especially when so very tired.

And isn't that just when the enemy likes to get in and tell us we are no good and never will be any good and that it's all gone pear shaped?

BUT.

But.

But -

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illustration from #smokymtnchristian on Facebook

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seen on FaceBook, from the Psalm we learned on the Pilgrimage

So now I am tied to God.

Resting in the power of God.

Learning to be strong, take heart and wait for the Lord.

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And you?

What do you do when you are at the end of your rope? Where are you tied up?

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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 by email. Thank you!

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What retreatants are saying, after experiencing one of the Preview Retreats which were offered over the summer:

"L & I returned home from our Retreat at The Vine this weekend. The retreat center is going to be a wonderful place (it officially opens in Sept) and I highly recommend it to all  for visiting. It might be very special to go with a group of friends.  We enjoyed  meeting new friends, loved seeing the countryside and charming villages, and most especially experiencing afresh God's blessings upon us. The location is beautiful and peaceful, and the ministry very meaningful. The Swithinbanks are called to this place for ministry, and her Godly leadership skills for custom retreats are excellent! "  L&L from USA

"I had the most amazing time and am longing to be back at the best 'spiritual spa' that I have ever been to. I could not have asked to have been blessed with more beautiful and tranquil surroundings . I found utter peace at The Vine - I just loved it.  I came back and felt like I had found how I want to live -  I want to live with the supernatural peace that I experienced at The Vine." S.B. from London

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www.ministriesbydesign

 for more information, Penelope's latest blog posts, and retreat details.

Your prayers and support are greatly valued and appreciated as we begin this new ministry. There are huge hurdles ahead of us (not least the money to complete the house and support the ministry) and we are learning afresh to look to the Lord and lean on Him:

Jesus said, "I am the Vine ... Remain in Me."

Curiouser and curiouser cried Alice

 

Early thoughts from a Pilgrimage ... 

Last week we (the other pilgrims and I)  walked in Tuscany -  from San Gimignano to Montalcino.  A mere 65 miles of the ancient Cammino, which goes from Canterbury to Rome, a total of 1300 miles. We called it a Pilgrimage for we wanted to make it a time when we intentionally spent time to draw closer to God.

And on the way we met Alice.

Rucksack on back, skin tanned, legs strong -  walking from Hertfordshire to Rome. Alice graduated earlier this summer from her studies of mediaeval history; left her home in Hertfordshire on June 23rd  and set out to walk to Rome. Take time to think. Cogitate on what may lie ahead for her. And meet her parents in Rome on September 23.

We were fascinated, astonished, curious. Why do it? Where did she stay at night? Would she be there in time? What did her parents think about it? And is it changing her, or her attitudes or beliefs?

Her tales were of sordid campsites in northern Europe, of a night finding nowhere to sleep and walking on in the dark - 30 miles without a stop, and then of warm Italians and welcoming Catholic churches and convents and parishes; and of how their faith was drawing her in, causing her to reconsider her agnosticism and making her wonder about becoming a Roman Catholic. And of calling her mother every other day to reassure her.

Later that night, when we had toiled up a hill to stay at the  Fattoria Pieve a Salti and were sitting by the pool under the setting sun, we prayed for her, for her safety and for her faith.  Thought of her sleeping in the parish church at Buonconvento, and of the 201 km she still has to walk to reach Rome.

Maybe some of us felt inadequate - our 65 miles felt very tiny in comparison. Most of us felt old - Alice is 22, our pilgrim party contained two who are 73, one who is 70 and one who is about to be; several in their 60's and 50's.

But comparisons are not always reality.

As we arrived in Montalcino after a long steep incline  at 20% there was a grand sense of achievement.

Physically -  many of the pilgrim party were not used to long walks each day, steep hills, strange beds, learning long sections of  Psalm 27: The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple...

For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock...

You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, LORD, do I seek.”

Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.

Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!

And spiritually  - thinking of how the deer desires, longs, pants  profoundly for water in the intense heat, especially the day we were unable to refill empty water bottles and the sun was hot and the path long and steep. How deep is our desire and longing for the Lord in our lives?

