Day Six: County Down
Wednesday 6 May
The annual VOX magazine Finding Faith Tour looks very different this year. Instead of a 7-day road trip around the island, this year VOX editor Ruth Garvey-Williams brings you highlights from all 32 counties (one per day plus one for each of the 31 days in May). Contact Ruth if you have a story to share.
Day Five: A place to be still
One of the highlights of previous Finding Faith Tours has been the opportunity to visit Christian resource and retreat centres across the island. This year, I “visited” Murlough House in Dundrum near Newcastle, Co. Down by chatting with Keiron and Tricia Forbes and via their beautiful virtual tour (see below).
I’m no stranger to this historic property set on a National Trust nature reserve - we had a team weekend away here about 10 years ago - but now, under Keiron and Tricia’s leadership, the centre has been updated with new bathrooms and central heating (and the dorm rooms have disappeared!).
“It has been very much a journey,” Tricia said. “The vision has been developing step-by-step. We are sensing that we need to become more of a retreat, being here for people who are tired and weary or in need of some sort, although we are not sure what that will look like.”
At weekends the centre is still available for church groups, meetings and small conferences but mid-week the focus has become more on providing a peaceful place for people to come and encounter God.
“Be still and know that I am God.””
“We got involved rather reluctantly and I’ve still been working away at the day job,” admits Keiron, who is a businessman. “Slowly but surely it has taken over our lives. We have loved seeing how God has provided and how the place has been a blessing to those who come.”
