As we arrived on Friday 21st July we were greeted with the usual signs of hospitality that show that you have arrived at the Society of Mary and Martha. While we unpacked in one of the new Pig Pens we reflected on the changes that we have seen at Sheldon over the years, as the site has been upgraded. Yet at the same time, the warm welcome has been the same, and as the afternoon progressed more and more familiar faces joined us, alongside new ones.
I asked one new volunteer what his impressions of the week were. He talked about the beautiful scenery, the good food, the comradeship and friendliness of people, the way people listened but also shared fun, all set within a framework of morning and evening prayer. He also commented on the sense of achievement he had at the end of each day
We were there with one purpose: to take part in Work Week. As its title tells us, it was to be a week where the word “Work”, or “More work” seemed to be scattered all over the programme. We had all paid to do work, in whatever form we were allocated: to be more accurate we had paid for the food and accommodation during what was for most of us an eight day stay. For many of us this was a familiar pattern, with old friends gathered, which some had repeated for about twenty years.
On the first evening there was a concert in the open air theatre, for which many of us were stewards or car park attendants, or on the Box Office, but during the breaks in these activities we were able to listen to a band playing many old favourites: later in the week we were to do the same for a “Fab Beatles” concert.
Other days saw a variety of tasks being undertaken, from folding serviettes and slicing beans, to various kitchen duties like peeling potatoes or washing up, through to painting the outside windows and walls of the Long Barn and clearing brambles: each task carefully matched to our strength and ability. We were divided into teams, some to help in the kitchen, others to help with household duties, others to paint or generally help with tasks (mainly manual) alongside the community.
One of the privileges of taking part in the Work Week is that you can be there for the Community’s Annual Rededication Service, and for the Annual Eucharist. As always with a visit to Sheldon you realise that, alongside many others, you are part of a larger community of Friends, for whom there is always a welcome, and often a smile or joke. We come to Sheldon like a large family coming home, and we always feel wanted, cared for, but also useful, things I know many of us sadly lack in our work in ministry.
This article started as a report on Work Week, with a sub-text of why we were there. It ends as a note of thanks to Carl, Sue, Hilary, Sarah, Jan and Mary for all you do, for encouraging us to share in a week with you, and a hope that we will be back soon. It takes us from the question of why we were there, to one of not understanding why more did not join us?
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