Hear Our Silence

Workshop Programme for 2010

charlie — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:15:48 +0000

We have two day workshops booked in at Abbey House, Glastonbury this year as well as
a residential workshop in July.
The dates are as follows:
Monday, March 22 & September 13 - day workshops; July 19-22 Hear our Silence residential workshop.

Abbey House is a wonderful venue to our purpose, combining a prayerful sense of peace while offering the perfect setting for our group work.

Book direct by contacting Liz Pearson, the new Warden:

tel. 01458 831112
email info@abbeyhouse.org

Further details:
John Skinner, Guardian Hear our Silence
01749 331148
Wordman@sky.com

JULIAN COMES TO WELLS

charlie — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:12:44 +0000

Polly March performed her interpretation of Julian of Norwich at Wells Cathedral last Friday before an audience just short of a hundred. Julian’s message - ‘Love is his meaning’ - came brilliantly alight. Reaction was enthusiastic: ’she really brought Julian alive’: ‘the best thing I’ve ever seen’.

On Saturday evening, Polly March gave a second performance at the Franciscans’ Friary, Hilfield, to an audience of similar size. She returns home to Malta today, Thursday October 29.

As a direct result of her ‘Showings’, we are starting a Hear our Silence house group meeting regularly at our home in Croscombe.

Our warmest thanks to Polly for her generous energy in giving us fresh insight into Julian’s meaning.

A JOURNEY INTO PRAYER

John — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 09:17:38 +0000

A Journey into Prayer

with

Julian of Norwich

Wednesday 2^nd- Friday 4^th September 2009

Leaders

John and Judith Skinner

Abbey House Chilkwell Street Glastonbury BA6 8DH

Telephone 01458 831112 warden@abbeyhouse.org

This two day residential workshop takes place

in the beguiling setting

of Abbey House, overlooking the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey.

We will be working with the familiar Hear our Silence programe:

sharing the Prayer of Silence together, working in groups to

explore its meaning for us, and using Julian’s own teaching

on prayer in lectio Divina.

Details from Wordman@sky.com

Exploring Contemplative Prayer

John — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 10:25:15 +0000

The West Malling Julian group are holding a workshop day on contemplative prayer on Saturday, June 13, 2009 at St Matthew’s Church Wigmore, Kent. This will be led by Seamus Cullen who is a spiritual director and retreat giver who has worked both in England and Ireland, as well as Norway.

Costing £7, further details may be had by telephoning 01732 845 550 or 848 467

All welcome

Advent : he comes

John — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:21:34 +0000

The Burning Babe

As I in hoary winter’s night stood shivering in the snow

Surprised I was with sudden heat which made my heart to glow;

and lifting up a fearful eye to view what fire was near

a pretty babe all burning bright did in the air appear

Who, scorched with excessive heat, such flood of tears did shed

as though his floods should quench his flames which with his tears were fed.

Alas, quoth he, but newly born in fiery heats I fry

Yet none approach to warm their hearts or feel my fire but I!

My faultless breast the furnace is, the fuel wounding thorns,

Love is the fire, and sighs the smoke, the ashes shame and scorn;

The fuel justice layeth on, and mercy blows the coals,

The metal in this furnace wrought are men’s defiled souls,

For which, as now on fire I am to work them to their good,

So will I melt into a bath to wash them in my blood.

With this he vanished out of sight and swiftly shrunk away,

And straigth I called unto mind that it was Christmas day.

Robert Southwell

Remembering Day

John — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:09:48 +0000

Threnody of the Nations

We have hated and fought,

We have murdered and fled,

But the peace that we sought

Is alone with the dead.

We have offered ourselves

On the altar of greed;

We have poisoned our sons

With our venomous creed.

We have bombed and destroyed;

We have raped and diseased,

Till the earth has grown dark

With our war-obsequies.

We have sung our wild song

In the ghouls’ jubilee,

And, O Love, once again

We have crucified Thee.

Leon Adams
Lennoxville, Quebec, May 16, 1940.

