Hope
1 PAUSE Advent 2022
Making space in community...Of coming across the garden within King John’s House in the town centre of Romsey in Hampshire, Brian Draper recounts the delights of the once upon a time overgrown and neglected garden. Once part of a part of a medieval complex, bought by the local council in 1990, it was restored by a group of dedicated volunteers.
Sarah The
Garden Movement www.quietgarden.org The Quiet Garden Trust is a UK registered charity No. 1038528
Peace Joy Love
Annual Gathering 2023
Our gathering will take place on zoom on 20th May 2023, with Andrew Rudd as our speaker.
Instead of one in person meeting we will be holding a variety of regional events to spread the word about the Movement and to encourage folk to support us.
Further details about the online gathering and regional events will be available on our website in the New Year
Discovering nature, stillness and God at Runcton Manor.
Annual Gathering 2022
The Dell Centre proved to be the perfect location for the our gathering to celebrate 30 years.
With Philip Roderick, who led us in body prayer , Brian Draper and Simon Parke, our speakers, we were blessed with warm weather and sunshine, which meant we were able to saunter around the beautiful grounds, walk the labyrinth and enjoy the peace of the prayer room and garden.
It was a real pleasure to meet with hosts, friends and supporters and welcome others online for the first time.
The themes of solitude and soulfulness in nature were spoken of, touched hearts and minds and encouraged us all to think very carefully what it means to find solace and quiet in nature.
What stayed with me was the sense of a common ideal, a deep desire to encourage all to become more aware of the benefits of spending time in nature to reflect, pray and just be.
Simon in his delivery talked of confronting the fear of silence and solitude. Say hello to the fear, welcome it and then wave goodbye to it. Wise words.
Runcton Manor has been running a monthly Quiet Garden Morning for over seven years It offers outdoor space for prayer and reflection, creating opportunities for people to experience silence, restfulness and contemplative practices. It is one of over 300 Quiet Gardens worldwide. A typical morning has about 8 12 participants. There is no need to book. After initial introductions a theme is usually agreed and we have around 20 minutes of silent meditation. Participants then have about 1½ hours to spend time in silence doing whatever they want: walk around the grounds of the Manor (including a labyrinth), browse or read a selection of books, write or draw, or use the time for prayer and meditation. Tea and coffee are available. We meet again at 12.50 and people have the opportunity, if they wish, to share something of what has come up for them, whether or not it is on the chosen theme. Themes often emerge from nature or issues that people are dealing with.
Recent themes have included living through stormy weather, silent power, beauty, kindness and trees: rootedness and leaves.
Often people draw on nature to reflect on their own personal situation. Some use the time to write poems or consider what they would like to say to God or someone they see as both loving and wise. Others simply appreciate the time to experience stillness and receive a sense of God.
Quiet Gardens are normally held at Runcton Manor on the third Wednesday of the month, excluding January, February, August and December.
The Quiet Garden Movement has been gently cultivating and tending an organic network a flowering! of set aside, sensitively curated spaces in which anyone can come, without agenda, to be still. And to be restored. And to be enlivened. And perhaps to become part of the active solution, too, at this time of climate crisis.
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Brian Draper Patron
A brown butterfly
This morning, as the sun rose high and the sky cleared to blue, a butterfly came to the garden, small, brown, but with a glow of amber about its wings. It was not as evident as the peacocks and admirals, nor bright like the white and yellow butterflies, but a stranger. It flew from one flower to the next, hovered over a rose, just for a moment, still above the petals. Then on once more as though seeking perfection until at last it vanished from my sight.
But that fleeting glimpse was stored among the memories of summer mornings, half forgotten, until other flowers, other days brought it back again.
One small butterfly, gentle, noiseless, seen for a minute, but beautiful full of the beauty of the morning.
Lord, you come to us in many ways, in the glory of great skies, in music and singing and voices, in the strength of high mountains and the swift sparkling rush of rivers. But you come to us too in the small things, the stillnesses, and silences, in the quiet loveliness of all our days.
Catherine James
In Search Of Silence
Beyond the storm, Where blue sky
Still cradles
The morning sun.
In the clearing, Where shafts of light Hold back the shadows Of the ancient wood.
Beyond conflict and pain And the inhumanity of man. Beyond duty
And this journey That has seemed so long.
Beyond the history That has brought me To this sacred place, This spiritual sanctuary. This peace, This silence, This love.