Or our ability to walk at all, being so wonderfully complex in our makeup, walking so slowly as we revelled in God's creation of us.

Remembering one morning of how He walks beside us. One pilgrim spoke of the intense sense of  the Lord's Presence beside her as we imagined His walking alongside us - and of how that Presence was accompanying her ever since.

One morning, married couples held hands and prayed together as they walked - one couple said they had not walked hand-in-hand for thirty years. Nor prayed together like that. You could almost see their marriage strengthen.

65 miles. 12 pilgrims (although only 10 made it the whole way). 6 days of walking. Too much pasta and plenty of water. No blisters, no falls, no casualties. God walked beside us, watched over us, drew us closer to Him. And each other.

And now it's over.

And already some are looking forward to next year and walking the next part - Montalcino to Vitterbo.

Come with us? Curious though it may be, walking in order to spend intentional time with God seems to work.

To be a pilgrim.

Today, I am flying to Italy - in order to walk. Walking: the original form of transport. A metaphor as we journey with God.

I don't NEED to go to Italy to do it. Nor to journey with God.

And yet.

Walking along the ancient ways, following the paths journeyed by pilgrims, remembering their search for more of God as they walked from Canterbury to Rome, will help me in my spiritual walking.

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Scripture has much to say about pathways and walking with God.

On the Cotswold Pilgrimage, we learn some of the verses each day, to encourage us as we walk and listen to the Lord. I've listed below some we have learned .

And so I am excitedly stepping out to walk with God; and was astonished this morning to read not one but two blogs on Pilgrimage. Each written by one of my favourite authors, Maggie Dawn and Sheridan Voysey. 

On why we make Pilgrimages, and what we learn from them and why they have such impact upon us.

*  *  *  *

So I'm off to pilgrimage, being joined by 11 others. We will walk the Via Francigena from San Gimignano to Montalcino, over 6 days.

Pray for us? Pray for us as we look at how we can drawer closer to God, face-to-face with Him.

On our walk but also in our everyday lives.

Join us next year when we do this part again, or  then the next part, of the VF?

Bless us, Lord Christ, on our pilgrimage,

Be with us and all who are dear to us,

And with everyone we meet.

Keep us in the spirit of the beatitudes –

Joyful, simple, merciful.

                                                                                                                  (Taize: Pilgrim prayer)

Psalm 32:8  I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

Genesis 17: 1 The Lord said, “I am God Almighty (El Shaddai);

walk before me and be blameless.”

Romans 6:4  Christ was raised from the dead by the glory

of the Father, so that we might walk in newness of life.

Proverbs 3:5,6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on

your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge

him and he will direct your paths.

Philippians 3:12

But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ,  who has so wondrously reached out for me.

Jeremiah 6:16 (RSV)  This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads

and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the

good way is and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”

Psalm 37:23  The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord; He delights in every detail of their lives. (Though they stumble they will not fall

for the Lord holds them by the hand)

Searching for sanity again already?

You shake the last of the sand from your sandals recall the sun and the sea, the sunburn and the swimming pool,

remember the siestas and the sangria,

empty the last souvenir from the suitcase

and settle back into September sanity.

And the possibility of a clean slate.

"January is the official start of the new year, and I always get a burst of renewed zeal at that time, but September also gives the same feeling of an empty calendar and a clean slate. The air seems charged with possibility and renewal.  

Back-to-school is a time of self-evaluation and reflection."

So writes Gretchen Rubin.

Maybe it's the same for you.

September.

A new start, a clean slate, time for something newer and stimulating? Searching for sanity again already?

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That need for self-evaluation, for reflection and renewal, can be something which drives us to what is sometimes called spiritual navel gazing.

Or it can be something which stirs us to greater things, to a desire to draw nearer to God and start afresh with renewed vigour in our relationship with him.

Get set for September - shake up your schedule and set a time for intentional seeking of God.

You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, LORD, do I seek.” (Ps 27:8 ESV)

Set a new schedule - now , while you think about it and before everything else takes over! Set a time for those extra moments to seek his face.

