The downside of Othona wildlife

At the moment the downside of Othona wildlife consists of mosquitos and thunder flies. I have a leg that has a couple of nasty mosquito bites, and at the moment there seem to be a lot of thunder flies in the air. I hope that thunder is not on the way - it's a clear blue sky at the moment.

The wildlife at Othona

The wildlife at Othona is brilliant, and by wildlife I don't mean the party scene or nightlife. Because we are right on the sea's edge, we have a number of different species of wading birds within a hundred yards or so. But closer still, coming into the Othona grounds we have rabbits and hares (I've never seen hares this close to before), and all kinds of birds that I don't normally see in my garden at home. We have mistle thrushes and a whole throng of swallows (all right, I know that the collective noun for swallows is a flight of swallows). I'll try and post some photos that I've taken when I get better internet access.

Apparently there are badgers as well, but I haven't seen any of those as yet.

A swallow fledgling

A hare, with mistle thrush behind

Sunday church

Yesterday was Sunday, and I went to church! Not very surprising, I know. In the morning I went to the Anglican church in the village of Bradwell, St Thomas' Church. It was a Baptism Roll service where all the families who had brought children to be baptised at the church in the last two years (38 invitations had been sent out) were invited back to renew their baptismal vows. Not many children turned up, which was a real disappointment to the clergy and congregation, but the rest of us enjoyed a lovely family service, and participated in a Teddy Bears Picnic and Pass-the-Parcel. I was introduced to the congregation and made to feel very welcome.

In the evening there was a special service at St Peter's Chapel. Every Sunday evening during the summer months a service is held at St Peter's, led by different groups of people. The service yesterday evening was led by the Canonesses of the Holy Sepulchre. In a very creative way they led us to think about the Word of God (in this year of the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible) and about how God's Word was passed on from the very beginning, and is still passed on today.

The VAPs have arrived

Today the VAPs have arrived. VAP stands for Volunteer Action for Peace, and the VAPs that I'm talking about are twelve young people from all over the world, from as far away as Taiwan, who have come to spend two weeks working at the Othona Community. They will be involved particularly in working on the reed beds that form a vital part of the community's drainage system. They have come to share together in community life, to meet and learn from people from a wide range of different cultures, to work and to have fun.

It will be great getting to know them, and to learn about the places that they come from. VAP 'works towards creating and preserving international peace, justice and human solidarity for people and their communities. Through a range of working projects ... VAP provides volunteers with opportunities to work together with people from around the globe and in partnership with local groups to enhance and empower communities.'

Our VAPs are all sleeping in tents, so I hope that it doesn't rain too much over the next couple of weeks.

Friday morning

Wednesday and Thursday were spent at home and visiting some of the family, but I had to arrive back early this morning because I had an appointment at the local primary school in Bradwell. At the pilgrimage one of the people I got chatting to was the head of the school in the village, and she invited me to go and look around the school. This I duly did this morning.

I've now been invited back to the school next week, to take an assembly there and tell them a little about Othona. Those who know me well will know that I love going into school and interacting with children, so this opportunity is right up my street.

Tuesday evening

I think that I'm going to have to give up on the counting of the days, I've lost count.

Tuesday evening was an interesting occasion. We were due to eat our meal at 7.00pm, but because some of the community core members had gone to Chelmsford for the afternoon the meal was postponed until 7.30pm. No problem! 

But then, at about 7.20pm, a man with a couple of youngsters came in the door of the community. It had just started raining and he explained that he was leading a youth group barbecue on the beach adjacent to the community but because it was raining they wondered whether might they be able to come and take shelter with us. 'Of course,' they were told, 'and bring your sausages and we'll heat them up in the oven.' Over fifty youngsters then traipsed in, together with their leaders, and we all set to to make them welcome, give them something to drink, and making sure their sausages were cooked through.

It was great to show some Christian hospitality to these youngsters, but it did mean that our meal was delayed. We eventually began eating our lasagne at 8.45pm!

Sabbatical - Days 4 and 5

The Sunday after pilgrimage was a quiet day. We enjoyed a late breakfast, and then went up to the chapel  for a service (thank you, Rosie).

