Those engaging monks with their telly series The Monastery are certainly winning hearts and minds. Pam Lunn tells us 'One of the outcomes has been a huge number of hits on the Worth Abbey website and retreats there are filling up fast, with people asking for guidance. As a result, the abbot has started a 'finding sanctuary' movement/network (www.findingsanctuary.org)'

One intriguing snippet from that network announces – 'a network of city churches throughout Britain will be opening their doors for times of quiet, with guidance for meditation. More soon.'

Pam asks if any of our Meeting houses are involved? Eye suspects there might be a spin-off in this for Quakers. Silence seekers might discover we are the original quietists. Christopher Jamison, the Worth Abbot, acknowledges such in his book Finding Sanctuary: monastic steps for everyday life. We are, he says, the denomination that knows about silence. Incidentally, The Friend will carry a review of the book soon.