My dear Friends
On September 8th I celebrated ten years of living at The Haven.What has this meant to me? For a start I called it a Haven, because i wanted to offer up my little flat as a place for hospitality and prayer. It has been the scene for many gatherings, including the Jewish new year recently and lunch with a friend with some music afterwards, both of us playing Blowing in the wind on our guitars-I will sing this in my concert on November 6th.
My flat has one bedroom and the living room faces a wood of trees, probably planted over thirty years ago when the estate was new, but quite mature now. In different seasons the trees blossom with red berries and they look quite beautiful. I am blessed with a neighbour Tim, who is a gardener at Corpus Christi College - his own garden always looks lovely with several different colourful plants in his garden and in pots.
I did have a silver birch tree but we decided that it was growing too big for its location-as the tree surgeon felled it into the ground I felt a sense of JOY and Resurrection as if the spirit of the tree was intact.
People from the neighbourhood come to my little flat for tea and a chat and I have settled in well in the last ten years. Apart from shops being nearby and a local library. my local church is about 20 minutes walk away; this is the catholic Church of St Laurence, where there are 36 different nationalities worshipping there. This morning I admired the lady beside me in the pew - she was Nigerian with a gorgeous African dress on and two little children in her arms.
September 8th is the Birthday of Mary and the start of the orthodox liturgical year, so a very auspicious date.
While I have an eye for the local scene, I have an eye on the distant scene too-Canada.That is my real spiritual home. I will keep you posted as to news home and abroad.
Have a good week
Shalom from Gila
On September 8th I celebrated ten years of living at The Haven.What has this meant to me? For a start I called it a Haven, because i wanted to offer up my little flat as a place for hospitality and prayer. It has been the scene for many gatherings, including the Jewish new year recently and lunch with a friend with some music afterwards, both of us playing Blowing in the wind on our guitars-I will sing this in my concert on November 6th.
My flat has one bedroom and the living room faces a wood of trees, probably planted over thirty years ago when the estate was new, but quite mature now. In different seasons the trees blossom with red berries and they look quite beautiful. I am blessed with a neighbour Tim, who is a gardener at Corpus Christi College - his own garden always looks lovely with several different colourful plants in his garden and in pots.
I did have a silver birch tree but we decided that it was growing too big for its location-as the tree surgeon felled it into the ground I felt a sense of JOY and Resurrection as if the spirit of the tree was intact.
People from the neighbourhood come to my little flat for tea and a chat and I have settled in well in the last ten years. Apart from shops being nearby and a local library. my local church is about 20 minutes walk away; this is the catholic Church of St Laurence, where there are 36 different nationalities worshipping there. This morning I admired the lady beside me in the pew - she was Nigerian with a gorgeous African dress on and two little children in her arms.
September 8th is the Birthday of Mary and the start of the orthodox liturgical year, so a very auspicious date.
While I have an eye for the local scene, I have an eye on the distant scene too-Canada.That is my real spiritual home. I will keep you posted as to news home and abroad.
Have a good week
Shalom from Gila
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