Sabbatical musings from Keele and beyond

Empty Full, fullness that’s the desire isn’t it? A full plate, a fully belly, A full life, fullness of life –   ‘I’ve come that you might have life, life in its fullness’ Isn’t that what Jesus said? Yet today is about being empty An empty tomb, The emptying of death of its ultimate power. Not fullness but emptiness Jesus declared to be ‘fully’ God empties himself… ‘Empty of all but love’ He empties himself and in so doing reveals the fullness of God In the hollow emptiness of the tomb we discover truly how to be full.

  Living Holy Saturday ‘Out of the depths I cry to you O Lord… I wait for the Lord, my soul waits and in his word I hope, my soul waits for the Lord more than those that watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning,’ Psalm 103:1,5-6 Those who’ve read previous blog posts might have read of what I’ve shared of my current experience of living with depression. For me it’s been an experience that, in many ways, mirrors that of this unusual holy day. I sit (physically and metaphorically) with a cross before me, with glimmers of hope in the signs of spring; yet needing to wait in the midst of the numbness, the confusion, the pain and sorrow. Jackie Riley one of the members of the pastoral team at Scargill (where we are experiencing this Holy weekend) lead a session exploring Holy Saturday, for me, it was helpful, expressing some of my own experiences but also to put together some of the pieces that have been somewhat disconnected – not to make a ...

Two short scribbles from Scragill   (I might edit them later but drop them here as part of my entering into this Holy Weekend) In the garden In the garden there is quiet beauty, In the garden are sign and symbol, is beauty and pain In this Easter Garden there is fire and flame, there is life and there is death In the garden there are denials and doubts, breast beating questions and brotherly betrayals In the garden is the deep anguish of the soul and the frustration of failing friendship In the garden, signs of new life must fight for a place amongst the entangling weeds and barren bare soil In the garden there is life, all life, but first there must be death. In the garden the hellebore blooms In the garden the hellebore blooms, the soft dark greens of early spring, the mottled shade of woodland paths and walled garden In the garden the hellebore blooms Quietly unnoticed the flowers droop delicate heads Gentl...

Images from my time at  reflections gardens On my first sabbatical it was good to return to Iona, unfortunately due to redevelopment work currently taking place I haven't been able to arrange a return this year but hope to again before too long!  At the end of my time of retreat and reflection last week I used the term 'thin' .  The founder of the Iona community George MacLeod described Iona as a 'thin place where only a tissue paper separates the material from the spiritual' I wrote more fully about it on my blog from our visit to Iona.  creationandthecreator/iona-thin-place   Last week I sensed that 'thinnest' and for it I was extremely grateful! One of the ways I encountered it was through the reflection gardens, still early in the growing season but already full of richness and inspiration... 'Letting Go'

Retreats are important to me but not something I find easy. The thought of sitting down in peace and quiet with a good book with space to pray or just be will fill many with joy but for me it's more like dread... as an extrovert I often find being on retreat alongside others is really helpful as even if I'm being quiet there are still people there! It's been a privilege for the past few years to be partly responsible for our district ministers retreat, although being on the organising side means you don't engage with it in the fullest sense either. Choosing to go to Reflections Garden Hermitage was something I 'stumbled to' in many ways, I knew of it and had been on a quiet day led by Chris Pohill at some point in the past, I knew of the gardens Chris and John had created and Chris' writing for the Iona Community. (See:  wildgoose ) I knew I needed to find some intentional spaces for retreat and reflection as part of my sabbatical and particularly near...

A few words I wrote on Monday as I entered into a time of retreat, reflection and relaxation. I was seeking to enter the time and space well... (& what a blessing it has been!) For the past couple of nights I have had the privilege of staying at the hermitage at Reflections Gardens  created by members of the Iona community Chris and John Polhill, I've wanted to come for some time and so glad I now have! I will share another post with a few more pictures and maybe some reflections in the next few days but now I have wifi it's good to be able to add some images and amend this quick blog post. Slow me down God Slow my drive to do,  my sense of  'Ought and Should' Slow down my mind from thoughts, ideas,  things to attempt or arrange. Slow down my need to know, to do, to understand. Slow down my heart God so it might not just pump blood but be open to you the source of all life. Slow me and open me to this space. Help me ...