FEBRUARY 11 - 13 Scargill House, Kettlewell, North Yorkshire
SILENCES AND NONSENSES
When we lived down in Sussex Adrian met a friend almost every week, usually in a lovely country pub. Apparently, the things he enjoyed most about those encounters were ‘silences and nonsenses’. What did he mean? We shall have to ask him.
What has life in general and this long pandemic period in particular taught us about friendship and relaxation? We shall take a look at the relationship between David and Jonathan in the Old Testament and see if the Gospels will throw any light on our subject from the life and words of Jesus. We will definitely get cosy on this bleak February weekend and do our very best to discover how it feels to relax and enjoy time with our friends. Do join us.
TO BOOK: scargillmovement.org
MARCH 11-13 Scargill House, Kettlewell, North Yorkshire
‘WHY DOES IT ALWAYS RAIN ON ME …
….is it because I lied when I was seventeen?’ In direct contrast Maria in Sound of Music, having just discovered that her love for Captain Von-Trapp is reciprocated, concludes that ‘Somewhere in my youth and childhood, I must have done something good’! Its easy for Christians to fall into the trap of attributing to God a similarly mechanical system of punishment or reward based on actions in our past? The teaching of Jesus, his story of the two lost sons, and the actual experiences of those he met, including a certain rich young ruler, might provide food for thought. And here is a question worth asking. What is the famous man from Tarsus likely to say about this whole issue?
TO BOOK: scargillmovement.org
APRIL 25-29 Thornleigh Hotel, Grange Over Sands
HUMOUR WHOLENESS AND HEALING
Forgive the alliteration. It’s a bit of a disease with Christian speakers. However, these three things are very important to us. In the course of working at Scargill House we learned (as if we hadn’t guessed it before) that humour is very far from being the poor relation of what is called ‘serious ministry’.
The healing power of laughter and love has a capacity for reaching parts that can be difficult to reach in other ways, especially when everything has become wrapped in a sort of poultice of gloom. The exclusion of unnecessary solemnity has also been known to rescue some folk from places of refuge that turn out to be traps in disguise.
Yes, of course there are all sorts of different ways in which the Holy Spirit can move us towards wholeness, but the lighter, illuminating touch can often help to locate the essential way of Grace. For that reason we value it enormously. Hope you do as well.
TO BOOK: www.thornleigh.org
MAY 13-15 Scargill House, Kettlewell, North Yorkshire
DON’T LOOK AT THE SCOREBOARD
Battling for gold in the Olympic sport of Taekwondo, a competitor received stern advice from her coach. ‘Don’t look at the scoreboard!’ Taekwondo can be lost in fractions of a second. A glance at the score could result in defeat. King David could have done with similar advice when he planned his census of fighting men in Israel and Judah. This act of conceit was ultimately disastrous for Israel and for the conscience-stricken David. Nowadays many Christian organisations and individuals come to grief when greed overtakes responsibility and obedience. It happens very easily. What does Jesus say to keep us on the right track? As usual the answer is as challenging as it is cheerful.
TO BOOK: scargillmovement.org
JUNE 3-5: The Hayes, Swanwick, Derbyshire
WORTH OUR WEIGHT IN GOLD – ACW ( Association of Christian Writers )
Adrian and Bridget will be just two of the guest speakers at a ACW’s residential writers weekend jamboree -the final event celebrating their jubilee year. Check out more details on the website
TO BOOK : events @christianwriters.co.uk
JULY 1-3: Scargill House, Kettlewell, North Yorkshire
TO BOOK: scargillmovement.org
SEPTEMBER 2022
TBC: TOUR ‘STILL CRAZY’ WITH SEARCHLIGHT THEATRE-
CELEBRATING PUBLICATION OF ADRIAN’S LATEST BOOK OF THE SAME NAME- A TYPICAL MIX OF SERIOUS AND SILLY, WHIMSICAL AND OCCASIONALLY WICKED.
Details to follow.
OCTOBER 17– 21 : Thornleigh Hotel, Grange over Sands
IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL
Is it? One thing is for sure, the bookies would have given very short odds on anything at all being well with the writer of this amazingly positive hymn once they knew the circumstances of his personal life at the time. We’ll take a look at that fascinating story this week and ask ourselves some questions that arise. What does ’it is well with my soul’ even mean? Another question. What might Jesus say are the characteristics and ways of attaining ultimate safety? Is it possible that the puzzles and pressures of the COVID years could help us to adjust our sense of balance? Whether or not we satisfactorily answer these HUGE questions, we shall laugh a lot, eat extremely well and really enjoy being together.
TO BOOK : www.thornleigh.org
NOVEMBER 28 - DEC 2 : Lee Abbey, Lynton, Devon
ADVENT RETREAT : A WAY LESS TRAVELLED
Side turnings and diversions on the Old Advent Road . More details to come
TO BOOK: relax@leeabbey.org .uk
