Welcome to the Community Website

A Brief Introduction

The Community of Aidan and Hilda is a dispersed, ecumenical body drawing inspiration from the lives of the Celtic saints. The Open Gate, on Lindisfarne is our main house and offers accommodation for members and visitors. We provide a programme of retreats and events on Holy Island, around the UK, and internationally.

You can download details of all retreats for 2010 here

 

While, Holy Island provides our main base there are regional groups around the UK, which have their own programme of events. Click the flags near the top of this page to access to our international pages, which include contact details to overseas groups.

The Community works together to nurture a holistic Christian spirituality for today that can benefit both traditional and ermerging churches. We provide a wide range of resources such as books, cards, CDs, crafts, and even an extensive e-learning package. The Community is organised by the Caim Council and headed by a Guardian, currently Ray Simpson, whose web log you can access from the link near the top right of this page. Membership has a variety of forms:

• Friends
• Explorers
• Voyagers

You do not, however, need to be a member to enjoy the facilities and resources we offer. Most retreats and meetings are open to all christians and those wanting to find out about the Christian faith. Through this website you can find out more about the community and explore the possibility of joining with us.

If you are new to the story of the Celtic church that survived in Britain following the collapse of the Roman Empire, downloading the Celtic Timeline (PowerPoint file) should provide you with a brief chronology of events. There are also a number of introductory books available on the subject, which explore the relevance of the Celtic church to our lives today.

Inspiring Daily Readings

In his book "Celtic Daily Light" Ray Simpson provides us with daily meditations for each day of the year. You can read them online here or by clicking the link below. You can also join in the Community's daily prayer by clicking the links beneath the Pray with Us section below.

Pray with Us

Stay close to God! Join in with the Community's daily prayer rhythm, using the links below:

• Morning
• Midday
• Evening
• Night

Ray Simpson's Latest Books

You can download information and booking forms for Ray Simpson's latest books below:

• A Guide for Soul Friends - the art of the spiritual companion
• High Street Monasteries

Lindisfarne Retreat Appeal

The Guardian, Ray Simpson, has moved into a more suitable house on Lindisfarne, but the Community of Aidan and Hilda still needs money to pay off mortgage debt. The Community Secretary has now moved into Ray's old cottage 'Lindisfarne Retreat', helping to provide a much better servie to our mission on the island. If you feel moved to help pay off remaining debts, you can download full details here.

Please make sure you address your envelopes to CA&H, Lindisfarne Retreat, HolyIsland, Berwick-upon-Tweed TD15 2SD. This is important because it is unhelpful to our Holy Island Development Trust neighbours who run the Lindisfarne Centre if they get our mail. We are quite separate organisations!

Giving to the Community of Aidan and Hilda

The Community's regular income comes from subscriptions, sales of books, CDs and crafts, and accommodation provided by the Open Gate and Shalom. While this might keep us ticking over, we do need donations if we are to engage in any projects or expand our mission. The Lindisfarne Retreat Appeal is such an example.

You can make a donation through PayPal here.