Barbara's blog

christmas write off

Mon, 09/01/2012 - 20:25 — Barbara

NO blogs for a while due to knee troubles. So, grounded for a while and missed both Awais's Christmas and Eid party and most of the Christmas 'at home'. Never mind, the pictures will have to follow from another source.

We might only be a little way into January but lots has happened already!

Today's excitement has been the arrival of the yurt! YIPPEE!! It's now up in the Cathedral - lots being planned!

being beacons

Mon, 14/11/2011 - 09:29 — Barbara

Bradford Ecumenical Asylum Concern - BEACON - held their AGM at the Delius Centre. Delius was born in Bradford, and the centre also hosts the German Church where Bonhoeffer signed the treaty against the Nazis. Bradford has always been a cosmopolitan city, with people from all over the world finding their way here, either by design, economic circumstance or trafficking. The issues are multilayered, and the seam of story and insight is deep and rich.

The Beacon office is in the Touchstone house and sometimes we are simply full to bursting with people coming to consult the McKenzie Friends or have their asylum papers interpreted. We need patience as the house is far too small and space is inadequate. Beacon's work is growing fast with the impact of Government cuts. Their volunteers are magnificent and over stretched, they desperately need more families that can host an asylum seeker for a short time, they need volunteers to accompany people to the asylum court ....

         Loving God, who commands us to love the stranger
           Push back the walls of our hearts
           To extend hospitality, practical help
           And a listening ear to people who are lost, fearful
                or far from home.

from fleece to jacket

Tue, 08/11/2011 - 09:10 — Barbara

from this .....

to this .....

via a spinning wheel and a loom, and some negotiation with an old sewing machine ..... we did it!

weaving a shroud

Sun, 30/10/2011 - 09:01 — Barbara

This piece of weaving was made for somebody who is not expected to live much longer. Her friends are each creating something that represents her life and will sew them together to make a shroud. This one was woven on the Touchstone loom and the many colours and textures formed a meditative activity for which we were glad to offer space. Despite some of the colours clashing or not sitting comfortably beside each other, the silver warp ran through the whole - as the weaver said, God was always there even when not particularly visible.

on the look out for sin ...

Sun, 30/10/2011 - 08:52 — Barbara

well, actually I was just going to meet somebody off the train ..... but I did muse that sin got a lot of publicity .....

and even soul was illegally parked!

a blanket of survival

Sun, 30/10/2011 - 04:30 — Barbara

      From each wisp a fragment spun
          and fragments to the thinnest thread
          wound round the fingers on one hand

          Then plied for strength, the entwining twist
          that turns to make a skein
          wound tightly between strong arms

          The loose ends straggling, on the floor
          a question mark of wondering
          pulled through the holes of half remembered things

          Each colour chosen carefully, clashes negotiated
          Pieces assembled, only making sense
          Together

          A blanket, formed of wayward fibres
          each hooked and held
          and gathered in.

I have had this blanket all of my life, it was made by Molly, a woman with Down's Syndrome.

I always had it on my bed and, when poorly as a child, I used to choose the square I liked the most. We used it as the centre piece for our last Survivors' Retreat - a reminder that although we may feel full of holes, each of us can find strength connected with each other.

weaving a listening community

Thu, 20/10/2011 - 06:48 — Barbara

It's been an exciting week! First, the news of permission to buy McRory's (received on my birthday, and whilst at a District missions meeting!). And now, news of a successful grant bid to buy the pop up yurt! Suddenly, after two years of hard slog, we are beginning to see some return for our hard work!

This week also marked an event at the University organised by our One Student. He went over to ask people 'How are you feeling?' and received a whole list of responses, as well as a load of contact details so that we can invite people over for a meal.

We met more of our neighbours, rejoiced at someone offering to be a local preacher, shared a lot of concern for an abused child and ....

and ...

well, that's why we are here, it's good to remember that!

friends because we're friends

Thu, 20/10/2011 - 06:40 — Barbara

We decided to get together with our neighbours for no other reason than that it would be neighbourly! A small gathering of women and children, a big pan load of curry, a basket of toys and a great chat .... that's the good neighbour thing

Permission to buy!

Thu, 20/10/2011 - 06:34 — Barbara

A big week this week, permission to buy McRory's!!!!

Fantastic and scary news! We went in to have another look around, and there is a massive amount of work to be done. But as somebody said to us, 'you don't jump a chasm in two short strides!'

So, here we go, a leap into the dark .... literally!