The Community Network

The Community network embraces men, women and children from all walks of life who have differing levels of commitment:

Friends

Friends are people who wish to support the Community but do not feel able at this time to follow our Way of Life. They are people who have a genuine interest in Celtic spirituality and who wish to encourage the Community by their prayers and support. Friends receive the Community magazine and are welcome to join public events and retreats organised by the Community.

A person can become a Friend of the Community by sending the respective form to the office with a subscription to the quarterly magazine.

Explorers

Explorers are people who are prayerfully exploring whether the Community and its Way of Life is an appropriate place for them to be. Explorers test their vocation by living the Community Way of Life with the help of a Soul Friend. Explorers are encouraged to join in Community activities whenever possible, and to engage in a period of spiritual formation.

Voyagers

After at least two years of living the Way of Life as an Explorer you may prayerfully apply to become a Member, a complete commitment to the Community's Way of Life by taking the First Voyage of the Coracle (first vows). Further information for Explorers wanting to become Voyagers is found in the Community Handbook.

Soul Friends

The term Soul Friend reflects the ancient Irish term for Spiritual Guide or Mentor, Anamchara. Each member is responsible for selecting their own soul friend who must be approved by the Community. Community soul friends range from a friend of an Explorer who is a mature Christian and good listener for whom this is a new ministry, to a trained spiritual director or ordained confessor.

The Guardian

The Guardian safeguards the spirit and ethos of the world-wide community and its dispersed members, and is its spiritual leader. The present Guardian is Rev. Ray Simpson who lives on Lindisfarne.

Community Households

Community households or Cells are dedicated to applying the Way of Life as a household. More information about becoming a Community House can be found in the Handbook.

Affiliated and Link Churches

Affiliated Churches are churches who as a body adopt the Community's values and resources. Link Churches maintain informal links. More information about this can be found in the Handbook.

Regional Groups

Regional groups with regional guardians are developing and meeting throughout the UK and in some other countries. If you would like to know of the nearest group to you please contact the Office.

Retreat House

This is 'The Open Gate' on Lindisfarne, which acts as 'Mother House' of the Community. It is run by Graham & Ruth Booth and Carol Few. The Community Office is based here, and Midday Prayer and Night Prayer are said here every weekday at 12 noon and 9pm respectively. There are three guest rooms for individuals who come for retreat, spiritual guidance or study. There is an organised retreat programme running throughout the year. The Open Gate is linked to Ray Simpson's nearby cottage, Lindisfarne Retreat which houses a Celtic Study Library. A fuller community presence may evolve on the Island.

The Community Magazine ('The Aidan Way')

This is published in February, May, August and November each year by Editor in Chief, Ray Simpson & Production Manager, Helen Maguire. It contains news of Community events, news, poems or letters from members; articles, letters, reviews and information about resources which throw light on the Way of Life, and a prayer diary organised by Geoffrey Mitchell. Members' news, prayer requests or other contributions should be sent to the Office.

The Website

The website has information about retreats, resources and on-going feedback. This is where you are at this moment: www.aidanandhilda.org

Support Framework

Caim Council

The Caim Council consists of the three Guardians: Rev Simon Reed, (Chair of the Caim Council) and Rev Graham Booth (Chair of Trustees and responsible for Community activities on Holy Island) and Penny Warren (Members Guardian); Vice Chair of Trustees (currently Manfred Jahn); the Community Secretary (currently Carol Few); plus others (currently Charlotte Lobb, Sally Steen and Geoff Holt). The wider Caim Council, which meets by e-mail includes the USA, Norwegian, African and Australian Guardians.

Accountability

The Guardian, Caim Council and Trustees give account to the Community Soul Friend who is a person in senior oversight of a major church stream, for example, a Bishop.

Finance

The Community needs income to maintain its office, publish the magazine and information leaflets, organise events, as well as to contribute to its ministries at Lindisfarne and elsewhere.The Community directly funds:

1. the magazine
2. costs of office and part-time secretaries
3. the cost of the Guardian's travel to Community functions

Its accounts are available from the Treasurer, Charlotte Lobb, at the Community Office.

Ray Simpson is supported by individual donors who may give through UKET. Contact the community office for more details.

Lindisfarne Trust (registered charity No. 1092445) receives donations for the Community's ministry. Please make gifts payable to 'Lindisfarne Trust' and send them to the Community office.

Cheques, covenants and Gift Aid donations for any of the above may be made out to 'The Community of Aidan and Hilda' and sent to the Community Office (CA&H, Lindisfarne Retreat, Marygate, Holy Island, Berwick-upon-Tweed, TD15 2SD), remembering to mark the earmarked purpose on the rear of the cheque; the Community will then pass on these amounts.

Legacies should be made to The Community of Aidan and Hilda or to The Lindisfarne Trust with a covering letter, if desired, stating any particular project or person it should be allocated to.

Those who wish to make standing orders through their bank should contact the community office for the appropriate form or download it by clicking here. If you pay income or capital gains tax we can recover tax paid if you complete a gift aid form (available from the community office). Those who give single donations from which we can re-claim tax should also complete a gift aid form.

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Updated 15-01-2011