St. Luke's News
Brunel 2008
Every 2 years around February St. Luke's Church family heads off down the M5 to Brunel Manor near Torquay for 2 days of teaching, fun, great food and a chance to get to know each other better. Angela Jameson reflects on the weekend...
Beautiful...
...we could not have asked for more beautiful weather which lasted throughout most of our journeys down the M5, throughout the weekend and even the return journey. Our hosts told us we must be most 'righteous' to have deserved such sunshine. We almost believed them until we checked the verse in Matthew 5:45 and discovered that God makes the sun shine on the righteous and the unrighteous alike. It was reassuring...
Refreshing...
...as only a weekend away from the preoccupations of home and work can be - with copious amounts of delicious food three times a day, a programme that didn't require rising at dawn and the option of early nights, or stimulating chats and lots of laughter over a glass (or two) of wine. There was plenty on offer, aside from the excellent teaching - art workshop, swimming pool (heated!), walks, home-grown entertainment - can we not persuade The Spice Girls to visit Bath, too...?
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Naughty, but Nice ...
...this could be said of the full cooked breakfasts...the gateaux and ice cream deserts...the entertainment...the Brunel Bugle (daily publication, courtesy of a certain Youth Leader)... a certain amount of teasing of blonde members of the party ...and no doubt a few other minor sins committed during the weekend.
Events for Everyone ...
...young people (as they like to be called) and adults alike felt included. Parents were able to relax in the knowledge that their offspring were in 'good hands' and enjoying themselves. Having slept on the 'singles corridor' for the first time, I was most impressed and, yes, amazed, at how considerate and sensitive everyone was.
Lords Prayer ...
...what we have all taken away with us, thanks to Matthew's honest and challenging teaching - a fresh understanding of Jesus' teaching on prayer. A commitment to turning it from 'worrying out loud' into trusting God with ourselves, our friends and family and our communities, in the knowledge that His Kingdom will come - every knee will bow - other thrones will tumble - but that in the meantime we must live as Kingdom people, extending forgiveness and God's Grace to others and determining to avoid the 'sticky fly paper' temptations of this life.
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