Our dear friend and event speaker Malcolm Guite just invited me to link to a post on his blog related to this year’s Summer Seminar at The Kilns.  Malcolm spent an afternoon with a group of seminar participants at the Orchard in Granchester.  After receiving an unexpected and very welcome gift from Jerry Root, Malcolm was inspired to post a poem he wrote called “Tree and Leaf.”  Read about it on his blog.

And don’t miss out on Malcolm speaking at the 2010 Southwest Regional Retreat!  He’ll be joined by Louis Markos, Randy Alcorn, David McKechnie, and several others.  Performing will be Noel Paul Stookey (of Peter, Paul, & Mary fame) and Ad Deum Dance Company.

The Kilns

The following is an excerpt from the C.S. Lewis Foundation newsletter written by a scholar-in-residence at the Kilns, Dr. Greg Bourgond:

“I stood at the door of the Kilns on September 7th still reeling from just leaving the tyranny of the urgent back home.

Immediately, I felt an easing of anxiety by the peace I felt as I entered C.S. Lewis’ home.  Once I settled in I walked the grounds absorbing the beauty of this place.  I wasn’t prepared for the soothing quiet, the warm fellowship, and the wonder of the historical context.  I found the library and the kitchen especially inviting — the unique stove giving off welcome heat.  Pictures throughout the home reminded me of the rich heritage embedded in every corner of the house.

Inspired by my surroundings I completed my manuscript including an acknowledgments page, preface, introduction, 8 chapters, 460 footnotes, and 3 appendices.  This book was the culmination of 17 years working with the hearts of men so that they could begin living a legacy worth leaving in the lives of those God brought within their sphere of influence starting with their families and extending out to others.  I didn’t expect to finish it so soon.  I now had time to travel a bit — Oxford, the Eagle and Child, Cambridge, Canterbury Cathedral, Golden Valley, Hadrian’s Wall, the William Wallace Monument in Stirling, and back home again to the Kilns.

Sharing the home with others forms a bonding community where the life and writings of Lewis permeate conversation.  Yet, there is plenty of alone time for reflection and renewal punctuated by visits to Lewis’ church and burial site, the pub he and Warnie frequented, and the fabulous meals at yet another pub within walking distance.

I also enjoyed the pear and apples on the ground for late snacks.  When my time came to an end I left with warm memories that flood my thoughts.  The tyranny of the urgent no longer holds me captive because, in my mind, I can escape to the Kilns where rest and peace is found.”

Dr. Greg Bourgond, Bethel University

St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

Dear Readers,

Well, I am still waiting for that annoying alarm clock tone to wake me up from this fantastic dream I’ve been living in for the past few months. Never would I have guessed that I would be here, living in C. S. Lewis’ house, walking through his Narnian forest of Shotover, reading first editions of his books, and meeting some of his scholars and even those who actually knew him and called him friend!

Even if it wasn’t too great a task already, it has become a simply hopeless one to pay God back for all the blessings He keeps heaping upon me. I find myself usually speechless, overwhelmed, and at a complete loss for how to respond adequately on days such as these.

I’ve started an attempt at jogging through Shotover in the mornings to counter my intake of all these wonderful English creams, cheeses, and pies. This morning I woke up early, groggily put on my running shoes, half-heartedly attempted to touch my toes, and then stepped outside The Kiln’s Tradesman entrance to a glorious sunshiny day full of birdsong.

As I made my way up the path through the C. S. Lewis Nature Reserve, I noted how different the forest looks each time I go through it, even at the same times of the day. There really is something magical about these woods. The sunlight filters differently through the leaves each day just like snowflakes are never quite the same as any other snowflake. There are two tall trees that stand guard on either side of the path just before you come to the top of the reserve and the kissing gate. I call them the Gatekeepers. Every time I walk between them, I feel a little thrill of excitement inside and wonder what treasures await me today.

Read the rest of this entry »

Dear Readers,

Remember when you were a child and you would occasionally have dreams of walking into a room of yours and instead of finding a closet or a bedroom, it would instead be utterly filled with whatever your heart desired? I used to dream I had secret rooms like those that would change with my whims and

Bookshelf at The Kilns

desires.

Sometimes the rooms would be filled with magical woods, fantastic adventures, true lifelong friends, books like the library in “Beauty and the Beast,” dazzling things to eat, or rows upon rows of the prettiest clothes. These were just little passing fancies that would waft through my imagination sometimes.

Well, I seem to be living in the realistic version of one of those fancies. Here at The Kilns I am living for a short time in a place where there are rooms overflowing with wonderful books for me to read! It is almost overwhelming because I know that no matter how hard I will try, I won’t be able to read them all before my time is up. This makes choosing which books to read incredibly hard; the Sofie’s Choice of Book World!

Thankfully a new friend who comes to help me clean made my decision for me and pulled a book out for me from them all and thrust it into my hands saying that I absolutely must read this one: “Beyond Ourselves: a woman’s pilgrimage in faith” by Catherine Marshall. I am only a third of the way in so far, but already I know it is a jewel that I will treasure forever. Read the rest of this entry »