Chris Roe
Advent Reading
Journey through Celtic Advent, a period of 40 days, starting on November 15th, using the bible readings, prayers and poetry provided. 40 Christians have come together with their poetic responses to bible passages to guide you through Advent. Money raised from this book will be donated to Rehab for Rosey. Rosey is a young lady from Cornwall who has received life changing injuries following an accident. With Space for your own reflections and Journaling, this book is suitable for with group or individual bible study.
Journaling Advent: Your Journey through Celtic Advent by Claire Elizabeth Burgess. Can be purchased from Amazon
Advent artwork taken from Advent Dawn by Margaret Thomas and Amy Perry
Time to stand and stare, or time to sit and reflect, walk, or simply “be”. Quiet Gardens are a place of stillness and beauty where people can go to sit and be still, reflect and pray.
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Mosaic Making at Ramsey Quiet Garden
Over the past three years, while digging and planting the Quiet Garden at Ramsey, we have come across lots of shards of pottery, glass, a variety of rusty metal and even a dried out hoof, as well as a whole row of buried kerb stones! Week by week the collection grew and the idea of making a mosaic formed.
In May 2022, at the Quiet Garden Movement Annual Gathering, I met Katherine Thomas who is a volunteer at the Sherwood Methodist Church Quiet Garden in Nottinghamshire. During our conversation I mentioned our collection of pottery. Katherine, whom I had never met before, generously offered to come and help us make a plaque, as she has had previous experience of making mosaics with groups. After various communications a date was fixed for 21st July as Katherine, and her husband Rob, would be on their way home from Suffolk. They turned up at the Ramsey Quiet Garden in their camper van with the mosaic tools and equipment stored in boxes on the roof!
The group of volunteers who came either help in the garden and/ or attend the quiet mornings. Katherine soon got us organised, resizing the bits of pottery and cementing them to the design. A good start was made on the plaque and Katherine left us with instructions on how to complete the piece.
Pip who attends the quiet mornings commented: “There was a friendly group of ladies, all listening intently to our instructor Katherine who taught us the skills required. The design of a dragonfly was suggested by Rachel, from the Quiet Garden team, and we all embraced it as a fitting symbol of nature to display in a reflective garden… I look forward to the next sessions as we endeavour to complete the design. I am thankful for the opportunity to be involved in such a lovely venture.”
We are grateful to Katherine and Rob for sharing their time and skills with us and all those who took part in the day. We look forward to providing many more opportunities for encounter in the garden.
Eilish Storey is the host of Ramsey Quiet Garden
Nourish the simple act of lighting one purple candle and watching it glow.
Leave a Legacy
Find out how can you make a lasting gift that will enable people of all ages to discover and experience the benefits of time out in nature for silence and stillness
Be it a peaceful oasis in the city or a quiet haven in the wilderness, we network outdoor spaces and create opportunities for everyone to find silence, restfulness and soul time.
The Quiet Garden Trust .
Raising awareness
In our experience one of the most effective ways of raising awareness of this ministry is word of mouth. If you are aware of any opportunity in your area to tell others about the Movement we can offer advice.
We have a variety of leaflets available. Please contact the Quiet Garden office or check out what is available on our website
Become a Friend
Regular support through our Friends Scheme ensures the charity can maintain and develop the Movement, meaning people of all ages can discover and experience the benefits of time out in nature.
Click here to join
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That light is powerful; a beginning of something utterly astounding
Connecting with others
organisations who have similar ideals as the Quiet Garden Movement.
We are working on exciting new projects
Small Pilgrim Places Network :
Brings together people who support the ethos of SPPs through prayer and practical support;
members to promote the key elements of SPPs quiet prayer and meditation, hospitality, silence, space and simplicity not only in SPPs but also in their own personal situations;
mutually supportive, encouraging the exchange of experiences, inspiration and practicalities.
out more about us or view our list of small pilgrim places
National Estate Churches Network (NECN) supports people active in Christian ministry on social housing estates in England and Wales. We offer:
network of local groups
resources
e mail newsletters and social media
representation
membership includes church and community leaders and workers, clergy, residents and others who live, work and serve God on housing estates across England and Wales.
Read about our vision and aims and our history, and see who is on our exec.
prisons: We are embarking on an exciting new project with HMP service where a series of gardens will be created for folk to sit out doors.
