Our Way of Life in Christ
Abide.
At the centre of it all is our union with Jesus. Everything flows from him. He invites us to participate in the glory of heaven to see the earth transformed. In Jesus, everything can and will be made new.
Love.
Our life here on earth is an apprenticeship where we learn to contemplate the beauty of God in the face of Jesus Christ, in the Scriptures and the Sacraments by the help of the Holy Spirit. We become like the One we behold. We learn to love others as God loves us.
What is The Way of the Beloved?
Jesus is the Way, and he is the Beloved. In him, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are invited to share in his life with the Father. This is the heart of The Way of the Beloved: learning to live in that communion, becoming like the One we behold, and sharing his love with the world.
Send.
In the security of the Father’s love, we are invited to join One who is already on a mission. In the power of the Holy Spirit, we enter the ready-made works prepared for us to demonstrate the Good News of Jesus to others.
How the vision began
When Howard was twenty-one, he spent a night in the home of the Rev. Kenneth and Mary McDonald in Lochcarron. Kenny had come to faith during the Lewis Revival. As he spoke of Jesus, Howard saw a beauty and joy in his face that would stay with him for decades: the radiance of a life lived in communion with God.
Over the breakfast table the following morning, Kenny prayed a blessing over him. Howard looks back on that encounter as the beginning of the vision now taking shape at Greenwood. It awakened a longing to know God deeply and to make room for others to encounter his power and presence. If you wish, you can read more about that meeting here.
Over the years, that longing has become a shared calling for Howard and Charlotte: to know God and help others grow in communion with him. This journey draws us deeper into the life of the Church, into a love for the word of God, the grace of the sacraments, and the presence and gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Knowing God draws us into a relationship that asks for our whole lives. We learn to listen, to surrender, and to let him reshape even our most cherished plans. The Way of the Beloved is the name we give to this unfolding life with Christ, and you are warmly invited to share in it.
Meet the Trustees
Rev Howard Espie
Howard is an Anglican priest, spiritual director and founder of The Way of the Beloved. At the heart of his ministry is a desire to help people become attentive to the presence of Jesus and to grow more deeply into the life they have received from him, secure in the love of their heavenly Father, and in the grace and gifts of the Holy Spirit.
He began ordained ministry in the Church of Scotland before serving within an Anglican church-planting work in Canada, where he also founded a leadership development consultancy. Over time, these strands of ministry came together around spiritual direction, retreat ministry and the formation of Christian leaders.
For more than twenty years, Howard has carried a vision for a place where prayer, creativity, hospitality and discipleship belong together. That vision is now coming to life at Greenwood in the western highlands of Scotland.
Dr Charlotte Espie
Charlotte is a trustee of The Way of the Beloved, spiritual director and director trainer. She lives on-site with her husband, Howard, at Greenwood with their two young boys.
Before founding Greenwood, Charlotte worked as a doctor for 11 years in both Scotland and Canada. She specialised in General Practice and has always been interested in the interwoven nature of physical, psychological and spiritual health. Developing skills in spiritual direction, healing prayer and prophetic ministry, she has always enjoyed ministering alongside Howard.
She loves to accompany people in spiritual direction and host at Greenwood, whilst also being thoroughly content as a Mum. When time and weather allow, she can be found walking in the hills or wild swimming.
Rev Malcolm Jefferson
Malcolm is a trustee of the Way of the Beloved. He is married to Hannah, and they have two lovely older children. He enjoys running, biking, being outdoors and laughing! He has been the minister of St. Andrews Leckie and Lyne and Manor since 2012. Malcolm loves Jesus and helping people discover him.
Dr Jane Gallacher
Jane is a trustee of The Way of The Beloved and spiritual director. She and her husband Kevin live near Stirling and are active members of the Callander Christian Fellowship.
Jane is passionate about Bible teaching, women’s ministry and prayer. She enjoys facilitating Quiet Retreat Days and participating in contemplative, reflective approaches to prayer. Jane works as a part-time GP in Stirling with particular interests in women’s health, palliative care and psychological well-being. She enjoys reading, journaling, walking and paddle boarding.
Frances Oxburgh
Frances is treasurer and a trustee of The Way of the Beloved. She is an accountant who worked for many years with third sector organisations in both the accountancy profession and in various management roles. Now happily retired, she lives in Stirling with Graham and in close proximity to their three grown up sons. Frances’s home church is Cornton Baptist, a lively and growing fellowship in Stirling, which seeks to support the congregation and surrounding community.