And set a date to come on retreat.

Plan to spend a couple of nights away, time for renewal of the energy which has been sapped over the autumn, summer energy seeping away.

Spend a night or two at The Vine @ Mays Farm.

It's been transformed over the past few weeks! So even if you have already been, it's very different now.

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NEW!

WALKING RETREAT FOR OCTOBER

Walking in the autumn colours, it promises to be a very beautiful time to be away, to enjoy the countryside, to be intentional about searching for God. There's something special about walking, allowing the mind to clear of busy-ness and the beauty of creation to speak of the glories of God. And the peace and quiet as one walks is stunning for being able to concentrate on speaking to God and listening to and for him. Book now - limited places available!

Monday October 14  - Friday October 18 2013

Arrive Monday afternoon in time for a cream tea. A light supper followed by compline and an early night in a comfy bed in an ensuite twin bedded room.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, we have breakfast followed by a morning devotion, and then leave to walk  for 7 - 8 miles,  pausing for a leisurely lunch break at a local hostelry about half way round. During the walks we may chat or be in silence, take part in a spiritual reflection/exercise or pray. Each day's walk is different:  hilly or wooded, through the prettiest village in England or past a Georgian building used in filming a Jane Austin novel.  We walk approximately from 10.30 -  1.00, stop for lunch and walk again until reaching home about 4.00. Free time until supper, which is followed by compline.

Friday: morning devotion after breakfast, followed by a 3-4 mile circular walk. Departure by noon.

Facilities for guests include: fridge,  washer/dryer,  wi-fi in the house (but you are encouraged not to use it too much and we do not use technology on the walks!) sitting room  and a well-stocked library  (both have wood burner stoves and underfloor heating!)  lovely grounds including a walled garden and a chapel.

The small print:  this fully guided retreat is for 4 nights half board. You will need to buy your own lunch each day at the pub on the way. Dinner, bed & breakfast are provided. Each room is fully ensuite, equipped with a tea/coffee tray and freshly made up beds. (bring your own towels) Accommodation is in twin rooms (bring a friend and share a room, or we can allocate room mates!) COST for the fully guided 4 night retreat half board is just £200 to cover costs; with a suggested donation to MbD of £20 a night which can be gift aided.

There are just 10 places available  - so make sure you book now to be able to come!

Email admin@ministriesbydesign.org to ask for a booking form.

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For those who love photos - latest updates!

DONT FORGET TO BOOK YOUR PLACE ON THE WALKING RETREAT!

They came, they worked, they were unsung heroes

Over 125 people nights in our first five weeks of living at Mays Farm. 550 meals served. And still no hob or Aga.

From not a single shower (or loo) working the first night, to 6 full working bathrooms.

Arriving on Thursday July 18, moving in that morning - and our first brave retreatant arriving that afternoon.

She unpacked the kitchen china.

5 communion services.

Many lovely sessions of Lectio Divina and Imaginative Prayer.

Compline in the garden. In the Library. By candlelight. In silence or aloud.

God here.

Blessing people as only He can.

*  *  *  *

Some were old friends; some we had never met before.

They were young and old, ordained or not, local or far away.

Africa, America, Nepal, London, Birmingham, Oxford, Huntingdon, ..... Some had flown from overseas specially, just for a Preview Retreat.

They stayed for free, took part in retreat life morning and evening, but helped for hours each afternoon.

Gardening, decorating, unpacking, creating ....

*  *  *  *  

This last week has been another walking retreat. This time we were all fast walkers and the walks of 6 or 7 miles each morning were a delight in the late summer sun. Castle Combe, Norton, Gorsey Leaze, Surrendell, East Dunley, Lower Dene, Ford - we strode across  fields and through woods. Until the moments when we went slow, slower, slowest, to appreciate that we are 'fearfully and wonderfully made.' (Psalm 139)

Something else was fearfully and wonderfully made - or wonderfully complex, as one translation says. Peter and Richard, two enthusisatic and gifted amateur carpenters, decided to make the communion table for the chapel, from wood found in the house. They had never met before, never worked together before. But the American and the Englishman have created a thing of great beauty which will be used for many years to come in our little chapel. It was amazing to see it take shape over the days.

