What is Ashburnham?
Someone asked me what I’ll do this summer
and I said I’ll go to Ashburnham. They said ‘what’s that? What do you do
there?’ And I said Ashburnham? Well...
We travel 500 miles from ‘oop north’ to the
most southern place in the country
(someone explain that to me)
Two years apart makes for a beautiful
reunion
Even if it was the journey from hell
Just make sure you forgive everyone before
communion
On arrival day check the names of attendees
Check your mates are here and then
‘Up to your room if you please’
Tent Hill House is still standing
I share a room with my brothers, I
shouldn’t complain, don’t be demanding
After a fabulous meal blessed by, an
aggressive Ashburnham grace
Into the Great Hall we go and let the
facade drop, honesty takes its place
Let out the tears and let out the laughter
Commiseration and celebration, then hot
chocolates after
Stay up all night with deep and meaningfuls
round every corner
With the Hydes and the Gees and maybe a
Horner
So we stay up too late and wake up too
early
Ready to be blasted in the face with Good
Morning Ashburnham
Seminars galore
All you could think up
Stuff to make you feel raw
Or just a space to chat during which you
can drink up
And lets talk about that -
Ashburnham’s drinking problem
Tea and coffee at every opportunity
Isn’t that awesome!
What do we do at Ashburnham?
We get a bit ferocious on the volleyball
court
And frankly I sit there feeling all fraught
Watching my wonderful Dad miss the ball,
miss the ball
Everyone wants him in their team cus they
know he’s tall
They don’t know he’s as hopeless as someone
three foot small
All the parents run the Ash Dash and a
couple get hurt
Looking crushed as they’re beaten by a teen
who’s had a growth spurt
Being anywhere near the Rileys you’re aware
of how slow you are
I probably couldn’t beat them even in a car
So I just keep on praying for those with
Ash Dash injuries
I don’t need to be fast, God thinks I’m the
bees’ knees
What do we do at Ashbunrham?
We paint away our cares and our sorrows and
our woes
As we’re offered some more tea and cake… I
think I will have one of those
We talk with strangers we’ve never met
before
With great openness and vulnerability
It leaves you wanting more
After all, this is a thin place and we’re
thin place people
You want the impact of Ashburnham to
continue like a ripple
This place is so special and precious you
see
You want to take it and share it with
everyone you meet
We talk out our sorrows and sing out our
praise
Processing our joys and grief all day
This is a place of ‘both, and’
No polarisation here, you can stand
On the fence or in your camp
There is room for your questions here
It’s not ‘in the club’ got the t-shirt, got
the stamp
No, we all get to play
And we love the grey
And if you’ll let Him
Our gracious God, He will show you the way
To live life completely in the shadow of
His wings
Not trusting in our careers or in man made
things
But leaning into Him
And letting him take care of us
Living life in good community
Trusting how good and fair He is
What do we do at Ashburnham?
We talk talk talk
And walk walk walk
Around that beautiful lake
Before tucking into some more tea and cake
Volley with the best of them
(And with the worst)
And all the while connecting with God and
nursing a thirst
This time not for tea or coffee but for Him
And after all our wandering we’re being
gathered back in
We can come and eat and laugh and cry
If you’re arty or sport or loud or shy
Bring your bikes and your kids
Lose each 50 times a day
Watch all the little ones whiz
Past on their way down to the lake
Which, by the way, is pretty but slimey man
‘Silt?’ Apprently so, and you come out all
grimey man
What do we do at Ashbunrham?
Catch up and dive deep
With people who’s names you’ve forgotten
You could play sports every minute
Or just blob and do nutin
After all, no need for clean up or cooking
Just squeeze some more conversation or
perhaps book in
While the campers try to convince you
life’s better down there
I don’t believe you, you look cold and
tired and have grass in your hair
What do you do at Ashbunrham?
Get woken up by geese honking in the
morning
But it’s worth it when you get up and see
the day dawning
As the campers pretend they’re enjoying
their frostbite
Which they got trying to get to the toilet
in the dead of night
Broad Yorkshire accents make you feel nice
and safe
As we ready ourselves for the tea and cake
our new addictions are making us crave
Wilsons laugh and Hawksworths smile
Flowers lead and Kingstons show style
While a Riley outside breaks into a canter
All over the grounds there is bonding and
banter
Fear Nigel at ping pong
Can’t beat Ash Bunch for a sing song
Music and merriment flows all around
The grounds
As we learn, grow, talk, shift and love all
around
Trees take your breath away
Morning mist makes you praise
Starlit skies make your draw drop
While we soak in this bubble between
Saturdays
What do you do at Ashburnham?
In short, we walk, we talk, we wander, we
praise, mourn, laugh cry, sing, run, become free, share wine and bread
unleavened...
We have a lovely cup of tea and a little
slice of Heaven