I then took Margie home, and we met up with Hannah and Chris, and the lovely Daniel, for the afternoon.

I went back to the community on Monday afternoon, after taking Margie to the doctors and her occupational health appointment in the morning. It was good to spend the afternoon and evening on some of my sabbatical reading.

There aren't many people in the community at the moment, just the core members. It's a chance to get one or two jobs around the community. Unfortunately one of the jobs is stripping and retiling the shower room of the core block, where I am staying with some other members of the core community, and so showering might not be so easy for the next week! If you're planning to come and visit, bring a peg with you for your nose!

Sabbatical - Day 3

Well, today has been another busy day. It's been the Bradwell Pilgrimage today. On the first Saturday in July each year pilgrims come from all over Essex, and further afield, to walk the couple of miles from the church in Bradwell village to St Peter's. This year the guest pilgrims, for want of a better phrase, were Bishop Thomas, the Bishop of Brentwood, and Bishop Stephen, the Bishop of Chelmsford. Hundreds of pilgrims came this year, as every year, from every denomination. A short service is held outside St Thomas' Church in Bradwell before the pilgrims walk to St Peter's, and then another, longer, service is held at St Peter's. People bring lunch with them, or else they can order lunch at the Othona Community.

Two large marquees are erected adjacent to St Peter's chapel, and various organisations have a stall in these marquee (think mini Christian Resources Exhibition). Margie and I were delegated to staff the Othona stall in one of the marquees, in addition to two more seasoned Othonians.

After lunch, and having had the opportunity to look around the marquees, or just to sit and chat with friends, there is a Songs of Praise before the pilgrims return home.

It was great to have had some of my congregation from the Union Church joining in the pilgrimage and also to meet up with old friends from other churches in Essex and to make some new friends. A fantastic day was had by all, and the weather kept fine.

This evening, after dinner, the community came back over to St Peter's for another brief service, led by me.

Once again we're tired, and off to bed. But we're glad for the day that we've had, and for the new friends we've met at Othona.

Sabbatical - Day 2

Wow, it's been a hugely busy day. It's now half past ten and it feels like I haven't stopped all day.

After breakfast the Year Six class left, homeward bound. We then had to get the rooms ready for the next lot of visitors - these are members of the community who have come to share in the Bradwell Pilgrimage, which takes place tomorrow. My task was vacuum cleaning of the bedrooms and corridors; I became well acquainted with a cleaner called Henry! Unfortunately I gained some unwanted credibility with Margie, she didn't know that I could hoover.

After that I found a little time to do some of my sabbatical reading whilst drinking a welcome cup of coffee.

Our new visitors started to arrive late morning. They are a lovely bunch of people, and I'm humbled by many of them. A woman with motor neurone disease, for instance, cared for by her husband.

After lunch I found work in the kitchen - peeling vegetables and then helping to make a liver and bacon casserole for 45. That took most of the afternoon.

This evening after dinner we went over to St Peter's Chapel where Jonny, one of the community members, led us in our thoughts and prayers. And then back to the community for the warden's talk from Gail.

I'll tell you tomorrow about the Bradwell Pilgrimage, but we expect hundreds, if not thousands, to turn up. Marquees and portable toilets have appeared by the chapel, and gazebos and a bouncy castle have been erected on the Othona Community lawn. Apparently my job, along with Jan and Flavia, is to staff the Othona stand in one of the marquees.

But sleep, I need sleep!

Sabbatical - Day 1 (continued)

The bangers, mash and beans were great, and the Arctic Roll with peaches for dessert took me back to the 1970s. Then, after dinner had been cleared up, we set to making sandwiches for the following day as the children are leaving for home soon after breakfast and are taking a packed lunch with them.

Later that evening we were royally entertained by the youngsters as they put on a talent show for us - and there was some serious talent on show!

As the sun was setting some of us made our way to the nearby Chapel of St Peter-on-the-Wall to share in prayers. What a privilege to be praying in the oldest church building in England; St Peter's was built by St Cedd in 654. I wish I'd taken a camera with me, because the setting sun shone in through the small windows causing such a golden glow in the chapel.