While they were hard at work as carpenters, others were decorating the sitting room. Ready for future retreatants to sit in comfort to read, relax, reflect.

Or clearing the ivy on the drystone walls in the newly refreshed courtyard.

And further up the garden path, the gazebo gradually take shape in the wild flower meadow.

And so the Preview Retreats have come to an end.

The house is quiet and at rest.

But already we have some bookings for retreats in the Autumn.

When are you coming?

Come alone; or with your small group, your leadership team, your family or friends.

Come for some peace at this place of spiritual sanctuary and sweetness.

Come and take time to abide in the Vine. 

Jesus said, "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who abide in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:5)

*  *  *  *

We have been blessed by those who have come on retreat and given so much of their time and energy.

Our prayer is that The Vine @ Mays Farm will be a blessing to many over the months and years ahead.

The Vine @ Mays Farm

for retreats, 

quiet days, 

quiet spaces,

Spiritual Direction

leadership training

& mentoring

 

come alone

come with a group

bring your friends

your small group

your leadership team

 

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!

Designed with you in mind

You've had -  or are about to have -  your much-longed-for summer holiday. It's good. Great even. Slowing down, relaxing, enjoying a different pace of life.

But then.

Then there's a long time until the next opportunity to relax. And actually, you realise you didn't necessarily draw much closer to God while you were away. You meant to. But somehow it didn't happen. There was the pool, the sea, the sand, the wine .. things to see and words to read and new opportunities ... and and and

So now you realise that you need a specific time of being intentional about allowing God to have more space and time and closeness.

You will have as much of God in your life as you choose. 

What helps you to choose?

Maybe a special place. A few days specially dedicated to allowing the Lord to speak into your life.

"I didn't think much would happen over these few days," confided one retreatant on Friday morning. "there was no actual voice, no Damascus road experienced. But God. But God spoke in a way I hadn't expected. And I'm going home determined to allow Him to go on drawing close to me. Now I know more of how to do that. Thank you, thank you."

I hadn't done anything in particular. Just provided the bed and the breakfast tray and the morning prayer; made a few suggestions; prayed.

And God did what only He can do and He came and He drew near.

Maybe you could do with some time to allow Him to do that. Some time over the next few months when you could take a day or a few days or a week, and step off the normal merry-go-round in order to wait upon the Lord.

It doesn't have to be a silent week. It might be, but there are other suggestions too.

There will be days designed with you in mind. Some will be a single day, some will be a few days, some will be a week or a weekend. What will you choose?

A week for writers to come and write in peace and quiet and then talk and share over meals times and other times and spark each other to write.

Days for apple picking and apple cooking and apple processing; looking at how and why we are the apples of God's eye. Cooking in the amazing designer kitchen with its Aga and electric gadgets!

Blogging - learning from one other, intentionally writing and getting on to social media, sharing good practice.

Fabric days - bring your scraps, use the ones here, and stitch and sew and create, while talking and sharing together.

Creative writing - set times to write on set topics, share and learn from one another.

Young leaders - bring your questions and queries, your challenges and situations, and learn from experienced clergy leaders about setting priorities, establishing values and building teams

Women clergy - groups of younger women in ordained ministry, coming for support and prayer, and sharing with those who understand the challenges and peculiarities!

There will be others. But these are designed with you in mind.

What will you choose? What else could you suggest?

Dates will be on the website/retreats in the next week or two - I'll let you know as soon as the dates are posted, so that you can book soon and not miss out!

You 'll need a few days at Mays Farm by the time the autumn is here.

and to whet your appetite - this week's progress in photos.  Enjoy.

A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF MAYS FARM

The front porch is clean and tidy; not painted yet, but welcoming nontheless

The back door - or are we in Provence?

Plaques for the some of the rooms arrive

Who is in which room and what they can’t eat .. week by week rota to remind me

Slient retreats - guests have breakfast in bed. Preparing the trays

Mud pies ...

