At the end of January Rachel and I went to Launde Abbey for the annual Northampton District Retreat. I took advantage of the fact that we didn't need to be there until tea time on the Monday to fit in a longer bike ride, so my very circuitous route to Launde was just over 100 miles.

This year the retreat was led by Stella Bristow, a former Vice
President of the Methodist Church. She helped us look at our journeys of discipleship & spirituality through using the cycle of the seasons as inspiration. Stella is always very creative in her use of focal
point displays, music, poetry and scripture and is very gentle.

The prayer focus Stella created

However, she is also very challenging as she encouraged us to consider our own lives and experiences in the light of the cycle of the seasons. As always the challenges work out differently for each of us and so it is important that the retreat includes plenty of time for personal reflection and processing (I particularly enjoyed a time of reflection over a cup of coffee & cake while I watched our mad
Superintendent go for an icy run).

This was my first retreat in the new refurbished main building at
Launde and it was so much improved with en-suite shower room, a large well furnished room and excellent food. I would have been very happy to stay a lot longer. If you have not been then I recommend it, we are very fortunate to have a retreat location like this so near to us.

I find these retreats incredibly helpful in many ways. A time of
spiritual refreshment after a busy season before the rush of Lent and Easter. A time to get to know other ministers in the District. A time to get ideas for our worship and the whole life of our churches. So I am very grateful that our circuit supports the cost of this retreat
for us. Next year it will be a little different as I am going to be
the retreat co-ordinator, fortunately the District Office do all the
admin work, so my role is more of a cheerleader than anything else.