Goal:
GBP £2,500
Raised:
GBP £270
Campaign funds will be received by Kandice Holmes
Hey friends,
Thank you for all of your prayers and friendship, supporting me to live out God’s creative mission here in Greece, it honestly means so much! For those who might be able, and feel moved to financially support what God is doing at Pilgrim House (click and swipe for photos), this is the story so far and some exciting opportunities ahead...
Background
Myself and a dear friend Alexia are celebrating 1 year of piloting 'Pilgrim House', a home for creative discipleship, artist residencies and mission, in Crete, having followed the Spirit's lead from London and Athens.
None of this was planned in advance, yet the picture of God's vision is being unveiled daily by His lead, as to the role Pilgrim House is to play on this island connected to our local Church, and internationally, as a strategic base to build up bold communicators of Jesus as the Truth, Way and Life on the front-lines of culture.
We aim to support local and international artists and creative missionaries to grow in their identity and intimacy with Jesus, by providing a unique space of rest and refuge in God’s presence, growing in trust and wonder through nature, monastic rhythms and contemplative creative practices.
The atmosphere of grace encourages the prophetic imagination to come alive, and aims to spark pioneering ideas to build the Kingdom, as the artist’s are commissioned back into their communities and industries with a greater sense of courage and calling.
We have hosted regular prayer and worship gatherings, Sabbath feasts, and piloted long- and short-term artist residencies and retreats, inter-woven with incredible opportunities for evangelism on our doorstep. The house itself is a stunning, light-bathed 3 bedroom traditional house, with the Aegean sea at the end of the street! We are also blessed with a pomegranate tree in our garden, aloe vera, herbs and a little olive tree on its way, all echoing the abundance of God's goodness and glory.
As most of our visitors are in a transition season, Proverbs 3:5-6 has been an anchoring verse.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
The need
Prompted by the Holy Spirit, we recently rented—in faith—an additional house on the street to serve as a guest house for passing pilgrims to have a chance to encounter the Spirit’s soul rest, on an Island known for its pagan spirituality. There have been some incredible testimonies so far! We feel called to offer this house (which has an external art studio), for free/pay-what-you-can to local artists who lack creative support, since many young people leave Greece after graduating due to lack of opportunities. Thus, this would be a response to a deeply felt need, and an opportunity to bear witness to the giver behind this gift.
Related to this, through divine appointment, Pilgrim House is to host 20+ local artists for a Christmas gathering. It’s the best opportunity we’ve had so far to connect with local creatives and become more established in the community. We prayerfully anticipate what God will do through it and with your support, we would love to have enough resources, enabling us to share the abundant love and light of Christ this Christmas through extravagant hospitality.
Next steps
It is our hope and desire to be able to sustain the pilot over the winter, as we prepare to position Pilgrim House to host regular international artist from the spring.
At present, we are financing all of the above through our own resources, but these are currently being stretched to their limit, as I am a student and Alexia works freelance, both with no ‘sending Church’, yet next year we feel a call to live more missionally, e.g. pouring time into volunteering with our Church refugee ministry and to creatively serve an elderly home on our road.
While we are discerning ways to develop a more sustainable financial model with the Lord; partnerships/registering as a charity etc. we would wholeheartedly welcome your support to help with current costs as we move through this next season.
Some of these costs are detailed below.
Winter costs
* Artist Christmas party: 200 euro
* Guest house rent: 1000 euro (two months buffer)
* Guest house firewood: 150 euro (no central heating)
* Pilgrim House winter amenities: 250 euro (not fully furnished)
* Creative materials: 400 euro - we have some basic materials, but need more creative resources to support multi-disciplinary artist guests, including paints, canvases, paintbrushes, etc.
++Any additional funds raised will go towards rent and travel cost to support Artists in need of the rest and refuge Pilgrim House provides.
What fellow pilgrims say…
"During my time at Pilgrim House I’ve developed a greater freedom and understanding of how much God delights in me creating, simply in the way He’s made me to see. I’ve felt His closeness as I’ve explored different processes and styles, feeling His encouragement saying “I’m in the discovery, I’m in the play.” - Debs Davies
"Pilgrim House’s focus on community and creativity has helped rekindle old desires that I thought had been snuffed out, and brought colour to an interior and exterior world that had turned grey. An old desire to experience ‘new monastic’ living, passions for cooking and hosting and writing…Of course, this is just the beginning of the chapter, but it is a compelling start…” - Alexia Haywood
Historical context
Pilgrim House is an apostolic ministry, and part of an exciting lineage of evangelists and pilgrims on the island of Crete, which is where St. Paul arrived and appointed Titus as the first priest. The city of Chania is referred to as the jewel of Crete. The area of Chalepa, where Pilgrim House is located, is a former aristocratic-turned-artistic neighbourhood, making Pilgrim House perfectly placed for creative mission. Against the backdrop of the city's housing crisis, it makes this little offering of shalom all the greater a blessing.
Thank you for reading, sowing, praying and sharing!
For the full vision document please email us: pilgrimhousegr@gmail.com
Whatsapp: +447876787361
Blessings,
Kandice and Alexia.
Many blessings from the Netherlands. Much love, Alieke
Blessings my darling!!! May God multiply!!!
Keep doing as the Lord is leading you and inviting the local creatives to the Kingdom of Heaven!
"Thank you so much for your support and encouragement, and praise God for the ways He's led us to journey together in this season!" By Kandice Holmes
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