Rhonda, a recent visitor to our community, writes:
I am far from being a disciplined blog writer, but in a recent retreat/holiday visit to Brookfield Northumbria Community I wanted to take this opportunity to write and share my story from St. Clare’s Cottage. Having just finished a challenging semester of study, I knew that time away from the ordinary would do me good. In essence, while at the community, I took each moment as it came and lived at, and shared life with the folk at St. Clare’s.
I am far from being a disciplined blog writer, but in a recent retreat/holiday visit to Brookfield Northumbria Community I wanted to take this opportunity to write and share my story from St. Clare’s Cottage. Having just finished a challenging semester of study, I knew that time away from the ordinary would do me good. In essence, while at the community, I took each moment as it came and lived at, and shared life with the folk at St. Clare’s.
I have not found it easy to find the words to express my
community experience. So I thought, if I can find a story, or expression of
thought already written, maybe this could be a jumping off point for my own
thoughts. In the words of Charles Ringma, in Hear the Ancient Wisdom, he says, “In being heard and embraced we
are healed. Therefore, the community of faith needs to be a place of welcome
and honesty. It needs to be a place where we are accepted with all our hurts
and needs. …. A place where our true self . . . is in the forefront”. And then he adds a concluding thought,
“Healing is being comforted into wholeness.”
Participating in the rhythms of prayer throughout the day
became a surprisingly delightful experience and thus I became the “bell ringer”
for the days I was there. I rang the bell with gusto as this seemed to
represent the joy that I was feeling on the inside. I am certainly at home with
being by myself, but maybe all the long hours of study I had had, left me
hungry to talk, share and laugh with others, when possible, amongst the varied
activities and life of the community. I particularly looked forward to the
times of communion during meal times, as it fit. Oh the conversation, the
laughter, the spirit of fellowship was so alive and life-giving. The mornings
at Brookfield were very cold (7.6 degrees at 5 am), but what warmed my heart,
indeed my whole self, was the spirit of love and hospitality at
Brookfield.
My involvement with the Northumbria Community at large, though
sparse at times, has been a wonderful blessing and strength and as quoted
earlier, this community has demonstrated that, “Healing is being comforted into
wholeness”.
Rhonda Ransford
