Changing of the
Guardians
At the end of March it will be all change at Pilsdon as Viv
and Tim retire, and Joss Walker is welcomed as the new Guardian.
“It must have been back in March 2015, when we were
contemplating applying to Pilsdon, that we said to each other “come on, how
about one more little adventure before we actually retire!”
Well it has certainly proved to be that. There is so much we
have enjoyed and wrestled with and so many new experiences we have faced and so
much we have learned. Did we ever in our
lives expect to be delivering pigs to the abattoir, welcoming such a diverse
range of people to share community life with us, enjoying such a harvest from
earth worked by community hands? Well
these are just the outer fringes of all that Pilsdon life has been. Add into the mix the daily prayers, the
spiritual and practical journey it has been with fellow Members, volunteers,
Trustees and wider Pilsdon supporters and we come out of it much enriched and
with much to reflect on. So, a big
thanks to all who have been alongside us through our time and we pray God’s
continued provision and blessing on Pilsdon at Malling.
It is with mixed feelings we move on but we are assured that
the time is right. We look forward to
the new adventure that ‘retirement’ will be.
We especially look forward to being closer to our family and being free
to spend time with them and to discovering whatever else God has in store for
us. Pilsdon will always be in our hearts
and in our prayers.
With much love
Viv and Tim Ashworth”
“I love the focus of the Pilsdon community and did
wonder about becoming a community member some years ago, but other life
opportunities opened up at that time. St Mary's Abbey and its grounds have long
been sacred space for me and I have often wandered past the community or looked
over to see what is growing in the vegetable gardens. I can’t imagine a greater
privilege than being able to share in that life on a daily basis. I welcome the
idea of living more closely to the earth and within the rhythm of the seasons
and enjoy sharing my life and faith with others, so the opportunity to be the
guardian of the community seems like a real gift.
Joss Walker”
