Kevin Belmonte has shared his reflections on his experience at the last night of our recent Vacation with a Purpose event. Kevin was one of our speakers during VWAP and is a biographer of D.L. Moody, William Wilberforce, & John Bunyan; the historical consultant on the film Amazing Grace; and the author of an upcoming biography of G.K. Chesterton and a Quotable Chesterton.
July 30, 2010
Noel Paul Stookey with Kevin Belmonte's son, Sam
Today I returned from an overnight stay with my four-and-a-half-year-old son Sam at C.S. Lewis College in Northfield, Massachusetts. Last night, honored guests from the Northfield Mount Hermon community, and volunteers from all over the country who have been helping to ready this new college for its opening a little over a year from now, attended a very special concert given by Noel Paul Stookey of “Peter, Paul and Mary” at Margaret Olivia Music Hall. My wife Kelly was away on a business trip, so Sam and I were set to have some good father/son time with all those who had come…
It was a night I shall long remember, especially for little Sam’s sake. It began with dinner at six, when I was asked to sit at Noel’s table and tell him a bit about my work on the film Amazing Grace. I felt privileged to do so, and it was then that I introduced Sam to him-a particular pleasure, since Peter, Paul and Mary’s live recording of “The Garden Song” is one that Sam loves to sing along with.
After dinner, Sam and I took a walk along the beautiful campus first established by D.L. Moody in November 1879 as the Northfield Seminary for Girls. To walk the grassy hillsides, amid buildings that are so many architectural treasures, and the handsome maple, oak and beech trees that boarder the grounds, is to be surrounded by a profound sense of history, blessing and philanthropic purpose. So many young people have walked this campus as students, received an excellent education and realized the promise of D.L. Moody’s hope that he had “been able to set in motion streams which will continue long after I have gone.” Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: C.S. Lewis College, Kevin Belmonte, Noel Paul Stookey, Vacation with a Purpose
Please note that the content and viewpoints of Mr. Hansen are his own and are not necessarily those of the C.S. Lewis Foundation. We have not edited his writing in any substantial way and have permission from him to post his content.
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Dear Friends:
Thursday morning, I stopped by a friend’s office. He was preparing for an important meeting on institutional finances in less than two hours.
The times are stressful. The stacks of spreadsheets and financial statements on his desk tell the story of a community with entrenched, high unemployment. By nightfall the State of California, financially insolvent and in legislative paralysis, will cut off payments to our physicians and hospital for caring for state-insured patients. The specter of cut-backs, lay-offs and reorganization lurk in the muddy, roiling waters of uncertainty. My friend was visibly tense and frustrated with competing demands for data and information while preparing books for an annual audit.
I went on my way to another appointment, but my heart stayed with my friend in silent prayer. The Holy Spirit brought to my mind the opening stanza of my Grandmother Jenny’s favorite hymn:
Sweet hour of prayer! sweet hour of prayer!
That calls me from a world of care,
And bids me at my Father’s throne
Make all my wants and wishes known.
In seasons of distress and grief,
My soul has often found relief
And oft escaped the tempter’s snare
By thy return, sweet hour of prayer!
– William Walford, 1845
I text-paged those lines to my friend with this message: “You don’t have an hour, but take a minute. Close your door. Look out the window and breathe. He will receive it as a prayer and extend grace and mercy.”
In a few minutes, I received this text page in response. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: A Word of Grace, Kent Hansen
Dr. Greg Bourgond just released A Rattling of Sabers, the book that he wrote while at The Kilns as a Scholar-in-Residence in 2009. If you would like to purchase it through Amazon.com, while helping the C.S. Lewis Foundation to earn a referral percentage, click here.
Here is the description of the book:
Men - it is finally ready - a labor of love by God’s grace representing 18 years in the making. I finished the manuscript at the Kilns, C.S. Lewis’ home in Headington England last September. It is now available for purchase at Amazon.com and iUniverse.
This book will help you become men of honor and integrity by aligning your heart with the heart of God. Our behavior, good or bad, is reflective of what’s in our heart. Let the scalpel of God’s word perform surgery on your heart so that your life will bring glory and honor instead of shame and dishonor. The objective of this book is to help you become a man after God’s heart. I encourage you to engage in a life-transforming journey that will teach you to live differently–to live victoriously, to live lives of integrity, courage, authenticity, and valor under God’s authority, Christ’s example, and the Holy Spirit’s empowerment. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: C.S. Lewis Study Centre, Greg Bourgond, Scholars in Residence, The Kilns
Recently, David J. Theroux (Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of The Independent Institute and Publisher of The Independent Review, and Founder and President of the C.S. Lewis Society of California) posted a three part blog concerning C.S. Lewis’s political and moral philosophy. Drawing from a substantial number of Lewis’s works, Theroux addresses topics such as utilitarianism, the welfare state, and a variety of other topics. All three of his articles are linked below.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
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Please note that the content and viewpoints of Mr. Theroux are his own and are not necessarily those of the C.S. Lewis Foundation.
Tags: C.S. Lewis, David J. Theroux, Moral Philosophy, Politics
2010 Vacation with a Purpose Week 1 Group Photo, Lori is in the front row, with a light yellow shirt.
Our friend and Southwest Regional Retreat alumna, Lori Tischler, sent us a message recently about how much her 2010 Vacation with a Purpose experience meant to her. She kindly gave us permission to share it with you:
My eyes are tearing up with a heart full of the richness and depths of God’s goodness as I savor the delicious memories from last week in your incredible nook of the world. ‘How green is your valley’ — that verdancy is taking on spiritual proportions as the dry bones are being brought back to life (Ezekiel), the walls of ‘Mount Zion’ are being rebuilt (Nehemiah), and the mantle of Moody (Elijah) is being handed on to you–to us (Elisha)–in double portion. (…oh Lord, let it be!!)
I will praise God a very long time for allowing me to be a small part of the Rebirth, the physical building and grounds being only the tip of the iceberg.
Astounding. Profound.
Intellect. Imagination. Inspiration.
Collaboration. Creativity. Connectedness.
…All this I experienced in and through the humility (and humor!) in community, learning, spiritual warfare, grace and truth, and self and growth. All these will remain with me for a very long time. It was such an honor and privilege to be part of! I’ve journaled pages of ”God stories” and am still not finished.
Lori
Tags: Lori Tischler, Southwest Regional Retreat, Vacation with a Purpose
