Skip to main content

Quiet day at Thackley

Image
By
On 25th February I attended the Quiet Day at Thackley organized by Rev Christine Crabtree. It was a lovely experience. I gave a lift to Rev Naeem Javaid, a Methodist minister visiting from Pakistan who is working with Barbara Glasson and the team at Touchstone. His church in Pakistan has four hundred members and a junior church of over one hundred.

The day began with a variety of quiet activities. One of them, Impressions of Christ, was to look at eight different images of Jesus as represented by artists from around the world. They gave much food for thought. At another activity I made a “prayer bracelet” for the 23rd Psalm, complete with coloured beads for each verse and a small silver sheep. There were also texts from the Bible to illustrate and colour, as well as a “Welsh” themed table, as it was St David’ s day on 1st March and Christine is Welsh. There were also pictures of dragons. We had previously decided that there were good and not so good dragons and that these were experiences we could encounter in life. There was an opportunity to write about those feelings on the “dragon” if we wished to.

In the large hall the floor was laid out with a large labyrinth with a small table at the centre. Walking along the twisting route to the centre gives time to contemplate, to stop and think things through. You can go as fast or as slow as you wish. One way suggested is that if you have a specific concern or worry you take a small stone or pebble with you and that you leave it at the centre or alternatively carry it back out with you feeling it getting lighter as you go.

During the day we had a break for lunch which gave an opportunity to talk with other people from the circuit. One of the discussions at our table was the homeless situation in Bradford and how it was being helped in various ways by a variety of organizations and churches.

At the end of the day we came together to share our experiences and hear God’ s words for us in a song “I searched for you” by Martyn Joseph. It was a really special day. Thank you to Christine and the helpers. Next time there is a Quiet Day, why not come along?

Viv P
St Andrew's
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Circuit Talents Challenge

By
"For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money ..." Matthew 25:14-30 Why don't you take up the Circuit Talents Challenge by taking a £5 note and making it grow for the Circuit? More details ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The wind among the trees

By
I sat among the trees once. And a wind was blowing. Quite a strong wind; I could hear it in the trees –   rushing, rushing. A lovely sound, soothing to my ears. I stopped what I was writing and began to listen. I remembered that Jesus said that the Holy Spirit was like   the wind. You could hear it; see its effect. But you couldn’t see the wind itself. You couldn’t see   where it was coming from, nor going to. And I wondered, “Are you showing me something about your Spirit, Lord?” So I sat, and I listened, and I watched. They were big, old trees where I sat. Tall they were, in an ancient wood, well-branched,  shapely. Beech, grey bark against the clear blue of the sky. And leaves: they were leaves that knew the wind;   leaves that let the wind know them. They looked, like beach leaves look in a wind: full of life –   and with a certain beauty all their own. I watched the great crowns of those great trees. I watched the branches sway and the ...
Post a Comment
Read more

For such times as these! - A good news story from Windhill!

By
For such times as these! (Esther 14:14) On June 1st James Stannet (from e:merge , a Christian Youth organisation) began his youth work for Christchurch LEP in Windhill. He says, "Well! June has been a really busy but very productive month. On Wednesday, in the park, numbers are climbing week by week, now averaging 25. Good partnerships have been made with local organisations. this has been a blessing: enabling us to deliver varied sport activities and build good relationships.' 'The Hope Revolution, youth event, based at Christchurch LEP was a massive hit. A BIG Thank you is expressed to the Church for the support, encouragement and prayers. 200 people attended the Fun Day. Despite the rainy weather, 100 young people took part in local projects: two house clear-ups, school garden project (Windhill Primary) and running the Fun Day. 10 Christian Organisations working together resulting in several families requesting Christian children's activities.' ...
Post a Comment
Read more