After a seven year absence, yesterday I drove to Rudford just outside of Gloucester to attend this month's retreat. This is what I wrote in my spiritual journal not long after the day had begun:
Oh, how my soul sang as I drove the familiar route to Rudford, and oh, how my soul sighed with joy and peace as my car turned into the avenue of trees on the approach to the church. How my soul has needed this quiet, this peace, this place."
A good friend from Kendal Road happened to also be there so we took time for a catch up through the day as conversation was allowed. The day was led by a Methodist minister, Rev. Diana Clutterbuck on the theme 'Let Jesus go!' reflecting on Ascension and Pentecost. She introduced the day by speaking about us being 'clothed' in the Spirit ready for a new season of ministry and mission inaugurated by Jesus' leaving.
I initially sat in the school room and created a Bible journalling piece and then spent some time communing with God under a beautiful tree with green and bronze leaves that wafted gently in the welcome breeze on what, quite frankly, was an extremely hot day!
After midday prayers, also led by Diane, to encourage us to dig deeper into our reflection on the passages from Acts that she had provided we shared lunch together and then I went on a walk. This is a walk I know well having followed the pathway a number of times on previous occasions and it was such a pleasure to follow the route again.
As the day drew to a close I knew that I'd have to consider how to return at some point, but then the topic for next month was announced: "One foot in front of the other: exploring pilgrimage and journeying." And with those words I knew straight away that if at all possible I'll be setting that day aside in my diary to return to Rudford. I've decided that the drive there and back is definitely worth the opportunity to spend some time in this very beautiful and sacred space. A place that has been so instrumental in my spiritual journey, and one that I'm sure will continue to be. And it's also made me consider just how I might be able to take something of the practice of Rudford and create a retreat space for others to benefit from intentionally setting aside time to dwell in God's presence.
The Bible journalling piece I created was based around the first passage of scripture from the beginning of Acts on the ascension. A phrase in Acts 1:4 caught my eye: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you heard me speak about."
And what a gift yesterday was - 'almost' worth the long wait to encounter God's Spirit there in scripture and scenery and silence. In the final session of the day we have the opportunity to share with others where we've seen God during the day and I shared that I felt I had been reclothed in the quietness that spending the day at Rudford had brought and this was a true gift and a blessing!
Unfortunately the day passed so quickly, and because I prioritised the walk, I didn't get to complete the companion piece I had in mind for the second passage of scripture in Acts 2. But I remedied that this morning and created this piece:
What a joy to spend this day dwelling in God's presence and what a joy to know I'll have the opportunity to do so again a whole lot sooner than another 7 year wait!