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New gardens welcomed to the Movement Hirfron Quiet Garden Powys Quiet Garden at Peacehaven Lincolnshire Dairy Farm Quiet Garden Suffolk The Field of Dreams Essex Newington Prayer Garden Ramsgate Details of each garden can be
on our website. The Field
of Dreams Memorial
Garden created for the community
Reflections of a Quiet on The quiet Garden at Quiet Waters Retreat house in Bungay, Suffolk
The warden greeted me with words of welcome ‘Come inside, sit here awhile and I will fetch you some water, we are here for you’. It was the hottest day of the year and I welcomed the cool room and jugs of iced water. He said ‘Don’t leave here without going down the steps to the river that flows at the end of the garden and dip your feet into the water’. At his invitation I walked to the water and down the steps and dipped my feet in. It was noon, the hottest part of the day and the water was clear and deep. I sat dangling my feet in and watching the fish play, the damselflies dance and land close to me. I put my legs in deeper, feeling the refreshing cool water cleanse and heal. Downstream out of the corner of my eye I saw a little head pop up and I watched with the wonder of a child as a grass snake swam over to the opposite bank.
The words ‘Taste and see that the Lord is good’ came to me and I felt surrounded and held in His love. At the end of the afternoon my husband joined me and I led him to the river where we both sat with our legs immersed in the water it was joy and a taste of paradise restored and a time of real blessing for us both. The whole experience marked the beginning of ‘restoring my soul’ or in the words of the Message version of 23rd psalm ‘True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction’
My Advent Meditations
Each season of Advent I start out with good intentions In my mind I know what I want to do spend plenty of time in quiet meditation, follow the set readings day by day, give time to what is important and keep on a tight rein the ‘getting and spending,’ the frenzied way our society marks the weeks leading up to the Christmas season. However, the flesh is weak and too often things come along which derail my intentions. But, this year I am going to try really hard to be more focussed!
I visit Hilfield Friary in rural Dorset three or four times a year, usually for one of their excellent weekend courses. Hilfield is a wonderful Franciscan community which also happens to be part of our Quiet Garden movement and while I was there in October I picked up the ‘Franciscan,’ the journal of the Anglican Franciscans, which is always a good read. I noticed a couple of articles on the ‘Scriptural Rosary’ which is an adaptation of the traditional Rosary using passages from Scripture and is usable by all traditions. The ‘mysteries’ of the Rosary are divided into four main parts and during Advent I shall be using the first part, ‘The Joyful mysteries’, as the most suitable. I was given my rosary beads many years ago but have been remiss in not using them; now is a golden opportunity.
This Advent I shall be using the scriptural Rosary in conjunction with some meditations in the natural world including my own garden. There is some good information online and the description in the ‘Franciscan’ is excellent. Do contact me via Sarah if I can be of help. I can tell you how I’m doing!
PATRONS
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Metropolitan Kallistos of Diokleia I The Rt Revd John Pritchard I Richard Foster I Terry Hershey
The Revd Lucy Winkett | Shane Connolly | His Eminence Cardinal Vincent Nichols Brian Draper | Founder Revd Philip Roderick
Chris Holmes Trustee and Treasurer
Hirfron: a quiet place of prayer, creativity and welcome
For over 20 years we were part of the Quiet Garden movement in West Sussex and it has been wonderful to be able to continue this vision following our move to rural mid Wales in 2021. In September our home was dedicated by the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, the Rt Revd John Lomas, as a quiet place of prayer, creativity and welcome. We were joined by neighbours from across the valley, people from the local churches and those who have lived here previously, in a ground-swell of support from across the community in prayer and friendship.
Hirfron is a smallholding of five and a half acres with views over the beautiful Dulas valley. It is a working place, with a kitchen garden, new orchard, pasture with a small herd of alpacas and some mixed woodland. Whilst we’re off the beaten track, the landscape connects us to everything that is going on through the seasons, where the quiet rhythms of the earth and the soul can be cultivated.
The meditation room in the house offers a dedicated space to keep silence and to pray the offices of the day. In the courtyard, planted for bees and butterflies, a restored cow barn has become an art and crafts studio. The old stable and the hay barn are now retreat spaces for guests with living accommodation below and en suite bedrooms above.
