Here we are, more than half-way through October and I have passed the four week marker for being here at Winter Bible School. Whaaaaat??? In many ways, it has felt like I just got here two weeks ago. While it did not take me long to get over my jetlag, my sense of time still feels off. I have had two full weeks of being in quarantine and two full weeks out of quarantine. A lot has happened in both sets of weeks! The most shocking difference is seeing how my pictures now are not of the same sheep, trees, views from my window, and my meals, as you will notice - HA. Let’s get to the highlights of the past four weeks, shall we?
I started the book about Capernwray and Torchbearers back in Fort Worth, but I finished it by the end of quarantine. After World War II, Major Ian Thomas was in Velbert, Germany serving in the Army of Occupation and came across a magazine of large houses up for sale, one of which was the Capernwray estate. It was his dream to own a large house somewhere for young people to come and learn about the indwelling life of Christ. The book is titled “Go a Little Further” because Joan Thomas, the wife of Major Thomas, whispered that to her trusted friend at an auction here in Lancaster on September 11, 1946 when it was down to the last bid. Spoiler - the bid went to her. It tickled me to read this book and be on site where it all started, as well as learn how Torchbearers centers have sprouted all over the globe since 1946. To think of what could have been missed if she had not gone a little further. Only God knows what awaits us when we walk by faith.
The second week had us jumping into a lecture series called “Transforming Friendship,” taught by former Capernwray Principal, Rob Whittaker. We studied three encounters Jesus had with three very different individuals and how they were drastically transformed. I intend to share more about what I’m actually learning, but for the sake of recapping the last four weeks, that will be another entry! We covered Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus, showing how Jesus welcomes genuine questions, the Samaritan woman at the well, showing the witness of Jesus to broken hearts, and the lame man at the Pool of Bethesda, showing Jesus’ heart for the desperate.
Even in quarantine, Capernwray staff and volunteers hosted Zoom game nights, British trivia, and a “Cream Tea” demonstration, complete with individual boxes of scones, clotted cream and jam delivered to our doors. Who knew a controversy sweeping Great Britain is on how to layer your scone - clotted cream first, then jam? Or jam first, then clotted cream? Those from Devon would argue for clotted cream first, but those advocating the Cornwall way go with jam. I am 100% on team Devon. There are even controversies on how dark or light your tea should be when you add milk. You may get tossed out of a tea room for adding sweetener, too.
By the end of afternoon lectures that first Monday out of quarantine, nearly everyone in my red bubble took naps! It was another adjustment getting into the flow of school in-person.
Went into Carnforth, the nearest town with grocery stores, for the first time that Wednesday out of quarantine and stocked up on my grocery essentials: ketchup, peanut butter, cinnamon, and popcorn. I do not have to explain myself! They have a three-story used book store that I am excited to peruse through. Two days later after our morning work duties (deep cleaning five bedrooms and bathrooms), a group of us walked along the canal into Carnforth, which is a 3.7 mile walk. It felt good to walk beyond the quarantine loop!
Last Friday night we had a photo scavenger hunt around the castle grounds. My group got the award for most enthusiastic entry and two honorable mentions…
Last weekend the red bubble had a day-trip into the LAKE DISTRICT to a lake town called Keswick (they do not pronounce the /w/ sound). I was going to be disappointed if I was not able to get up to the Lake District, one of England’s National Parks in the county of Cumbria. It is stunning and is the area where Beatrix Potter wrote about the mischievous Peter Rabbit. The weather could not have been better. We walked around Derwentwater Lake and found a trail that took us to lookout over Keswick and the lake.
This past week’s lecture series was on the book of Hebrews, almost verse by verse. They paired it perfectly with our individual Old Testament readings, as last week we were reading in Exodus and are now reading Leviticus. Comparing how in the old covenant God showed Himself and addressed the Israelites in Exodus 19 on Mount Sinai through fire and smoke, leaving the people trembling with fear with now the new covenant Jesus established and Hebrews 12:18-29, it truly is a beautiful thing to read, “… to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.”
Last Saturday night, two students from the Shetlands (small island north of Scotland) and Northern Ireland went to Aldi and brought back with them all the quintessential British sweets they thought we should try. I knew I liked peppermint Aero, and now Jaffa Cakes.
Late last week, Lancashire county, where Capernwray is, became one of the Covid-19 hotspots for the U.K. and is under the strictest of lockdowns. Our day excursions to Chester and York this coming week have been cancelled. We were originally supposed to go to Edinburgh. At present, we are only permitted to travel within Lancashire. Unfortunately, Liverpool, Manchester, and other major cities are just outside of Lancashire. It is a week-by-week thing, and we are praying for the area, all those impacted, and that restrictions will be lifted soon. Yesterday, the red bubble was allowed to go into Lancaster, about 15-20 minutes southwest of Capernwray and enjoyed the beautiful weather as we did some shopping downtown. My little group ventured off to the Lancaster Castle, which dates back to the times of the Romans. Most notably, the Lancashire witch trials of 1612 were held there and it served as a prison from the mid-17th century until 2011. I had to laugh when I realized I was wearing a black and white striped shirt.
I tried archery for the second time in my life this past Tuesday. I joked before I left that one of my goals was to become proficient in archery. Maybe Tuesday was a fluke, but I may be well on my way sooner than I expected. I shot four out of five balloons for my team, people! I made it to the final shoot-out round of our last game, which I lost by a point. I think I have a meeting this Tuesday during my bubble’s archery time, otherwise I would be back there to see if I just discovered a new hobby.
I finally got my ministry placement for the next five months. I will be serving with the college ministry at Lancaster University. Back to weekly Zoom meetings for me! Out of all the various partnerships and ministry opportunities we were offered, this one peaked my immediate interest. For now, I know we will meet Wednesday evenings and I might be leading a small group. I am so looking forward with building some relationships with people outside of Capernwray.
While the daylight is quickly getting shorter up here at 54 degrees north latitude, the days and evenings are long… in the best of ways. Truly grateful for the four weeks here so far!
“Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen,” (Hebrews 13:20-21).
Till next time,
Jessica
