Forming Disciples in Community

The School of the Beloved

“They shall be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, for the display of his splendour” Isaiah 61v3

Some seasons of life bring questions faster than answers.

What am I going to do? Where am I going? Who am I becoming? What is God asking of me?

The School of the Beloved begins somewhere deeper. Before asking what you will do with your life, we want to make room to discover who you are.

At the heart of Christian formation is learning to receive our life as beloved children of the Father, in Christ. From there, your sense of vocation and contribution in the world can begin to grow like branches from a deeply rooted tree.

At a glance, The School of the Beloved is for young adults (18-30s) who want to deepen their life with Jesus through prayer, shared life and formative practices.

You can come to Greenwood for several days, a few weeks or a longer season.

Life here is shaped by prayer, Scripture, silence, theological study, spiritual direction, shared meals, practical work on Greenwood’s seventy acres and time studying this beautiful highland landscape.

Accommodation is Darach Mòr, cost can be covered in exchange for work on the land. Individuals, two or three friends, or a church student group are welcome to enquire.

Young adults climbing Ben Hiant

Learning to Behold

Contemplation is learning to behold the God who beholds you. Jesus lived in deep attentiveness to his Father. He did nothing on his own, and again and again withdrew to solitary places to pray. His public life flowed from this hidden communion with the Father: proclaiming and embodying the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.

At Greenwood we make space to be with Jesus before trying to do things for Jesus. Through prayer, silence, Scripture, and theological study, we learn to listen more deeply, receive his love, and notice where God is already at work in us and around us. As we learn to behold him, our lives are gradually drawn into his.

A Place to Become Rooted

Set among ancient woodland, running streams and lochside views, Greenwood offers space to slow down and begin to pay attention. Here you can learn to pray and be drawn more deeply into the life God has for you in his beloved Son, Jesus. His Holy Spirit is with you every step of the way.

Silence and quiet have become rare in our busy, online world. So much competes for our attention that we can easily lose touch with what is stirring within us. Perhaps we even welcome the distraction because silence brings us face to face with what is stirring within. Beneath it all may lie a deeper question: could God really love the real me?

Learning how to be in silence and solitude can become an important part of life with Jesus. These are places where we begin to hear the voice of our Father, quieting us with his love, reminding us who we are in his beloved Son, and rooting our lives more deeply in his grace upon grace.

  • "I think the greatest gift I received through the School was a renewed understanding of my belovedness. I was daily confronted by God's love for me in the Scriptures, through the teaching, prayer, and eucharist."

  • "My imagination was ignited with the possibilities of how God desires to meet us in the here and now through His Living Word, Living Power, and Living Church."

  • "Time and time again, I returned to the posture of walking with Jesus or sitting at his feet or laying upon his breast. These postures as seen in Scripture are not simply telling of my desire to draw close to God, but of his desire to draw close to me. He loves me and calls me into heavenly participation with him."

  • "I’m not being hyperbolic when I say that the Seer School provided some of the best discipleship I've received."

  • "I had several encounters with the Lord during the school that have transformed how I view my identity and my calling as a creative. I would highly recommend this school to anyone who desires to behold God and to understand more of what it means for God to behold you."

Where Two or Three Are Gathered: A School of Life with Jesus

team gathered around for a community meal

We use the word “school” in an ancient Christian sense: a place where a way of life is learned.

We cultivate a love of Scripture and theology in which prayer and study belong together, each deepening the other. What we come to know of God shapes how we pray and worship, while a life of worship awakens an ever greater desire to know and enjoy him.

The aim is more than knowing facts about God. We want what we learn to draw us more deeply into his love and grace, forming the character of Christ within us.

And this learning takes shape around the whole of life. It happens in books and conversation, in prayer and worship, in shared meals and friendship, and in the ordinary work of caring for the land and one another.

Within that life together, questions about calling, relationships, work and the future can begin to be held differently: within a growing trust in the Lord who is with us and who is patiently forming Christ in us through the ordinary circumstances of our lives.

Begin a Conversation

If something on this page awakens a desire to spend time at Greenwood, we would love to hear from you.

You may already have a clear sense of what you are looking for, or you may simply feel drawn to make some space for God and see what emerges.

Tell us a little about yourself, where you are in life, and what you hope a season at Greenwood might hold.

From there, we can begin a conversation and discern together what might be a good fit.

You do not need to have everything worked out before you get in touch.

Get In Touch

A Glimpse of Life at Greenwood

This short film, made by a previous team, offers a glimpse of the prayer, friendship, beauty and shared life that shape a season at Greenwood