A REFUGE OF PRAYER

Help us to make the Hermitage self-supporting!

 

At Mid-Pentecost 2022, we celebrated the first Liturgy at Bryngwyn – an old farm-workers cottage on a tiny smallholding, in West Wales – where we hope to build up a small refuge of prayer, inspired by the ancient Tradition of the Orthodox Church. A little earlier that month, just after receiving the keys, Father Matthew had blessed the place, which we dedicated to all the Saints of God, of all times and places.

 

As an Orthodox Christian priest’s couple we had received the special blessing to serve in the monastic context, ever since Father Matthew’s Ordination. Thus, on our return to the British Isles, we very much wished to continue that way of life – as well as, somehow, sharing with others the joyous Treasure of the Orthodox Tradition (be it in person, and/or by means of writings and publications).

 

Initially, we would have continued serving a monastery, as we had done all those years, but then a series of unexpected changes resulted in a different opportunity: Simply to continue the Liturgy where we live, arranging our daily life around that, like a semi-monastic hermitage.

 

In order to make such a way of life possible, we envisioned a kind of smallholding – where we could set up alternative amenities (including active and passive solar solutions), grow our own firewood, and at least part of our own food (using non-dig methods, as being suitable for limited strength, as well as ecologically sound) – thus diminishing our running costs and enabling us to live on very little, whilst creating a place of prayer and silence in the quiet of the countryside.

 

Such remote smallholdings used to be unwanted and therefore cheap, and we had good hopes that we might manage such a project, despite our limited strength and means (since we could not count on any stipend in these regions). However, the sudden rise in house prices (especially for places with some land) meant that suddenly we could hardly afford just to buy a place.

 

Hesitating if we should continue on this path, we were amazed at the enthusiasm and generosity with which even people formerly unknown to us greeted the idea – encouraging us to find the necessary funds for renovation, alternative arrangements, tree-planting etc, by means of crowdfunding. Strange though it seemed to go online with a hidden hermitage, necessity made us realise that, given the situation, this would be the only way – if we really wished to make this work, both for ourselves, as well as for potential guests and possibly future inhabitants besides us.

 

Nevertheless, it will be quite an undertaking – as just the basic renovation of the old cottage, built around 1880, was estimated to require up to 150,000 pounds (possibly more, depending on the prices of building materials). In addition, it would be an enormous help if we could acquire some extra acres, which would ensure at least some basic income, as well as protect the privacy of the place, and provide us with additional coppice (to warm more than just the two of us in winter). And that still leaves the planting of trees, bushes and perennials for food and firewood, and the necessary care of outbuildings, hedges and fences – like furnishing the land, as well as house and chapel. We hope to do a lot ourselves, possibly with voluntary help, but a number of works will inevitably require hiring professionals.

 

Thankfully, all donations via this page will be made available almost as soon as they come in, and thus every few thousand will make another part of the project possible.

 

The exact order of works will depend on the available funds, but elements of the project include:

 

God-willing, we will use this page for updates concerning the project.

 

God bless the good givers and their loved ones!

 

In ICXC,

* Fr. Matthew & Anke