This year I will be travelling as a Seeker with the Lay Community of St Benedict. My journey into Benedictine Spirituality began when in my middle 20’s I first visited the Abbey of St Mary’s West Malling, in Kent, which is a Benedictine community. There I was introduced to the Rule and the Hours and they became part of my journey, sometimes close, sometimes more distant companions.
I first read about the Lay Community of St Benedict in the summer when I was walking on the Cleveland Way. It started to pop up on my Twitter feed. Before that I’d taken a retreat in May with another Benedictine Community at Stanbrook Abbey in Wass, and felt a homecoming there. I therefore decided to explore this invitation to be a Seeker and began at the end of November (around my birthday).
The Lay Community is diverse and widespread, I am told. Here begins a year to discern whether my unlikely path merges with theirs. As a result of ‘joining up’ I now receive their regular verses for meditation. Today’s blog title is from the first one and the words are by Peter Millar of the Iona Community, so that is familiar company so far.
There are many roads in my life I never planned to take and I acknowledge the surprising wisdom I have so often encountered on these unlooked for paths. This week I have been ministered to by people of all ages and I have shared in that ministry with them as we fill our Advent cupboard and share our Advent worship, tell our personal stories and listen to each other, as we travel on together on roads we never planned to take.

In our coming and our going
The Peace of God