Hello all, apologies to you for not writing sooner…it’s certainly been non-stop action here in sunny/rainy (mostly rainy) Devon!
Unfortunately on April 7th my grandfather passed away. Everyone rallied round me at Lee Abbey and I was able to get a week's worth of compassionate leave which was much appreciated. Considering I was supposed to be leading a Host Team, this was no small amount of support! Despite the reason for my return, I had a great time with my family and it was great seeing them again considering I’d not seen them since November. The funeral was set for 19th April and was well attended, I think I can pretty much speak for all who loved Jack Beniston when I say we all sensed God’s guiding hand through that day and gained a certain amount of comfort knowing that he was finally at rest after so many years of decreasing independence and quality of life. He has left a big hole in my life however, in ways I’m only just beginning to discover – but I’m very grateful for the prayers me and my family received at that time!
Several other people at Lee Abbey have also lost a grandparent in the last few weeks, but I never once presumed to know what they were going through as our relationships are as unique as we ourselves…VERY! Unfortunately, Rob Lacey (the author of The Street Bible/Word On The Street) also passed away. I only really heard about it through friends who knew him closely. I believe he just got to meet his newborn baby daughter before finally loosing a battle with cancer which I believe he has been fighting for a few years now.
Anyway, on a lighter note…Anna Maria Beniston was born on May 1st weighing an impressive 8lb 9.5oz and I cannot tell you how excited I am about seeing her next week. When Jack was born I saw him within a few hours of his birth, this time it will have been about 4 weeks!!!!! I’m even more excited about it all as I’ve been asked to be her Godfather. May will be a very expensive month as I now have about 4 or 5 family birthdays to contend with (one of those being dad’s 50th Birthday!).
This coming weekend (tomorrow in fact!!!) Lee Abbey celebrates its 60th anniversary. It’s a colossal occasion, one which I’m very privileged to be a part of but think I won’t fully appreciated until AFTER it has passed. We have had HUGE marquee erected on the North Lawn at no small cost, the grand piano is being dismantled and erected in said marquee and the A.V. guy that’s coming is the same person who does the sound for Spring Harvest! We have a huge hotel booked out in Lynton; the Beacon is full as is all of our self-catering units…suffice to say we have a VERY large amount of people on site this weekend. I’m guessing this type of “event planning” is all good experience for me and no doubt God will surprise me with when and where these skills will be used in the future.
All in all though, I’m pretty lonely at the moment. It’s really easy for me to forget that, being kept so busy all the time, but truth be told I am lonely. Not in the sense that I haven’t got good friends (in fact I’m writing this from Jeremy and Catherine’s house), but I long for intimate male friendships, the sort that most would frown on simply because they don’t understand the nature of my issue. I’m also torn theologically…not between is gay sex wrong bla bla bla, I firmly believe it’s not what God wants for me, but I mean torn between what’s “MY” view on “healing” and what’s my employer’s view on healing. You could argue it’s no one else’s business and my life shouldn’t be about ticking boxes and pleasing other people…but how can it NOT matter to me what other people think about me? My friends and colleagues…anyway…the Warden has given me permission to yet again miss the Lee Abbey Movement weekend in order that I attend the annual TfT conference…and for now, this brings me great comfort…I miss my TfT mates!
The Lord is at work in my life though, I just need to slow down and hear his voice more! I’m not freaked out by “receiving a picture” when I’m praying for someone and the very phrase: “shall we pray about it?” is so entrenched into my way of life now that open, frank Christian debate and prayer will hopefully be one of the biggest skills I take with me when I leave Lee Abbey. For the record, my contract ends on the May 3rd 2007 and I have absolutely no intention of extending as of yet. I still very much hope to go to London School of Theology and have had some significant confirmations from God on that front. The application pack has been sitting in my “quarters” for about a month now and quite simply, it’s just finding the time to fill it out. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day.
On That note my team have been so over-worked of late that grown men were reduced to tears. I was able to stand back, smile and think to myself: “I’ve been there!” without getting so disheartened myself. The main reason for this extra work has been sheer lack of numbers on my team as a direct result with the government almost banning voluntary VISAs. But this seems to be being rectified now and only last week I was able to welcome Sukman (from Nepal) onto House Team.
There are a great many changes occurring at lee Abbey for me as many of my friends (most of whom in exceptionally key positions at Lee Abbey) have moved on or are moving on. Grace, my pastoral Link has gone to pastor a church in Taunton. My Centre Manager and his family are about to go and pastor a Baptist church in Minehead, the head Chaplain is about to go and pastor a church in Bristol, my Best friend Emily has reduce her contract and is getting out of here in a few months….these are trying times and it will certainly limit my ports of call as far as making BIG decisions go…I must be careful that my addiction to spending money I don’t have doesn’t spread into my work life too!
Community life continues to be a mix of sheer hell through to abundant blessing; these times are trying me and stretching me beyond what I could have dreamed but at a high cost. I’m excited by the rate of change but also know that I am now spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted and very much looking forward to my leaving date next year…which I know will come around a LOT faster than I imagine.
Well, that’s all from me for this time, save to say I’m being picked up by dad on Monday A.S.A.P. after this manic weekend finishes. Then on Tuesday my uncle is getting married in Whitney…hmm, motorways………..
