Here it is - the beginning of week TEN at Capernwray! I probably would not choose to count out each week of my life; it’s just how we organize our lectures and activities here. But on the other hand, life at Bible school in a country that is on lockdown (for the second time this year) ultimately is lived out week to week. It is week TEN of still being open and fully operational. Praise! Our day-to-day life here at the stately manor of Capernwray Hall has not been disrupted, unlike the rest of the country, since the month-long lockdown started November 5th. It is week TEN of students, staff and voluntary workers remaining healthy. It is week TEN of more Bible school, small group discussion, personal reflection, and community prayer. It is week TEN of exploring this beautiful place until the sun goes down at 3:58 pm. And it is week TEN to learn new card games, which happens often after our evening lectures.
Since I last posted an update, Lancashire county was in a Tier 3 lockdown and we were not allowed to leave the county. Our ‘travel weekend’ for the 4th weekend of October became a stay-cation with a day-trip to a seaside town called Lytham St. Annes and a hexathlon in our sports hall. Not everyone from my bubble went to Lytham St. Annes. Doing a quick Google search on it probably would not get your attention, unless you are a golfer and the weather is sunny. But for those of us that did go, we made the best out of it and I am so glad I went!
We immediately went to the beach and couldn’t find the water. HA! The tide only came in once during the daytime and even after four hours of exploring the town, then circling back here, there was no sign of it.
The obligatory jumping picture is kind of a joke around here, and one of the girls managed to get a great shot. The weather is notorious for one moment being cloudy, the next minute pouring rain, followed by a rainbow, bright sunshine, mist, and repeat. After the beach, we walked to the ‘charity’ shops or thrift stores. I have been on the hunt for some tea cups and saucers. Never would I have imagined to find not one, but three tea cups featuring Her Majesty THE QUEEN commemorating her silver jubilee, 60th birthday, and golden jubilee. My group enjoyed some tea at the Black Sheep Tea Room, which had just opened up in August. It was a really nice spot and we got to chat with the owner for a bit. Then we got word of a second-hand bookstore and I stumbled upon this gem from 1935 called The King’s Service, which is about King George V on his silver jubilee. That is the great thing about second-hand stores of all kinds - there is no telling what you can find and man, do I like the thrill of the hunt. After that we walked around downtown, through one of their parks, and back to the beach and the sand dunes.
It has been fascinating to hear how people have heard about Capernwray. For some, their siblings or parents attended either this location, or another in Europe. Others did a Google search for “Bible school” and Capernwray popped up. Those that had family members as students here were told of the whereabouts of ‘The Ruins.’ There is no historical marker and you have to hop a fence to get to it, but I think now there are only a handful of students left that have not had the delight of spending their afternoon at ‘The Ruins.’ It just feels like a British thing to do! Speaking of which… periodically, we are given access to the top of the castle tower. The afternoon that my bubble got to go up was clear and sunny. We could even see the bay to the west. Every view was spectacular. I admit, some scenes from “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” came to mind - no cows were catapulted, though! This was over Halloween weekend. We knew pretty much by then the following week we would enter the second lockdown. On Wednesdays we could sign up to take the van into Carnforth for about an hour and a half, which generally involved going to one of their grocery stores for snacks, peanut butter, and almond milk, and browsing through their second-hand bookstore. I have not driven a vehicle in two months and I miss that freedom and privilege! I do look forward to getting back to Carnforth, though. The Wednesday before lockdown, I was in the middle of finding some vintage postcards and books when one of the girls fetched me - I had completely lost track of time and the van had been waiting to leave. I know I was probably one of the last people in that bookshop, so I am sure I can find those postcards where I left them.
Overall, the month of November will have had the most writing assignments due for the term. They have taken up my evenings week after week (I thought I had left the days of footnotes and bibliographies behind), but this week has had some time open up. I will be sending another update of what we have been learning and what this month has been like in lockdown.
I’ll leave you with the parting words of Joshua… but before that, I ask you to consider the life Joshua lived. He experienced the Exodus out of Egypt, parting of the Red Sea, was a young aide to Moses (Exodus 33:11), witnessed Moses bring down God’s Law (not once, but twice), ate the daily manna and quail God provided in the desert for 40 years, explored Canaan, drank water from a rock, led the Israelites across the Jordan River into the promised land, watched Jericho fall, and conquered and divided God’s promised land to His people. He certainly saw and experienced a lot for one lifetime. So you would expect Joshua to have a lot to say in his farewell speech to his leaders! “Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed” (Joshua 23:14 NIV). In month 11 of one of the most insane years you and I have likely experienced and witnessed, let us be reminded that even when we daily fall short of the glory of God and things we once felt were stable and reliable begin to crumble under the weight of reality, it is Yahweh Himself that remains our steadfast promise maker and promise keeper.
In Christ -
Jessica