Our Minister

 Rev Carrie Seaton gives an overview of her recent Sabbatical 

First of all – a thank you on behalf of myself and all the members and friends of Lonsdale, to those who took on extra responsibilities whilst I was on Sabbatical. Below, I give a brief outline of what I did with the three months, and will write in further detail in forthcoming magazines.

The study side of it was researching my family history on my father's side - to put 'flesh on the bones' of firstly Alice Gostick who was a great Influance on Henry Moore as his Art Teacher; to try and find theologlcal writings of any of the five Methodist Ministers (3 of whom were missionaries In India) and finally to research the descendants of Sir John Gostwlcke of Willington, Beds, one time treasurer to Henry Vlllth. I began in Leeds with our son, to research Alice in Castleford On the trail of the ministers, I visited Kingswood School , The Wesley Study Centre at Oxford Brookes and the School for Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), part of London University . Tewkesbury Library had Internet facilities for accessing census records so I made use of those. I worked as a volunteer at a Retreat House in Devon for Holy Weak and Easter, and 'retreated' at another, in Dorset for two weeks.

For travel experience, I went to Krakow for a few days, spending an Informative and emotional day in the Jewish Quarter.

On the visits away from home I fitted in as many art exhibitions as possible, including those at Tate Britain and Tate Modern, in London .

Also, whilst In other places on a Sunday, I took the opportunity to worship In various city centre churches, including Cathedral, Charismatic Evangelical, Methodist and Salvation Army, and the Roman Catholic Church in Tewkesbury . Whilst we were on holiday in Ireland , I attended the Church of Ireland Eucharist in the Galtee Mountains .

At home I managed to catch up on some cleaning, gardening and 'de cluttering' and in creative mood, made 12 'Carrie Bags' (a previous occupation) for friends.