Gathering at the Regent Hotel

My dear Friends

Just to report that my little gathering at the Regent hotel here in the heart of Cambridge went really well. Eleven people gathered to celebrate 15 years of The Little Sisters of Joy, now a Foundation of Prayer, Peace and Reconciliation, which takes many forms;  Concerts of Peace and Reconciliation in various lovely halls, usually in and around the university of Cambridge, the occasional lectures and much more besides. In any one day I can meet up to half a dozen new and very diverse people.

Getting back to last Saturday, the eleven people came from different Christian traditions,which was fitting especially on that day as it was the beginning of The Week of prayer for Christian Unity.Traditions represented were Catholic, Baptist, Methodist, Russian Orthodox and even American Orthodox!

Our newly refurbished surroundings added to the JOY of being together and chatting over some food and drink. I gave a brief overview as to what happened in the Project in the past year and what is planned for the year to come, including singing with my guitar at a service in Grantchester Parish Church. where 3 Anglican Parishes will come together for their annual celebration-a great privilege for me!

A holiday beckons and I can now tell you that i have planned a short holiday in the 'wild and wooly West' of Ireland. (That is how someone described it to me when i said I was going quite a way beyond Galway city.) My final destination is to an Abbey in Connemara, but I am flying to a shrine in County Mayo first, to give thanks for my 25 years in the Catholic Church.

My flight is booked for the second half on May and i will prepare to put my little pussycat in his holiday home in a village near Cambridge, where he is well cared for while I am away.

Until the next time!

Shalom from Gila

Music at Queens

My dear Friends

Life has been quite hectic since we kicked off into the New year. My main project as you know this year is the publication of my second little memoir, Where the Woods the Water.

I was feeling a bit frazzled, having just come from the University library and the Graduate Centre and was passing Queens College in Silver Street. I popped in and over the mathematical bridge and into the court with the huge walnut tree. This is where tihe Chapel is and as I entered I heard the sound of the organ playing.

I could see a young man perched below the huge pipes, playing with great gusto. I sat down down in the middle of this really beautiful space and listened. After he had stopped playing the first piece, I clapped and shouted what a joy it was to hear such wonderful music. I think he was pleased to have me there, as he told me he was practising for an organ recital at 1.15 today. I explained I would be unable to go as i was holding a gathering of Friends in the Regent Hotel, but that i would love to listen to more.

Qutie a selection of music followed; Bach, some French music-quite delicious-some loud and soem quiet. This short interlude in my life really soothed my soul.

There is a variety of organists playing in this lunchtime series and I hope to go to something in the future.

Have a great weekend, a report about my meeting will the next blog entry
Shalom from Gila