OCTOBER WORKSHOP AT GLASTONBURY

John — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 08:58:15 +0000

We return to Abbey House Glastonbury for a Hear our Silence day workshop on Thursday, October 9.

You are invited to join a small group to experience the Prayer of Silence and to explore together its meaning.

Further details of this Quiet Day Workshop from:

John Skinner: wordman@HearourSilence.com

or telephone 01749 331148

The Emperor has no clothes - ‘no peeking’

John — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:11:29 +0000

Reported from Washington:

Dick Cheney has an extended meeting in Lafayette Square, ‘a block away’ as they say in those parts from the White House.

While George W is flying the world saying his farewells (still muttering his invasive threats to latest enemy, Iran) comfort: his side kick is not idle.

Working companies in the National Grange Building that overlooks Lafayette were taken aback this week by an ultimatum delivered by their landlord. These include the After School Alliance, the International Center for Journalists as well as Redbrick Partners Real Estate. The Dictat read:

‘At the request of the Secret Service, we have been advised that ALL east-facing windows (those looking out towards Lafayette Park) MUST be closed with BLINDS DOWN beginning Tuesday evening, June 17 until after Wednesday, June 18. It is further requested that we do not disturb the blinds when they are down - in other words, no peeking…’

Under the quizzical strap heading YOUR GOVERNMENT AT WORK. NO PEEKING. The Washington Post picked up the story to advise ‘the Secret Service never explains its “building management”: the White House too declined any comment.’

Business as usual in the world’s archetypal democracy…for the time being.

Curtain up for Barack Obama.

Death of a Carthusian: an English centuary

John — Thu, 22 May 2008 18:14:55 +0000

The Carthusian life is hidden and unsung. I will break their Silence and sing of ‘a Carthusian’ whom I have known as a friend for over a decade and who died earlier this week. You will never guess his identity, merely learn of his life at St Hugh’s Charterhouse. We met when I was invited to spend two weeks masquerading as a monk in order to write Hear our Silence,my portrait of this extraordinary ancient Order of hermit monks who live as a community in solitude and silence.

That was 13 years ago. At the very end of my stay, I was allowed to walk with the community on their weekly Monday traipse. I describe the hilarious event in my concluding chapter. Every quarter of an hour in the five hour excursion, the company stops, as fresh walking companions, two by two, are announced. A little like shuffling the pack to deal a fresh hand.

First, I had walked with an intriguing Nigerian; then marched at the back of the file with Joseph from the Philippines; now with gentle Hugh: finally to graduate and accompany the senior monks. A wonderful Irishman, formerly an wartime GP, now former Prior and leading light of the choir monks. And finally, my friend who has just now gone home.

‘A Carthusian’ is Swiss German: his opening question, ‘Skinner, your name, wot is that?’ I explained it was a trade name: people shot deer, culled cattle, then needed a skinner. ‘My name is Rosli! I am Little Rose.’

It almost sounded Native American Indian squaw…

Then we came to a stile. And I must heave his legs one after the other across this barrier.

‘Do you know how long I am a monk?’ I paused, hesitant to guess correctly: ‘For forty one years…’

So now, at last, my friend has gone home to his longed for peace. Thirteen years on…that makes him fifty four years a monk: the one hundredth Carthusian to be laid under the Sussex soil since 1873, when first they reappeared in our land after an absence of 350 years.

‘Fare forward Voyager’ : it is my great blessing to know you.

Return to Glastonbury

John — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:37:07 +0000

We held a very successful Hear our Silence workshop over last weekend at Abbey House, Glastonbury. Although we were small in number, this enabled a strong group to work and pray together from the outset. We have evolved a logical and smooth running programme, a balance of lectio Divina feeding into the Prayer of Silence.

Abbey House with its in-house hospitality and wonderful situation provides the perfect venue. And we have booked a further day workshop in the Autumn, on Thursday October 9.

Cost of the day is £25 to include lunch, tea and coffee. Please book direct with John Skinner

wordman@HearourSilence.com

Next February marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of Hear our Silence, our invitation to the silent prayer
inspired by the Carthusian tradition. And we have booked a further weekend in February 2009 (Friday 20th-Sunday 22).