Scotland: Craig Lodge becomes a virtual House of Prayer

As the lockdown continues to impact on all our lives, Craig Lodge retreat centre in Argyle has seized the opportunity to become a virtual House of Prayer.

"Being a community in lockdown has its advantages as you can draw on a wide variety of gifts but I think the Holy Spirit has all of us on a steep learning curve right now!" explained Craig Lodge Manager, Ruth Black.

Normally by this point in the year the community would have welcomed around 600 people into Craig Lodge for retreats. Families would have come to spend spiritually refreshing weekends and young people would have taken part in events to nurture and celebrate their faith. Community members would have been doing everything from the shopping, cooking, and bed-making to leading prayer, sharing testimonies and giving teachings. Lockdown has changed everything.

"I think there was a day of feeling utterly shocked when reality hit and we realised we had to cancel our events and close the doors of Craig Lodge. That was really hard. But then we just got totally convicted to grab all the grace going in this strange season"

They realised their fundamental calling to prayer, service and evangelisation had not changed. But the way they went about that certainly has. Blessed to have several talented worship leaders among their lockdown community it seemed clear that sharing praise and worship sessions was going to become something unique they could offer. Through live streaming, and drawing in all those listening in from their homes, their idea is to create one big worshipping community.

The community also share their daily Rosary and Morning and Evening Prayer. And, conscious of the families who are missing out on their Craig Lodge visits, they are making little rosary films for families who want to pray with their children.

Used to praying with guests for healing the Community has also begun offering telephone prayer ministry something that is already proving very popular.

It probably wouldn't be anyone's first location choice for setting up as an online House of Prayer. Craig Lodge is surrounded by Argyll hills, at the end of a narrow lane and has a terrible internet connection. But, a kilometre of cabling later, with more webcams, with community members pooling their phone data and with some guest rooms pressed into service for recording and video editing, the transformation is well underway. Thousands of people from all around the world are now joining the community as they praise and worship.

Craig Lodge Family House of Prayer, Dalmally, Argyll, PA33 1AR
T: 01838 200216 E: mail@craiglodge.org

Visit Craig Lodge here: www.craiglodge.org/