Unfortunately on April 7th my grandfather passed away. Everyone rallied round me at Lee Abbey and I was able to get a week's worth of compassionate leave which was much appreciated. Considering I was supposed to be leading a Host Team, this was no small amount of support! Despite the reason for my return, I had a great time with my family and it was great seeing them again considering I’d not seen them since November. The funeral was set for 19th April and was well attended, I think I can pretty much speak for all who loved Jack Beniston when I say we all sensed God’s guiding hand through that day and gained a certain amount of comfort knowing that he was finally at rest after so many years of decreasing independence and quality of life. He has left a big hole in my life however, in ways I’m only just beginning to discover – but I’m very grateful for the prayers me and my family received at that time!
Several other people at Lee Abbey have also lost a grandparent in the last few weeks, but I never once presumed to know what they were going through as our relationships are as unique as we ourselves…VERY! Unfortunately, Rob Lacey (the author of The Street Bible/Word On The Street) also passed away. I only really heard about it through friends who knew him closely. I believe he just got to meet his newborn baby daughter before finally loosing a battle with cancer which I believe he has been fighting for a few years now.
Anyway, on a lighter note…Anna Maria Beniston was born on May 1st weighing an impressive 8lb 9.5oz and I cannot tell you how excited I am about seeing her next week. When Jack was born I saw him within a few hours of his birth, this time it will have been about 4 weeks!!!!! I’m even more excited about it all as I’ve been asked to be her Godfather. May will be a very expensive month as I now have about 4 or 5 family birthdays to contend with (one of those being dad’s 50th Birthday!).
This coming weekend (tomorrow in fact!!!) Lee Abbey celebrates its 60th anniversary. It’s a colossal occasion, one which I’m very privileged to be a part of but think I won’t fully appreciated until AFTER it has passed. We have had HUGE marquee erected on the North Lawn at no small cost, the grand piano is being dismantled and erected in said marquee and the A.V. guy that’s coming is the same person who does the sound for Spring Harvest! We have a huge hotel booked out in Lynton; the Beacon is full as is all of our self-catering units…suffice to say we have a VERY large amount of people on site this weekend. I’m guessing this type of “event planning” is all good experience for me and no doubt God will surprise me with when and where these skills will be used in the future.
All in all though, I’m pretty lonely at the moment. It’s really easy for me to forget that, being kept so busy all the time, but truth be told I am lonely. Not in the sense that I haven’t got good friends (in fact I’m writing this from Jeremy and Catherine’s house), but I long for intimate male friendships, the sort that most would frown on simply because they don’t understand the nature of my issue. I’m also torn theologically…not between is gay sex wrong bla bla bla, I firmly believe it’s not what God wants for me, but I mean torn between what’s “MY” view on “healing” and what’s my employer’s view on healing. You could argue it’s no one else’s business and my life shouldn’t be about ticking boxes and pleasing other people…but how can it NOT matter to me what other people think about me? My friends and colleagues…anyway…the Warden has given me permission to yet again miss the Lee Abbey Movement weekend in order that I attend the annual TfT conference…and for now, this brings me great comfort…I miss my TfT mates!
The Lord is at work in my life though, I just need to slow down and hear his voice more! I’m not freaked out by “receiving a picture” when I’m praying for someone and the very phrase: “shall we pray about it?” is so entrenched into my way of life now that open, frank Christian debate and prayer will hopefully be one of the biggest skills I take with me when I leave Lee Abbey. For the record, my contract ends on the May 3rd 2007 and I have absolutely no intention of extending as of yet. I still very much hope to go to London School of Theology and have had some significant confirmations from God on that front. The application pack has been sitting in my “quarters” for about a month now and quite simply, it’s just finding the time to fill it out. There simply aren’t enough hours in the day.
On That note my team have been so over-worked of late that grown men were reduced to tears. I was able to stand back, smile and think to myself: “I’ve been there!” without getting so disheartened myself. The main reason for this extra work has been sheer lack of numbers on my team as a direct result with the government almost banning voluntary VISAs. But this seems to be being rectified now and only last week I was able to welcome Sukman (from Nepal) onto House Team.
There are a great many changes occurring at lee Abbey for me as many of my friends (most of whom in exceptionally key positions at Lee Abbey) have moved on or are moving on. Grace, my pastoral Link has gone to pastor a church in Taunton. My Centre Manager and his family are about to go and pastor a Baptist church in Minehead, the head Chaplain is about to go and pastor a church in Bristol, my Best friend Emily has reduce her contract and is getting out of here in a few months….these are trying times and it will certainly limit my ports of call as far as making BIG decisions go…I must be careful that my addiction to spending money I don’t have doesn’t spread into my work life too!
Community life continues to be a mix of sheer hell through to abundant blessing; these times are trying me and stretching me beyond what I could have dreamed but at a high cost. I’m excited by the rate of change but also know that I am now spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically exhausted and very much looking forward to my leaving date next year…which I know will come around a LOT faster than I imagine.
Well, that’s all from me for this time, save to say I’m being picked up by dad on Monday A.S.A.P. after this manic weekend finishes. Then on Tuesday my uncle is getting married in Whitney…hmm, motorways………..
