The Continuing Story

• Library of Avalon becomes base to collect information for possible Directory of Services.
• Begin compiling database of Glaston network
• Publication and distribution of first edition of ‘Pilgrims Perspective’ booklet
• Begin planning first gathering

• Small meeting with interested town councillors
• Decision not to publish a directory but to strengthen and support existing websites and databases in town.
• First Gathering at Abbey House, (see previous page). A well attended successful evening.
• First meeting re: websites in town.
• Looking at possible venues for Pilgrim Centre.
• Performing arts and venues activity and links.
• Second printing of booklet.
• Helping ‘World Heritage’ site for Glastonbury get started.
• Meetings with representatives of St. Johns Church and members of Glastonbury Development Trust.
• First ‘Pilgrims Reception Centre’ meeting.

• Second Gathering at Abbey House with the Peace Flame. Again well attended with smaller themed group discussions.
• Third printing of booklet – revised 2006 edition.
• Glaston Group article in ‘Oracle’. The first of a regular series of news updates.
• Begin to address need for a long-term vision for Glastonbury in series of meetings.
• Out of the website meetings comes ‘Search Glastonbury’ which is launched at Town Hall in June.
• Third Gathering ‘Visions’ held at Abbey House.

• Pilgrim Reception Group, now established as an autonomous association, sets up its own website @ www.glastonbury-pilgrim.co.uk and launches the Glastonbury Therapists Forum. Please Email for further information.
• Search Glastonbury new search engine is online www.SearchGlastonbury.co.uk
• Because of marked increase in academic interest in areas of spirituality outside established religion in Glastonbury we invited Dr. Marion Bowman to speak at our fourth Gathering at St. Mary’s Hall in April. We have made available a DVD of Marion Bowman’s talk.
• We are currently looking at the possibility of arranging a series of smaller more intimate meetings with active groups in the Glastonbury area

2008

• Tuesday 26th February - Glaston Group Meeting at Abbey House

“Encouraging Developments in Glastonbury”

The Glaston Group hosted a gathering to hear about some new and interesting developments in the town. We heard 4 eloquent, illustrated 10 minute presentations on 4 very different subjects.
Marion Bowman, Senior Lecturer in Religious Studies, The Open University, followed up her 2007 talk about the Spiritual Economy of Glastonbury, by presenting a quick overview of the statistics gathered from her survey of a range of businesses in town, including the fact that 88% of respondents felt that Glastonbury’s reputation as a religious and spiritual centre is important to its economy today. This project demonstrates how a range of different businesses adds to and benefits from the diversity and uniqueness that Glastonbury offers. The Glaston Group will be informed when the report is available to view on a website.

Trevor Adams followed with a presentation about the role of St John’s church in the town. He began by dispelling some myths about who pays for the upkeep (the local congregation & visitors), and about the visitor numbers since the church has been opened between 10-4 most Monday – Saturdays. A staggering 13,000 visitors visited in 2007. New events have encouraged more visitors notably the Christmas Tree Festival, Flower Festival. music concerts and the Labyrinth. The church is in the process of ‘re-ordering’ so that it can work more efficiently and flexibly and serve the wider community. There are no fixed plans as yet but some ideas can be viewed on the web site www.stjohns-glastonbury.org.uk

David Hill, Warden at Abbey House, was our host for the evening. He explained how Abbey House functions, and stressed that it welcomes everyone on a spiritual path. The house offers a relaxed, comfortable place for a group to be on retreat or on a course for just a day or a whole week. Only one group is able to stay at a time, so the house becomes your temporary home and sanctuary during your stay. Details of forthcoming courses and events are on the web site www.abbeyhouse.org

Finally we heard from Morgana West about the exciting developments with the Pilgrim Reception Centre. The Centre has premises at 1, Church Lane and will open on March 15th. The team of volunteers intend to open on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11-3 initially. Apart from offering specialist information to pilgrim visitors, the centre has developed a comprehensive database of therapists and healers in town as well as a summary of all the spiritual groups practising in Glastonbury. The centre will complement the TIC and will bring a coherent focus for pilgrims seeking their path www.glastonbury-pilgrim.co.uk

The evening ended with people breaking into small discussion groups and making introductions. Judging from the feedback it was another well balanced, relevant and informative gathering presented by the Glaston Group.

The Glaston Group is a group of local residents who believe in the importance of Glastonbury as a Spiritual Centre and who explore ways to serve the pilgrim visitors through information and advice.

For more information about Glastonbury visit Glastonbury Online and IsleofAvalon