Thin Place #3

Ponderings from Peacemakers

Driving into Peacemakers you enter a space of peace, a thin place, bathed in decades of prayer. Your body automatically takes a deep relaxing breath, knowing you have arrived in a safe place. Our hope is you will experience these ponderings in a similar safe, relaxing way as we share our news living in community as kaitiaki of this whenua.

In September we (Susannah, Andrew, Shannon and Joshua) journeyed to the Monastery of the Holy Transfiguration, a Baptist monastery near Melbourne.
We had a fabulous time, experiencing generous hospitality, deep rest and affirmation, fun and laughter, prayer and reflection. Thank you to the brothers and sisters, pictured above, who cared so well for us over our 10 days in their home.At the entrance of the monastery, these are the words you read:
Welcome
To all who believe and all who do not
Welcome
to all who believe in another way and those who
cannot believe anymore
May you find ease and peace in your visit today.

We certainly found ease and peace which created space to relax, have fun, simply be with each other and continue to contemplate the next season of Peacemakers.

Contemplation Corner

Nature Prayer

This short video encourages us to engage with nature with all of our senses.
Nature created by and infused with the Spirit of God.

As Psalm 104 says:
O Lord, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.
There is the sea, great and wide;
creeping things innumerable are there,
living things both small and great…

These all look to you
to give them their food in due season;
when you give to them, they gather it up;
when you open your hand, they are filled with good things…

May the glory of the Lord endure forever;
may the Lord rejoice in his works—
who looks on the earth and it trembles,
who touches the mountains and they smoke.
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have being.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
for I rejoice in the Lord.

Pause and contemplate with the Dawn Chorus

A wonderful book by Victoria Loorz that explores the cathedral of nature and how we meet with God there.

Are you curious about what we have been doing this year and keen to celebrate with us? Come to our…

AGM Wednesday November 5th, 6:30pm

Dinner provided.
Please RSVP by November 3rd

The Retreat House

While we were away in August the retreat house was quiet with one family celebration. In September Shannon facilitated a grief retreat, a group of young adults from Arocha came for three days and students from Mt Hobson school enjoyed two nights with us.

We continue to get a variety of groups who come and enjoy the property. We have church groups host their alpha weekend, intentional communities come for respite and discernment times, families come for reunions and retreats happen for fun, rest, and reflection. Individuals come for respite and some have had customised retreats facilitated by Shannon.

If you would like to book please contact Shannon.

There continues to be plenty of availability during the week days and we have only one weekend free before the end of the year, Dec 19-21.
During summer we are closed from December 22 until January 4th.

We already have bookings for 2026, so if you would like to visit next year get in touch soon.

Susannah and Shannon also offer Spiritual Direction from their offices on the property.

Saturday November 8th, 9:30-2:30

We are hosting a reflective day with Arocha from 9:30 – 2:30 and then having a bonfire in the early evening. You are welcome to come to both events and have a trip to the hotpools between, hang out in the retreat house, walk the labyrinth or enjoy the bush walk. Please RSVP.

Bonfire night November 8th, 5:30-8:30

Bring some dinner to share around the fire,
marshmallows to toast and a guitar for some singing.

Trust News

Peacemakers has a Trust that oversees the work and health of the community and the property. Thank you to our wonderful volunteer trustees who give their time and wisdom so freely. We continue to discern together what the next season looks like at Peacemakers, especially after our time at the Monastery which has been a community since the 1980’s. It was wonderful to be with like minded friends who have been on the journey and have learnt many lessons.