Quaker Ministries in Northern Ireland - Part 5 "Moyallon Centre" . . .

"And Ruth the Moabitess said unto Naomi,

Let me now go to the field,

and glean ears of corn after him

In whose sight I shall find grace.

And she said unto her, Go, my daughter."

Ruth 2:2  KJV




Moyallon Centre

During the second week of the Pilgrimage we stayed at Moyallon Centre, in the Armagh countryside, near Portadown, in Northern Ireland. Moyallon was our base for the week for sleeping, breakfast and some of our evening meals - including two evenings when we hosted 'shared meals' with some of our Ulster Friends, relaxing and personal and group reflection.


View of our 'neighbors' from
my bedroom window

The building itself is relatively new having just opened in April of 2006. It's an absolutely lovely, modern 'purpose-built' facility and yet at the same time it is very simplistic in many ways. This centre is perfect for retreats or residential meetings as well as camp. The first floor has the office, restrooms, a lobby area, meeting room, dining room and kitchen. Upstairs there are lovely four and six bedded ensuite rooms which accommodate up to 62 guests.



Lobby area

The lobby area was a place for us to gather, first thing in the morning, after breakfast before we took off for the day, when we returned from our day trips and after dinner. That is where we would sit and connect to the wifi - to check emails, Facebook and other sites. In other words, the place where we could 'keep-in-touch' with family and F/friends back home and with some of our Irish Friends. I sat here each morning and evening working on my blog posts, I admit a bit longer and later than I should have too many nights, but it was quiet and there was a lovely view of the flower bed just outside the doors.


Hanging out in the kitchen

There is a nice sized, fully equipped, kitchen - where we had plenty of room for all six of us to gather to cook together and clean-up after meals. Amazing how Friends seem to spend so much time gathered together in kitchens cooking and in conversation together - one of the ties that binds us together.
 

The dining room was also a good sized with plenty of room for us to entertain our visiting Friends. The tables and chairs in the dining room, we were told, came from the restaurant that Richhill Friends Charles G & Emma Lamb had. We had heard about their restaurant and I enjoyed hearing that's where these furnishings had come from - glad to see that they had been able to re-purpose these items.





Dinner with some of
our Ulster Friends

We invited local Ulster Friends to join us two evenings, while we were there, for 'shared meals.' We didn't know who was going to show up, so this was always a pleasant surprise to see who came to share with us. As is typical of pitch-ins at my local Meeting, we were not lacking for something to eat at either of these and we had an odd but good assortment of foods, typical of our Monthly Meeting Meals, and we all managed to find  more than enough to eat. Tuesday evening seven Friends, from six different Meetings and Thursday evening eleven Friends, from five different Meetings, came to Moyallon and joined us for food and fellowship. What a wonderful blessing these gatherings were for each of us.


Two of our Ulster Friends

I enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about our Irish Friends, the Meetings they represented and also a bit about some of them individually. Friends in Ireland have a long and interesting history. In return, they also learned a bit more about each of us, our Meetings and the journey we were on. Some of our Irish Friends asked us some pretty tough questions, making me really think and dig deep for answers. We had some individual conversations around the table but also got into some larger group conversations as well. I certainly enjoyed the good food and the fellowship we shared.

 

My bed

We were the only guests that week, and we each had our own room (with 3 bunk beds) and bathroom. This was nice as I know I was able to spread out a bit and I wasn't rushed getting up and ready in the morning and I didn't disturb anyone when I'd come up late to go to bed. It was nice to have my windows open all day and night for the fresh air. I found it interesting that there were no screens on the windows, not just at Moyallon, but anywhere we went. I almost expected to walk into my room or get awakened at night by something flying around my room - but that never happened. 



Wallhanging
in the stairway

Hanging on the wall in the stairway is a lovely wallhanging. When we were over walking through the Moyallon Meetinghouse we were told the story behind this wallhanging - the significance of the fern and window in the center and the red 'bricks' along the border. There is the scripture quote at the top "Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10. And a quote from George Fox across the bottom "There is one even Christ Jesus that can speak to thy condition." I found it interesting that these two pieces were together on this one wallhanging. The scripture quote was used recently as the theme for USFWI (United Society of Friends Women International) and the quote is one from George Fox that I hear often.


Path in the woods

I think that what I enjoyed the most about Moyallon Centre was the peace and quiet I found there. The Centre sits way back off the road, back behind the Moyallon Meeting House. There are fields on two sides and a cemetery on the other. Often one or more of us would venture outside and walk around the grounds, often with a camera in our hands. I often found myself sitting in quiet reflection, walking around outside, sitting in the lobby or my room. It was so easy to just get lost in my thoughts and tune everything and everyone else out. While at Moyallon, in the quietness I found time to write and publish five posts to my blog.

I included the words to the Moyallon Camp grace in one of my previous posts, but feeling I should post them here again. The words just seem to keep growing on me, the more I read them. I'm still looking for the tune. This grace has been sung before each meal at every camp since 1934 . . . I love that sort of history:

 

'He giveth heavenly measure

Pressed down and running o're.

O what a priceless treasure,

Glory for evermore!

He supplies my every need,

He supplies my every need.

I do believe and His love receive.

He supplies my every need.'

 

Moyallon Centre certainly is very warm and inviting and I enjoyed the time I had there to sit and reflect back on where I had been and what I had done. I remember one of the local Friends, who works with Moyallon, telling us that they actually have more non-Quaker groups using the facilities than Quaker groups - which makes this such a wonderful ministry. What a blessing Moyallon Centre is . . . not just to the Irish Friends but also to visiting Friends, like our group, and their community!



Sunset at Moyallon Centre