The Coracle Trust vision
The Coracle trust is a small charity based in Edinburgh, Scotland, that provides people with a context to learn and explore the meaning of Christian life in the everyday world navigating the various transitions of faith and life.
Seeking to support churches, we work ecumenically with small groups and individuals to offer a meeting place for studies, discussions, spiritual direction, informal teaching, training and social events.
The purpose and heart of Coracle is to provide a context, to create an environment in which people might deepen their understanding and experience of how God is present and at work in their lives and in the world, and how he might be calling them to live out their faithful response in the ordinary business of everyday life.
Whether this is with individuals through spiritual direction, in the various groups that we run, or with folk who are just asking questions about what faith in God may be about, the principle is the same: to offer a spiritually and physically hospitable place to explore, reflect, question, wonder and discuss in a way that enables the growth of meaningful relationship and community.
An extract from ASJ Tessimond’s poem Not Love Perhaps may best locate and describe our motivation:
A need, at times, to be together and talk,
And then the finding we can walk
More firmly through dark narrow places,
And meet more easily nightmare faces;
A need to reach out, sometimes, hand to hand,
And then find Earth less like an alien land…
A need for inns on roads, islands in seas,
Halts for discoveries to be shared,
Maps checked, notes compared;
Intentions
As an outworking of this core vision the Trust is committed to the following aspects of ministry:
- Community building: providing space to belong, to build relationships that can support, stretch, challenge and encourage.
- Resourcing: offering various activities in support of the work of local churches and for those with no formal church connection.
- Hospitality: opening our homes and our lives, sharing resources, home-cooked food and the spiritual hospitality of listening.
- Fostering action in the wider community: making our response to God concrete in the actions and choices we make about lifestyle, social, environmental and political issues.
- Spiritual companionship: recognising the value of and formation in travelling with others on the journey of faith.
As the work of the Trust has unfolded we have found ourselves on a threefold journey:
- The Journey Inwards of prayer, reflection and contemplation as we seek to deepen our relationship with God, and our understanding of ourselves.
- The Journey Outwards seeking to live out our faith in practical action and service at work, in the home, in churches, in the communities in which we live, and in the wider world.
- The Journey Together with others supporting each other as we make these first two journeys and sharing our individual journey in the wider story of the faith community.
These three journeys in various ways form much of the shape and content of Coracle activities and for some of the people involved this has been the basis of a Rule of Life or Pattern for Living.
4 strands of purpose
Specifically these are currently translated into four strands of purpose.
- Support the existing Coracle groups: Motherhood, God and Theology; The Two Halves of Life and Male spirituality groups
- Extend the offer of these groups ore widely
- Nurture reflective practice within and outwith existing groups through a spiritual direction practice, retreats and workshops (eg silence )
- Describe in the public domain (web site) the journey of faith through the life stages and their transitions using eg weekly emailed reflections and the posting of ‘pilgrim stories‘ - life observations and reflections from individuals in the groups
How did it all begin?
The Trust’s founders were Kenny and Bridget Macaulay. They are ordained ministers in the Scottish Episcopal Church. Setting up the Coracle Trust in 2001 was realising a dream they had for a number of years to offer a city-wide ministry particularly to people in the twenties to forties age range from across the theological and ecumenical spectrum.
They named the Trust ‘The Coracle Trust’ because they felt inspired by the image of the little boat as a symbol of faith.
Kenny and Bridget’s home became a base for the Trust as they offered hospitality to the various groups they founded. Initially working with young adults in the Tuesday Group they expanded the ministry to encompass other groups exploring many important life issues; Motherhood and God, Male Spirituality, Two Halves of Live, Wonder.Com. For the last few years this was their full time ministry.
In 2008 after a three month sabbatical God began to speak to Kenny and Bridget about a move to Cornwall. A long established dream to live there became a reality as they took up a post as warden at Epiphany House retreat centre in Truro.
The Coracle Trustees then had the task to decide whether the trusts work would continue or wind down with the founders moving on. Taking time to reflect the trustees agreed there was still space and a need for the work Kenny and Bridget had established.
Continuing the Vision
The trustees now employ Andrew and Kirsty Hook one day a week to facilitate and coordinate this ministry working with a core group of committed individuals.
Andrew and Kirsty are good friends of Kenny and Bridget, have been involved in a number of the groups, and connect deeply with the ethos of Coracle. They have a passion to see this work continue and expand. Both are members of Community Church Edinburgh and live in the Newington area where Coracle has thrived.
Contacting us
It’s still early days for the Trust but we have been enormously encouraged by the progress we’ve made to date, and are deeply grateful to everyone who has helped us to start realising this vision.
If you are interested in finding out more about our work and/or participating in the Trust, please do contact us. Many thanks for your interest in The Coracle Trust, and we hope you enjoy exploring this website.