…outside the breakfast room

trampling down the skip/dumpster to get more in!

rolling the heavy old stones on to the mud pies

getting rid of what was once a rockery

the courtyard is very nearly finished - complete with fire pit, which is in its early stages in this photo

Grand tidying up this week

Compline in the LIbrary by candlelight

Mission command

Last week’s walking retreat, passing through a corn field

The Library is very nearly finished

The apples are starting to fall.

Tomatoes from the polytunnel

The wildflower meadow is still flowering well

Your prayers are really needed.

The third Preview (ie, free but you are a glamping guinea pig) has just ended. What a fun week we had! Eleven of us in the house, just as the weather decided not to be quite so nice.  Rain in the mornings - so there were work parties on the stairs and landing and in the hall, sanding and filling and painting and decorating. The angelic sounds of singing voices  came wafting down the stairs where they intermingled with the iPad playing worship music. There was a plastic shower cap on one head to avoid paint splashes; rubber gloves on various hands; much fun and laughter. One bedroom door (Stamford) even has its first coat of gloss - which is a first for the whole house! There are miles and miles of skirting boards yet to be glossed ... And in the afternoons we set off to walk.  5 miles across the fields to Surrendell and back; 6 miles round trip to gloriously pretty Castle Combe; and a mere 2.5 miles to circumnavigate historic Malmesbury before investigating the ancient Abbey. And on the feedback forms inevitably a mix:  we walked too far - or not far enough; we walked too quickly - or not fast enough. But Gracie the dog loved it all and enjoyed whichever walk we did.

There was Compline by candlelight in the Library; Lectio Divina one evening, Ignatian Contemplative prayer another. And we finished by sharing in Communion together on Friday morning. The days had flown past and the Lord had graciously met with people in various ways and at various times. Farewells were made with hugs and hugging as email and contact details were exchanged. The Lord brought people together in extraordinarily deep ways in such a short time.

"A strong sense of God's blessing on this place already."

"Three full days was too short!"

"Appreciated being involved and playing a small part at the outset."

"Would definitely like to come back either on my own or to bring a group."

"God really spoke to me in that meditation - I've never experienced Scripture like that before!"

"God was certainly blessing me over these few days and I hope to continue feeling blessed as I take Mays Farm back with me to my life at home."

"Thanks for the quiet times spent together getting into God's Word - very helpful."

"Loved Gracie!"

And so the work continues. And the retreats keep going - we are just starting the Preview cycle again, of individual retreats, then a Guided Silent Retreat and then another Walking Retreat. And next weekend, the first time that a small group will be here - 7 or 8 of them coming together, building their friendship and fellowship through being here, working on a project . The Courtyard is currently being re-laid and we are down to 2 or 3 builders and decorators a day - very quiet after the 8 -10 men we had each day at one stage!

We are now taking bookings for the autumn, and the house will be almost finished. It won't be completely finished   - there isn't the finances to do it all right now, as we have not been able to  sell  our cottage so the money is running out . There's no refurbishing and finishing of the office or the chapel, and we are sad about the chapel as it will be such a vital part of the ministry. The lovely Drawing Room, also for the use of guests, will not be usable yet either. There's no summer house to sit in - just the foundations; but that can wait for another year; and the decorating will not be finished .. we shall sit and paint gloss work for days to come, but that's all right.

It's the Chapel in particular we are concerned about.

Might you pray that the money will be provided for this? That somehow, from somewhere, the Lord would enable the Chapel to be finished and fitted out, so that we can have it for services and celebrations, for devotional times and for spiritual direction times. For groups to use and for individuals to sit and pray. And if you are able to contribute financially that would be amazing too, either for the finishing of the Chapel, or to establish a bursary fund to enable those to come who might not otherwise be able to - such as younger clergy.

But most of all we would love for you to pray for this new ministry and for those coming who need this place of spiritual sanctuary, a place of refreshment and renewal, a of retreat and restoration.

How you can help:

Please pray

Please come -  and enjoy a retreat at Mays Farm

Please tell others

Please bring others

and maybe begin by sharing this blog post?

THANK YOU -  You are MUCH appreciated!