See I am doing a new thing…

Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up;
do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness
and streams in the wasteland.
Isaiah 43: 18-9
What a couple of years! A journey that none of us will have wanted to be a part of, but one that has impacted everyone! Although we will not see the back of COVID-19 and the turmoil it has brought, there is a future…and a bright one!

The verse above, was given to me in recent weeks and it spoke immediately of the journey that St Katharine’s, Parmoor has been on these last few years. I arrived here on the 1st February 2019 and it has certainly not been the 3 years we were expecting it to be. However, we have got through and we are looking forward to the coming year and beyond as we develop and grow as He leads.

Importantly, this is a verse for each and everyone one of us and I trust and pray that as you read it, you receive the peace and knowledge that ‘…it’s going to be alright!’

 

Whilst we have come so far in the last 3 years, we can dwell and rejoice on that but we want to look forward and all that we hope to achieve. So what does the next few months have in store for St Katharine’s, Parmoor?

Please click on the following links for more details.

We have put together (and are adding to) a programme of Retreats, Quiet Days and some other events.

Holy Week Quiet Days/Retreat, 2 music retreats with Marilyn Baker Ministries and then Dave & Pat Bilbrough. And the year ends with an Advent Retreat and Quiet Day.

Can we encourage you to pop on to our Social Media platforms by click the following links;
Facebook        Twitter          Instagram
Please look out for our ‘Monday Musings’ on Facebook and Instagram. Members of the Sue Ryder Prayer Fellowship provide these and give some food for thought at the start of your week.

 

We continue to provide space – both for the day and residentially – for;

  • individuals
  • prayer/friendship/parish groups
  • leadership teams
  • and other groupings

Please visit our website to see, or call us to talk through, what we are able to offer.

Other News…
We are constantly looking to see where we can improve who we are and what we offer. Here are some things we are working through already…

Chaplaincy Team – a team of people who will provide a spiritual input to the life of the House. Being available to regularly pray for the House and provide Spiritual Direction for any guests seeking such input. We are just working through the process and more details will be available in the next Newsletter.

Open Day – Saturday 16th July – after the success of last year’s event, we are in the early stages of planning for this year. There will be opportunity to look around the house, hear some of it’s history. We will have another array of craft stalls to peruse and Marlow Town band will once again provide some music.
Importantly, we will also be marking the 10th Anniversary of the Lady Ryder Memorial Garden and celebrating the great work that is done there.

Refurbishments – we are in the early stages of looking at the feasibility of;

         – installing a lift in the main house which will improve accessibility for many;
– converting one of the bedrooms on the first floor to an ‘all-access’ room;
– providing some more ensuite bedrooms.

These refurbishments will clearly not be cheap and we are looking at putting together a fundraising project for this specific work. More details will be available in due course

In recent weeks we have been able to welcome some wonderful volunteers/part-time staff, who are all settling in well. We do continue to look for people to assist in the work that we are carrying out here.

If through these last months, you have, or know of someone who has been reconsidering the journey going forward, we are able to offer opportunities for a change of direction. If this attracts or gives reason to think further, please get in touch. We are open to part-time, live-in, short or longer term opportunities.

Share

Thank you so much for everything that you and your team did for our family yesterday. Everything went so smoothly and everyone said what a wonderful venue St Katharine's was both in terms of food and venue. Your team were absolutely outstanding and made the day very easy for us.

CM - Feb 2020

Thank you for a wonderful stay. It was perfect. The memorial garden is wonderful and so good to have time to sit and appreciate the atmosphere.

Rosemary

Just wanted to thank you for the lovely day we spent on Saturday. I felt very welcome, the food was delicious and the grounds were so peaceful. It was really good to get away from the hustle and bustle for a few hours. Please convey my thanks to all who were involved. May God bless you all

J.K. London 2022

Stunning house and gardens both are beautifully cared for. Staff were wonderful and vegan food was delicious. Thank you for a wonderful day.

Melissa - Sept 2022

Just a short note of thanks for my wonderful day at St. Katherine's yesterday. It was such a fruitful and blessed time with God. Please pass on my thanks for the warmth of the welcome. I look forward to booking another day with you in the future and will be in touch then.

Sheila - April 2022

I just wanted to say thank you to you and your staff for a wonderful retreat weekend. Everything was just lovely - the location, the accommodation and the food. It was a truly refreshing time and having everything arranged so perfectly meant that there were no distractions to relaxing and hearing from God

Rachel - April 2022

Just wanted to thank you for the lovely day we spent on Saturday. I felt very welcome, the food was delicious and the grounds were so peaceful. It was really good to get away from the hustle and bustle for a few hours.

Jenny - March 2022

Many thanks to all those who made our retreat such a success. Peaceful surroundings with ideal facilities and great hospitality made for a memorable time.

VW - Nov 22

We had a marvellous time last week. The house is so clean and tidy and beautifully supportive of quiet yet productive prayer. It is a credit to you all.

LD - Nov 22

I was with you today for the Deanery Retreat Day and it was so lovely to be there, and we were so well looked after – thank you so much!

JD - Nov 22

It was a WONDERFUL venue and we very much enjoyed meeting you, and were blessed by the amazing hospitality by you and your team. Thank you so much.

DH - Dec 2022

Please pass on my thanks and appreciation for my two day stay last week. The meals were all great and my stay was a real help to me and I hope to be coming back again in the next few months.

TP - Feb 2023

Thanks for letting us use St Katherine's this last couple of days. We had a lovely time and were very well looked after. The ladies really loved being there and felt very much that they had got away from the stresses of everyday life.

RM - March 2023

Thank you for a super day on Saturday. There has only been positive feedback from everyone. We were well looked after by your catering team. The Prayer Room worked well - and the sun came out in the afternoon, so the team up top also doing marvellous work.

LW - March 2023

A huge thanks for a WONDERFUL time at our men's weekend away.

SB - March 2023

We had a wonderful day in so many ways. Loved the food and the setting, the sense of space and peace there is so tangible.

SW - May 2023