Our speaker on November 12th, was Christine O’Brien, Executive Director of Crieff Hills Retreat Centre.
Christine joined Crieff Hills in 2018 and moved onsite in 2019. Her education is as a Doctor of Ministry (DMin) with a focus on justice, preaching and hospitality.
The centre is a 250 acre historic farm site with capacity for 80-100 people (either groups or individuals) in it’s 15 buildings. It serves as a rural opportunity for respite from the world for both individuals or groups. In today’s high paced predominantly urban culture, many people do not have the opportunity or take the time to admire the beauty, serenity of nature that is available at the centre. Many of the guests of the centre are from the not-for-profit world (such as tired teachers or health care workers) as it serves as a cost-effective destination for personal or group transformation.
The centre was founded on Christian principles, but all are welcomed.
Some of the initiatives that the centre has entered into have been personal growth opportunities for Christine and the staff/volunteers at the centre. An example of this is the acquisition of a small herd of sheep early in the pandemic. The sheep serve a true purpose at the centre as they consume an invasive species called common buckthorn but it has forced the staff to quickly learn how to be farmers while creating some exciting stories along the way (like when the herd escaped and they were chasing them with their flip flops…). It has also created opportunities to meet new people as the neighbours that helped corral the escaped sheep were a retired vet and his wife/assistant who’ve become an important part of the support structure for the centre.
An example of the communities that visit the centre was a school trip where the urban students were given the opportunity to pick and make flower arrangements, many picking flowers for the first time. The students were also able to enjoy a taste of farm life while overcoming fears by visiting the chicken coop to collect eggs and hold chickens and get some hands-on time with the lambs and touch wool in its raw form! It was gratifying to hear the cross generational stories as the young were finally able to appreciate some of the stories of their elders that they may not have appreciated previously with telling comments like: “my grandma had a goat when she was young”.
The centre comes equipped with a multitude of quiet places to commune with nature including sitting areas, walking trails and a stone labyrinth that can provide spaces for solitude to allow deep thinking and contemplation.
The centre is a living wage employer that tries to maintain a beneficial culture to allow a human connection both to the other people at the centre and to the natural environment.
For more information refer to their website or social media sites:
