At Anstruther: Peter, Dorothy, God And Prozac

Twice a year I spend 36 hours with the Community soul friends, Peter and Dorothy Neilson at their private retreat home by the delightful Scottish coastal town of Anstruther. Peter was the Church of Scotland’s National Advisor in Mission and Renewal. We talked about the Way of Life in relation to the church. He said ‘If you have the inner disciplines, sustained by the support of others who share them, you require the minimum of external regulation to support you. Organisation then becomes the supporting, not the controlling factor. Our churches have the opposite. We require ever more external regulation (pastoral measures etc), because of possessiveness and conflict, which is less effective. We have to unlearn Christendom ways and do what Aidan did – respond to requests to “come and walk among us”’.

Dorothy knows a lot about depression and the enneagram. People love her retreats on these topics. She also does Facebook, and gently goaded me into Face-booking up to my responsibilities in that medium. Her first book is about to be published. Here are the details:

Me, God and Prozac: Tools for tough times by Dorothy Jane Neilson £7.95

There is an ancient and unending love in the universe that is willing to see us through the toughest of times and bring us to a wholeness that is unimaginable when we are immersed in the struggle of living. That is the ultimate message of this book.

It is the story of one woman’s struggle to find normality and happiness while fighting the demons of the past. It is the story of God’s work in Dorothy, allowing her both the sadness and privilege of wading through the marshlands of depression in order to find a way not just to keep from sinking, but to live on the higher ground where she can feel secure and happy.

Published 1st March 2014 Pre-order your copy now from www.gileadbooks

I get back and the phone rings. A Christian is involved in the only Transition eco-town still proving viable in UK - Bicester. He has my book 'High Street Monasteries' before him. There is the chance of a large old property being made available. What might be needed to make this work?

I tell of the Celtic model of a church as a heart, a home and a hub. Such a property, lived in by those who live a rhythm of prayer, work, mentoring and creation-care might enable this 3-H vision to be earthed in that area. We agree to keep in touch and to pray...