| Can you imagine having a few days away, to relax and be looked after in a caring Christian place; leaving aside work, parish, home and family responsibilities? Having space for rest and creative renewal; being given the best home cooking; with activities on hand (but with no obligation to join in); a listening ear if necessary; and all in the beautiful Devon countryside?
Though it sounds too good to be true, I recently experienced just such a break. Sheldon is a small Christian community of lay people whose main business is supporting people in Ministry…and yes, that most certainly includes spouses too. There are many different resources to meet various needs. For instance, they offer an economical family holiday week; or at the other extreme, a bolt hole in times of crisis.
I chose the “12,000 mile Service”, which is exclusively for people in ministry and their spouses. To quote from the brochure: “Routine servicing shouldn’t be left for trivial things like cars! Keeping body, mind and soul in good shape requires attention before you seize up, run out of fuel or have to call out the breakdown services. A 12,000 can be anything from a battery recharge to a complete overhaul.”
It proved to be exactly what I needed, turning out for me to be somewhere between a holiday and a retreat. I found plenty of space, in every sense of the word. Sheldon is a cluster of converted farm buildings, with 20 acres of fields, gardens and ancient woodlands. There are many beautiful walks in the surrounding Teign valley.
One of the few Sheldon house rules is that there should be no “clergy shop talk.” I found this a great relief! If any guests strayed, members of the Community would gently steer the conversation away again.
I chose to join in most of the available activities. These included a full body massage: a luxuriously relaxing experience which reminded me of the importance of looking after body as well as mind and spirit. I attended a workshop on creative writing: I astonished myself by producing two poems, and a piece of description which somehow touched my deepest thoughts. The Community meet for prayers twice a day and guests are welcome to join them, though like everything else this is entirely optional. The week culminated in a Eucharist before supper on the final evening. This was a wonderfully moving and intimate service, including the opportunity for laying on of hands.
A member of the Community told me that over the years they have found they do not need to try too hard to arrange everything on these “12,000” weeks. They discovered that if they put the framework in place, God will do the rest.
We are blessed to have such a place available. If interested do phone Sheldon on 01647 252752, or look up www.sheldon.uk.com.
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