Prayer, Work, and Study

The past six weeks here at The Open Gate on Holy Island/
Lindisfrarne have been such a rich time for me. I have de-
veloped a very simple order of life as a result: prayer, work,
and study. I sense that these three daily routines are shap-
ing and forming me for the next stage of my life.

Ordered prayer three times a day adds to my own personal
time of prayer. Every morning at 7:30, Monday through Sat-
urday, I meet with a small group of residents and visiters to
the Island for Morning Prayer at the parish church. We read
through the Psalms, hear Old and New Testament lessons,
and pray for the Church and the World. It is the anchor of
my day, and noontime prayer and night prayer at the Open
Gate are the structure of my day. Three times a week I lead
the prayer services at the Open Gate that combine the anci-
ent faith with contemporary forms of rich Celtic Christian ex-
pressions of that ancient faith.

But hard work fills most of my day. I am realizing how much
prayer and work influence and enrich one another. I spend con-
siderable time setting up and preparing for meals and wash-
ing up after meals. I also spend a lot of time preparing rooms
for arriving guests, changing bed linen, and cleaning toilets and
showers. I also prepare for the three prayers services I lead ev-
ery week at The Open Gate prayer chapels that, as the name
implies, are always open to the public. The work is very hard, and
many nights I feel worn out. But I feel great joy in doing it. It is
a wonderful way to serve other people and Jesus Christ.

It is also important for me to nurture my mind, and so I try to
make time to study in some way. I continue to work hard on
expanding my thesis, but I seek opportunities to read for en-
joyment. I love that, and it refreshes me. I try to make small
times throughout the day to do that. But many times I am too
worn out to do much, so I grab a quick nap or go to bed.

I am experiencing much joy being here and doing what I am do-
ing. I am surprized by joy because I did not anticipate this or
plan for it. It has turned out so much better than I could ever
have imagined.

Continued blessings and peace to you and yours, Jeff T.