Rooted in rest: he gives sleep to his beloved…

Healthy plants need healthy roots. Roots give stability, they take up the nutrients that are needed for growth, and they seek out hydration for the desert times.

To be healthy as Christians, we need to be rooted – searching out those things that will sustain us for the long haul, going deep into those things that will give us stability. 

In this month's Encounter Day, Gill will be helping us to reflect on what it means to be rooted in rest.

Gill writes...

"In his book, ‘Sabbath’, Wayne Muller writes, ‘Because we do not rest, we lose our way. We miss the compass points that would show us where to go, we bypass the nourishment that would give us succour. We miss the quiet that would give us wisdom. We miss the joy and love born of effortless delight.’ 

I have come to look on rest as a vital part of my faith journey; though it may seem self-indulgent it is part of the nourishment I need to continue. On this Encounter Day (which will be mainly in silence) we will look at ways we can engage with rest on our own journeys. As a sometime insomniac though, I can’t guarantee any particular advice on sleep itself…"

Gill is a retired primary teacher with a leaning towards the arts. 

'Friends, family and faith are the mainstays of my life. 

My heart is drawn to contemplative spirituality, my passion to draw others to discover this too, and to experience the inner stillness to be found in silence. For over 12 years now I have opened my home and my garden to host and lead Quiet Garden Days under the banner of the Quiet Garden Movement, more recently becoming a trustee.'

Encounter Days - Connecting more deeply with God

How do you most readily experience a sense of God’s presence?

Some people love silence and long for space to simply be.

Others find silence difficult, almost physically painful.

In our Encounter Days there will always be lots of space for quiet for those who value the silence, but we also recognise that not everyone processes internally.

We want to encourage additional ways of seeking a sense of God’s presence which might include discussion, prayer, or walking in a group or with another, making or listening to music, making or creating something, reflection using writing or reading.

Arrivals and refreshments from 9.30am

First session begins at 10.00am