Upcoming events at the House of the Open Door Community
The Community hosts many events throughout the year, using some of the facilities in our Retreat Centre; we list those coming up in a calendar below.
Our Tithe Barn is sometimes reserved for guest groups but is at other times is an ideal event space for meetings or conferences hosted by the community such as our Friday night Fellowship meetings, or those visiting for discipleship. Smaller meetings such as craft retreats take place in our Craft Studio.
If you are visiting for one of the events it may be possible for us to cater for you in our Dining Room; during your visit you are welcome to spend any spare time in our Retreat Centre Gardens.
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“My Kingdom is not from this world” (John 18 verse 36)
A day of reflection and prayer, considering what it means to be in the world but not of the world, living as ambassadors from a far country.
Join us as we seek the Lord together, in a day’s guided retreat led during Lent by Lynda Watson.
In between the times together, there will be time to pray and reflect in our beautiful Chapel and peaceful Retreat Centre Gardens.
We suggest a donation for the day of £20, including refreshments.
Please bring your own packed lunch.
To book a place, please contact us by phone or email.
Lynda Watson
This is a Lent retreat day in which we’ll reflect on some of the ways in which we can be ‘alive to God’ in our daily lives.
‘Consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus’ (Romans 6.11)
said St Paul, and again
‘God made you alive together with Christ’ (Colossians 2.13).
Led by Andy Swinford, we’ll use scripture, creation, words and music to explore some refreshing takes on this ‘aliveness’.
There will be time set aside during the day for prayer, contemplation, and wandering in the beautiful grounds of The House of the Open Door.
Join us as we seek the Lord together.
We suggest a donation for the day of £20, including refreshments.
Please bring your own packed lunch.
To book a place, please contact us by phone or email.
Andy lives in Birmingham and is a former teacher of English.
He delivers multimedia presentations and on-line classes about the two friends C S Lewis and Tolkien, and is the author of ‘The Practice of Joy: insights from the stories of C S Lewis’ (Grove Books) and a contributor to ‘The Christian Tradition in English Literature’ (Zondervan).
Since retiring from teaching, enjoying the countryside and beekeeping are among his chief joys. He is a long-standing friend of The House of the Open Door, and has spoken before at our Friday Night Fellowship Meetings.
Andy Swinford
This is a springtime retreat day set during the season of Easter in which we’ll reflect on themes of resurrection and new life, particularly as we enjoy them in the natural world around us.
For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies:
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our joyful hymn of praise.
Led by Andy Swinford, we’ll use scripture, creation, words and music to help us enjoy and celebrate the twin theme of creation and resurrection.
There will be time set aside during the day for prayer, contemplation, and wandering in the beautiful grounds of The House of the Open Door.
Join us as we seek the Lord together.
We suggest a donation for the day of £20, including refreshments.
Please bring your own packed lunch.
To book a place, please contact us by phone or email.
Andy lives Swinford in Birmingham and is a former teacher of English.
He delivers multimedia presentations and on-line classes about the two friends C S Lewis and Tolkien, and is the author of ‘The Practice of Joy: insights from the stories of C S Lewis’ (Grove Books) and a contributor to ‘The Christian Tradition in English Literature’ (Zondervan).
Since retiring from teaching, enjoying the countryside and beekeeping are among his chief joys. He is a long-standing friend of The House of the Open Door, and has spoken before at our Friday Night Fellowship Meetings.
Andy Swinford
Poster: For the Beauty of the Earth
The Summer term of our Discipleship Course 2025 runs from 19th May – 21st July.
In 2025 the Discipleship Course runs from March to December in three terms, and includes our summer conference, Gateway:
- Spring Term – Saturday 1st March – Sunday 20th April
- Summer Term – Monday 19th May – Monday 21st July
- Autumn Term – Monday 6 October – Friday 12 December
The summer term is followed by the Gateway Summer Youth Conference 2025 (Monday 21st July – Sunday 3rd August 2025).
For more details see Discipleship Course 2025
The Gateway Summer Youth Conference at HOD takes place from Monday 21st July – Sunday 3rd August 2025, as part of the wider Discipleship Course running from March to December 2025 in three terms.
The theme of the conference is “A Future full of Hope”.
Jeremiah 29:1111 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
For more details see Gateway Summer Youth Conference 2025
The Autumn term of our Discipleship Course 2025 runs from Monday 6 October – Friday 12 December.
In 2025 the Discipleship Course runs from March to December in three terms, and includes our summer conference, Gateway:
- Spring Term – Saturday 1st March – Sunday 20th April
- Summer Term – Monday 19th May – Monday 21st July
- Autumn Term – Monday 6 October – Friday 12 December
The summer term is followed by the Gateway Summer Youth Conference 2025 (Monday 21st July – Sunday 3rd August 2025).
For more details see Discipleship Course 2025
