Gilly Withers, our inspirational speaker for November 23, will engage us on the subject of “Community” – wherein “We learn to let our neighbour be, just as we learn to let God be. Not to manipulate our neighbour, but rather to reverence him, to reverence his importance, the wonder of his being. In other words, to love him” (John Main, Word into Silence).
Perhaps Gilly’s life journey has much to do with her choice of topic. She has moved through Africa, from Cape Town to Zimbabwe, as long-standing resident in both places, then on to the United Kingdom where she is now settled with her husband, Charles.
Gilly was born in Cape Town, South Africa. There she qualified as a senior school teacher. She was a teacher of Classics for 45 years. She has been a practising Christian from childhood. As a young adult she did youth work for an interdenominational evangelical organization. In 1973 she moved to Zimbabwe where she became deeply involved in the Catholic Charismatic movement. She moved to the UK in1985 but maintained her links with Zimbabwe through a charity she set up that supported the work of a rural Christian hospital in the north-west of the country. She chaired this charity until four years ago. Currently, she is deeply engaged with WCCM and is a member of the UK Oblate Council.
Mark Ball shares his experience with Christian Meditation while Mary Durkan (UK, Oblate) and Trudy de Louise (Australia) as prayer leaders will help build the sacred space of Benedict’s Well.