A Typical Day
We begin our day with Morning Prayers at 8.00am for half an hour each morning, Monday to Saturday. Then we begin work around the house, the Beacon or the estate at 9am. At 10.30 am we have a break (ironically called ‘Elevensies’!) shared with our guests and work again until lunch at 1.00 pm. We pray again at 2.00pm, returning to work until 4.00 pm when we share afternoon tea with our guests. Then it’s back to work until 5.00. At 6.30 pm we serve our guests dinner and sit to eat with them. We also participate in evening entertainment (such as quizzes, concerts, films) laid on for our guests. There is a commitment that we will spend at least two of our evenings joining in with our guests – followed by hot chocolate at 9.00pm and a ‘Night Prayer’ reflection in the Chapel to end the day.
Prayers and Worship
Every day we meet in the morning and after lunch to pray for guests, Community, local workers and members of the Movement, and read the Bible. On Sunday mornings, at 10.00-11.30am, we have our weekly Community Holy Communion service. On Wednesdays we meet together in a Community Meeting after lunch where anyone can share information that is relevant to everyone on Community, and then in small groups in the evening for informal Bible study, socials and other activities.
Work Life
As Community members we have either a specific responsibility or work on a team (such as Kitchen, Bookings, House, Estate, Youth and Beacon). We also help to host our guests and support one another.
Community areas and activities
The Community lounge, TV lounge and kitchen become focal points for the social life of Community, particularly in the evenings after the end of the guest programme. Community members often organise their own group activities too: walks, a trip to the tiny Lynton cinema, to our own beach or perhaps the beach at Woolacombe, and shopping trips, barbecues, worship times … you name it. We also have parties to celebrate special birthdays, those leaving Community, Christmas and the beginning and end of Summer.
