Study Days, Retreats & Archive (bottom of page)
Pdf Study Day and
Retreat / Pilgrimage
Archive
For Lincoln Readers
and Authorised Lay Ministers
Association of Readers in the Diocese of Lincoln.
A Retreat for Readers and ALM’s.
A Reflection by Jackie Johnson…
We
recently
held
the
Lay
Ministers
Retreat
at
Launde
Abbey
for
ALMs
and
Readers,
at
which
I
spent
some
time
offering
a
session
on
wellbeing.
It
was
a
wonderful
experience,
not
because
of
what
I
said
or
did,
but
because
of
everyone’s
enthusiastic
engagement
both
with
the
material
and
fellow
ministerial
colleagues,
because
of
the
discussion
and
general
buzz
in
the
room,
and
the
laughter
too;
people
were
obviously
happy
to
be
together.
I
wish
I
could
have
stayed
longer,
it
was
a
real
pick-me-up.
Please
invite
me
back
next
time!
I
shouldn’t
be
surprised
that
Christians
were
enjoying
time
together,
but,
well,
we
are
quite
good
at
concealing
our
appreciation
of
and
love
for
our
sisters
and
brothers
in
Christ.
Sometimes,
an
atmosphere
of
pessimism
pervades
which
can
be
a
bit
of
a
challenge;
we’re
good
at
accentuating
the
negative
and
failing
to
acknowledge
the
positive
in
each
other.
But,
when
we
do
stop,
and
immerse
ourselves
in
God
and
give
attention
to
each
other,
we
unexpectedly
stumble
upon
an
affinity,
a
kinship,
which
is
hugely
attractive
to
those
seeking
a
place
of
friendship
and
belonging.
My
short
glimpse
into
the
Lay
Ministers
Retreat
–
this
place
of
prayerful
reflection
and
learning
–
was
enough
to
make
me
think
that,
had
someone
been
looking
in
for
a
company
of
which
to
be
a
part,
one
in
which
they
could
see
and
experience
God’s
love
for
them,
one
which
evidenced
an
enthusiasm
for
the
faith,
and
for
ministerial
vocation,
then
this
event
would
have
drawn
them
through
the
doors
to
ask,
‘Can
I
join
you?’
Ultimately,
part
of
our
job
as
Christians
is
to
exercise
our
faith
in
such
a
way
that
we
help
to
make
God
tangible,
visible,
knowable.
In
John
13:
34-
35,
we
hear
Jesus
say,
‘
I
give
you
a
new
commandment,
that
you
love
one
another.
Just
as
I
have
loved
you,
you
also
should
love
one
another.
By
this
everyone
will
know
that
you
are
my
disciples,
if
you
have
love
for
one
another.”
(NRSV).
So,
in
your
gathering
for
prayer
and
worship,
in
your
times
of
learning
about
the
faith
you
profess,
in
your
times
of
seeking
and
reflection,
I
pray
you
may
experience
something
of
what
I
found
at
the
Lay
Ministers
Retreat
–
something
that’s
a
real
tonic
for
you,
and enticing enough for others to say, ‘Can I join in?’
Retreat at Launde Abbey 2023
Pilgrimage, Retreat and Study Day material -
2013 to 2022 below