As we give thanks, we look forward to welcoming all those who are looking for quiet space in which to rest awhile. There is no programme other than the hours of the day, the rhythm of the earth and a supportive environment of prayer, creativity and welcome. Details may be found on the QG website, or do get in touch directly. Our email is: tessaandmark123@gmail.com
Tessa
Mark Holland
Quiet
Trust
The Rectory, Dark Lane, Ewyas Harold, Herefordshire. HR2 0EZ. UK
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Keep in touch https://quietgarden.org/ Twitter and facebook @quietgardens info@quietgarden.org Office contact details The
Garden
A Quiet Evening with Kate Lawson and Judy Greenfield (Moray Cottage Quiet Garden) Join Kate and Judy for a Quiet Evening during Advent on Wednesday 7th December at 7pm (GMT) To register please click on the link here The event is free, however if you would like to make a small donation towards the costs of the evening or to the Movement please click here
More Advent reading or even ideas for Christmas gifts
The City Is My Monastery : A Contemporary Rule of Life by Richard Carter, Samuel Wells and Rowan Williams. Richard Carter swapped a life of simplicity with an Anglican religious order in the Solomon Islands for parish ministry in one of London's busiest churches, St Martin-in-the-Fields. Seeing a need for monastic values in the centre of the city, he founded the Nazareth Community. Its members gather from everyday life to seek God in contemplation, to acknowledge their dependence on God's grace and to learn to live openly and generously with all. Part story, part spiritual meditation, The City is My Monastery offers spiritual wisdom for daily life rooted in the Nazareth Community's seven guiding principles: Silence, Service, Scripture, Sacrament, Sharing, Sabbath Time and Staying.
God Walk: Moving at the Speed of Your Soul by Mark Buchanan What happens when we literally walk out our Christian life? We discover the joy of travelling at the speed of our soul. We often act as if faith is only about the mind. But what about our bodies? What does our physical being have to do with our spiritual life? When the Bible exhorts us to walk in the light, or walk by faith, or walk in truth, it means these things literally as much as figuratively. The Christian faith always involves walking out, as again and again we find the holy in the ordinary. Come, follow me, Jesus said, and then he was off. The most obvious thing about Jesus’ method of discipleship, in fact, is that he walked and invited others to walk with him. Jesus is always on the way, arriving, leaving, approaching, coming upon. It's in the walking that his disciples are taught, formed, tested, empowered, and released. Part theology, part history, part field guide, God Walk explores walking as spiritual formation, walking as healing, walking as exercise, walking as prayer, walking as pilgrimage, suffering, friendship, and attentiveness. It is a book about being alongside the God who, incarnate in Jesus, turns to us as he passes by--always on foot--and says simply, Come, follow me. With practical insight and biblical reflections told in his distinct voice, Buchanan provides specific walking exercises so you can immediately implement the practice of going God speed. Whether you are walking around the neighbourhood or hiking in the mountains, walking offers the potential to awaken your life with Christ as it revives body and soul.
Soulfulness: Deepening the mindful life by Brian Draper. The beauty of mindfulness is that it's incredibly simple both to 'get' and to practice. And the results increasingly backed by neuro scientific evidence are priceless: calmness and reduced stress, more creativity, greater awareness, compassion. . . And yet there's a danger that mindfulness can be used in a purely consumerist and self-serving way to help people to become better adapted cogs in a still toxic model of work and life. Brian Draper challenges us to live not just mindfully but soulfully. Not merely to be less stressed, but to flourish, dynamically and creatively to be present through living intentionally and compassionately.
Embracing Advent: Rediscovering Christmas in the Chaos (A Daily Devotional) by Jen Ludwig. This year, you are invited to spend the days leading up to Christmas rediscovering the gifts of hope, peace, joy, and love that God extends to all of us. Embracing Advent includes four weeks of short daily readings to encourage you to: Hold on to HOPE find PEACE choose JOY, LOVE and Be Loved
Take a few minutes each day to step away from the holiday chaos and prepare your body, soul, and mind to whole heartedly experience Christmas this year!
The First Advent in Palestine: Reversals, Resistance, and the Ongoing Complexity of Hope by Kelly Nikondeha. When we picture the first Advent, we see Mary and Joseph huddled by a manger. We picture Gabriel, magi, and shepherds tending their flocks. A shining star against a midnight sky. But this harmonized version has lifted the Advent story out of its context those who experienced the first Advent had to travel through great darkness to reach the hope that shining star announced. Trusted scholar and community organizer Kelley Nikondeha takes us back, to where the landscape of Palestine is once again the geographic, socioeconomic, and political backdrop for the Advent story.
Meeting Christianity again for the First Time by Tony Rutherford. A bold and laudable attempt to grapple with six aspects of faith...Tony makes good use of the insights of modern scholarship and takes seriously the world view of modern science. There is much here to enlighten anyone looking for an intellectually satisfying and practical contemporary faith. Edward Hulme , Minister and Author. Tony takes the Bible, Jesus, God, Church, action and contemplation, and being a Christian today and gently supports us as we revisit, reaffirm our thoughts and beliefs as if for the very ‘first time’
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