It was really lovely to welcome the Well Chapels first American visitors / guests / worshippers on the weekend of the 8/9th March 2008. They join the steadily growing number of souls from abroad who feel drawn here thus far from Sweden, India and Ireland and later this year we are looking forward to welcoming more souls from the U.S.A, Slovenia, Scotland, The Netherlands and South Africa.

Alyssa Claire Magdalena Stebbing arrived with her daughter Esther and husband the Revd Colin Stebbing to receive the Ancient Minor Orders up to and including The Order of Deacon - Seven in all - The Perfect Number - reminding us of that Great Insight of the Russian Orthodox Saint Seraphim of Sarov that:

"The aim of The Christian Life is the acquisition of The Holy Spirit"

Alyssa (on the right in the photograph and Esther on the left) is, as her robe indicates, Chaplain of The Order of Ecumenical Franciscans in America which means that her outlook and outreach - her Light and her Life are as broad and as deep as the Ocean of Infinite Love. She is simply and truly humble, in other words 'God-Focussed' and as the Wise Mystical saying of all sayings goes: "Sees God in All things and All things in God."

With Integrity she and her husband helped to put together The Services of The Major Orders of Sub-Deacon and Deacon which included The Beauty Way - a traditional Navajo Prayer and here it is for us all to reflect on, pray through and enjoy:

Dark young pine, at the centre of the earth
Originating
I have made your sacrifice.
Whiteshell, turquoise, abalone beautiful,
Jet beautiful, fool's gold beautiful, blue pollen Beautiful,
Reed pollen, pollen beautiful, your sacrifice I have made.
This day your child I have become, I say.
Watch over me.
Hold your hand before me in protection
Stand guard for me, speak in defence of me.
As I speak for you, speak for me.
As you speak for me, so I speak for you.
May it be beautiful before me,
May it be beautiful behind me,
May it be beautiful below me,
May it be beautiful above me,
May it be beautiful all around me.
I am restored in beauty.
I am restored in beauty.
I am restored in beauty.
I am restored in beauty.

Let us hope she chooses to include it again when she returns here to recieve Ordination to the Priesthood on Saturday August the 9th 2008 at 10.30am during a Service of The Holy Eucharist and to which you are all most warmly invited with a buffet afterwards.

Also from America, and this time from the hand of Emmet Fox, I would like to share with you his Insights into the nature of Absolute Love.....

Love
Or Let Go and Let God

There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer;
No disease that enough love will not heal;
No door that enough love will not open;
No gulf that enough love will not bridge;
No wall that enough love will not throw down;
No sin that enough love will not redeem...
It makes no difference how deeply seated may be the trouble,
How hopeless the outlook,
How muddled the tangle,
How great the mistake -
A sufficient realisation of love will dissolve it all...
If only we could love enough, we would be the happiest and most powerful beings in the world.