Thanks

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD. Proverbs 16:33

We'd filled out all the forms, consulted the experts, attached the required reports, but we knew in the end that the result was with God alone. 

Praise, praise be to God.

In His providence, the Huon Council has given us development approval to go ahead with our plans for the complex of buildings that comprise Pilgrim Hill.

In fact, the Councillors not only approved it, they voted unanimously to do so!

I'm not sure I can overstate the importance of this step, which means we now have the permission of Australia's southernmost local government body to pursue our plans for a hostel and artist's residency on the beautiful 25 acres that God in His graciousness created and has given us to tend.

Four years ago, we committed to pray regularly for favour with local government and for wisdom in successfully navigating the complex application process. We are humbled and awed that we've been answered so kindly.

Good news

Back in March, we let people know of our first definite need for funds: $30,000 to get the plans for the Pilgrim Hill complex finished and submitted to our local council for approval. 

In April, we decided to use our frequent flyer points to visit the Baehr family in the US before Baby Baehr number 3 makes her presence known too largely (she's due in September).

To be honest, we were feeling a bit discouraged about the fact that up to that point, we'd been given only a very small amount towards our appeal, but we were certain of this: God knows our needs better than we do, and He supplies them in His timing, not ours.

While in the US, we were very blessed by the generosity of Dr. Ted & Lili Baehr (aka Peirce's parents), who asked us to address their church fellowship and some invited guests at their home. 

Happy snap of Peirce preaching

Peirce preached from Acts with some insights on Philip the Evangelist (who had 4 daughters - we're getting close!). Later, he explained the vision of Pilgrim Hill and answered questions. I spoke a bit about the spiritual/worldview climate in Southern Tasmania and also played some of my Tasmanian music on a rented harp.

But what exactly is the good news? God graciously moved these precious Christians in California to donate the full $30,000.

We are awed, stunned and blessed.

If you're a Christian, it's hard to read the words "good news" without thinking of the gospel - the Euangelion (in Greek). Here are two little episodes of God's goodness in opening people's ears to that other much better good news.

• A couple at one of our Support Dinners brought an elderly relative. The discussion question we used to open the evening was about how only in Christianity can we find a solid basis for caring about the oppressed and marginalised. We found out later that this lady was not a believer and in fact was very hostile to Christianity. However, afterwards she told her family how surprised she was by what Peirce explained about the position of different worldviews/religions towards caring for the marginalised and that she "couldn't stop thinking about what he said." Please pray that this precious lady's heart will be drawn to the God who made all people in His image.
• Peirce was invited to address a group of thinkers in LA with our so-called 'altruistic project'. Also on the bill were a young couple who were Objectivists, presenting the philosophy of Ayn Rand, who rejected altruism and proclaimed selfishness as the ultimate good. God enabled Peirce to have a very cordial discussion with them, during which they admitted major flaws in Rand's system. They ended by volunteering that they would be interested in looking more deeply into Christianity. Please pray that this young man and woman are increasingly disillusioned by the false self-god of Objectivism and won to the loving lordship of Jesus Christ.

We were not endorsing this or any soft drink at our Pilgrim Hill presentation at the US Baehr home.

A Taste of Pilgrim Hill

new season apples brought by one of our dinner guests

Pilgrim Hill Support Dinners are small gatherings designed to give friends of Pilgrim Hill a chance to ask questions about the vision, mission, design, history and progress of Pilgrim Hill and to give an opportunity for support, whether through prayer, volunteering, communications or donations. A simple, joyful meal is accompanied by prayer and good conversation celebrating the richness of Christ's lordship over all of life.

Harp music aids digestion - incidentally that is a baby in my tummy.

This is the description I give as I write, email or call people to invite them to come to our home and to glimpse - or taste? - Pilgrim Hill with us for one evening.


Twice a month, Peirce and I do that extra bit of clean up, set the table with one of our white (white = bleachable!) tablecloths, and tell the girls that friends are coming to talk with us about Pilgrim Hill. 

Eve loves to help

God has seen fit to give us a work that we actually enjoy. We really, really love inviting people into our home - people we know and people we don't know. There will be - and have been - things that are hard about the work He gives us, but this part is a joy. 


A joy that involves lots of cooking, setting up an extra table, listening and responding to questions both easy and difficult, telling our very sociable 3-year-old Eve not to interrupt but to wait for her turn, and mountains of dirty dishes in the kitchen at the end.


(Oh, and learning that people who have an allergy to shellfish can't eat Thai Fish Sauce. It shouldn't have been that hard, right?. Except for the brand called, counterintuitively, "Squid". Now you know.)

We took this the next day because it was too dark during dinner!

If you can picture yourself at our table, if you have an interest in Pilgrim Hill, if you have a concern about Pilgrim Hill (and yes - even if you have an allergy to shellfish), we'd love to invite you, on a certain Monday or Friday evening this month or the next (or the next, and so on), to sit with us, eat with us, and "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34:8).



Maybe I'll even send you home with a song.

Note that Eve has decided to add to the evening's entertainment by a ballet performance in costume. 

Designing Pilgrim Hill

Finding the designers for the Pilgrim Hill buildings has been a journey that went right around the world.

First of all, we fell in love with this graceful building by 1+2 Architecture, profiled in a coffee table book found in a Los Angeles bookshop.

...only to discover that it was on Bruny Island, just a ferry-ride away from Pilgrim Hill!

At the time we were praying that we would find an architect who would be willing to do some designing for us 'pro-bono'. We found our answer in the wonderful Craig Handy, a Canadian who had put his career on hold for theological studies at Regent College, Vancouver, and was intrigued by our vision for PH. He gave us invaluable help in crystallizing our vision for life at PH and drawing up an inspiring set of conceptual designs which helped us and others to understand the scope of the project.

At the conclusion of a visit to Tasmania, Craig felt it was time for the project to transition into the hands of someone with local know-how, given the complexity of the site. Meanwhile, we had met architect Michael Verdouw (it's Hobart, so of course we had about a million friends in common) - none other than the "1" of 1+2 Architecture!

After several meetings (and a lot of prayer), this team of award-winning architects -indisputably one of Tasmania's finest - offered to design the entire complex "on spec". (This is huge: they are willing to work unpaid until we can raise enough funds to both build and pay them.)

We're so thankful to God for this partnership, and for 1+2's enthusiasm for PH.

Prayer points:

1. For openness, integrity and understanding in all of our dealings with the architects.
2. For designs that reflect the glory of the first Designer.
3. For a smooth road to Council approval. (Are you laughing yet?!)