Creative prayer Join us to try creative methods of prayer - focusing more on visual and sensory elements, rather than words. This is suitable for people of all ages and all abilities. Emily Hollins runs an annual creative prayer retreat and occasional online sessions. The next retreat will be from Friday 20-Sunday 22 November 2026 at Worth Abbey in West Sussex. On these retreats we learn how to use all our senses and and our bodies in prayer, including activities such as music, dance, and drama, and visually reflecting on art. The retreats are open to everyone - all ages and abilities - to escape the busyness of life and explore different ways of praying. Booking details will follow in due course; please email Sharon at admin@lcsb.uk f or more information. Seeking his workers in a multitude of people, the Lord calls out to them and lifts his voice again: Is there anyone here who yearns for life and desires to see good days?

FAQ << Back Where is the LCSB located? We are a Benedictine community of members located mainly in the UK, although we have members elsewhere including Ireland, Germany and the USA. We are a dispersed community, so we do not have a physical base. Instead, we meet in each other’s houses, in parishes, monasteries and abbeys and, very importantly, online. Wherever we are becomes, for us, our monastery for the day. Who can join us? Membership is open to Christian men and women of all ages, single or married, lay or religious. We have a Seeker’s programme which helps enquirers (and the community) to discern whether the Benedictine path and the LCSB is right for them. Enquiries about membership can be sent to enquiries@lcsb.uk . Do I have to be a member to participate in LCSB activities? Many of our activities are open to invited non-members, including our online daily prayer. If you are approaching us for the first time, we ask you to contact our Administrator at enquiries @lcsb.uk so that we can discuss access. Alternatively, many guests come to us through being invited and vouched for by LCSB members. Do members take vows? Although the monastic vows of obedience, stability and “conversion of life” are an inspiration to the Lay Community of St. Benedict, we do not ask members to take formal vows. Our members do, however, make a ‘Promise’ annually: In response to the call of Christ I offer myself to Almighty God, by the help of the Holy Spirit, with the love of the Lay Community of Saint Benedict, to live holy communion, create holy space and offer holy service in the ways in which my circumstances allow. Is membership for life? No, but it can be. We have a few who have been members since the Community was founded in 1971. However, recognising that circumstances change, all we ask is for members to commit themselves annually to the community. Is there a joining fee or annual subscription? No. We are a community of people joined together by our community values. We do have monetary expenses such as salaries for staff; community members are asked to contribute to the running of the community in ways in which their circumstances allow for example through prayer, giving their time and giving financially. How old is the Lay Community of St Benedict? In 2021, we celebrated our 50th anniversary. For the first 32 years, we were known as Worth Abbey Lay Community but since 2003 we have been an independent community. Is the LCSB a part of Worth Abbey? No, we are a fully independent community. Whilst we still maintain strong links with Worth Abbey, and continue to run some of our events at Worth, we are also developing relationships with other religious communities and abbeys. Is the LCSB a monastic community? No. LCSB members do not become monks or nuns of our community. Members do not live in a monastic enclosure. Are members of the LCSB oblates? No. Many monasteries and abbeys have oblates. These are lay men and women who choose to associate themselves with a monastery or abbey but who do not take vows. However, we are not a monastery or an abbey. Does the LCSB have an abbot? No. The structure of the LCSB is based around the model of a leader, an assistant to the leader, and a council with responsibility for specific areas of the Lay Community’s ministry and mission. The whole community is responsible for the election of a leader every three years, after an appropriate period of prayer and discernment. Is the LCSB Anglican, Baptist, Methodist, Roman Catholic, URC, or some other denomination? The LCSB is not affiliated to any Christian denomination. Whilst many of our members are Roman Catholic, which reflects our history before independence from Worth Abbey, those joining us today come from many and various Christian denominations and traditions. For safeguarding purposes, however, we work under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham. Is the LCSB an ecumenical community? We try to be. Whilst much of our liturgy is Roman Catholic based (with some ecumenical variations), members of the LCSB come from a number of different denominations and traditions and we seek to be a community that shows that what unites us as Christians is far more important than anything that divides us. The abbot or abbess must so accommodate and adapt themselves to each monk or nun’s character and intelligence that they will not only keep the flock entrusted to their care from dwindling but will rejoice in the increase of a good flock.

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St Benedict Week - Awaken! Back to St Benedict Week Links Awaken!- the first step towards the Benedictine Jubilee Awaken! is our Community’s response during St Benedict Week to the first year of preparation for the Benedictine Jubilee of 2029 - a shared Benedictine journey. Awakening to hope In 2029, Benedictines across the world will mark 1500 years since the foundation of Montecassino. This Jubilee is not a single celebration but a journey of renewal. Its theme, “Places of Hope since 529” , invites us first to awaken: to notice where hope is already being lived. Awaken! names this turning of attention: towards God, towards one another, and towards the places that form us. A monastery without walls A monastery is always a place, never an abstract idea. For the Lay Community, this means that, whenever we gather, whether in person or online, we understand ourselves to be meeting in a monastery : a place shaped by listening, hospitality, prayer and care for one another. The Jubilee theme invites reflection on how such monasteries, such places of hope, might be created and sustained in everyday life: in homes, workplaces, and communities. St Benedict week St Benedict Week this year takes its theme from this wider Jubilee journey. Celebrating St Benedict through Awaken! draws us back to the opening words of his Rule: “Listen carefully…” Awakening begins with attentiveness. An open invitation You do not need to belong to the Lay Community to engage with Awaken!. It is an open invitation to anyone curious about Benedictine spirituality and its relevance in a changing world. You are welcome . Join us in prayer, come along to our talks, join us when we gather. As we begin the journey towards 2029, Awaken! marks the first step. We can see with what loving concern the Lord points out to us the path of life

Privacy policy Log In << Back 1. Purpose and scope At the Lay Community of St Benedict (LCSB), we are committed to protecting personal information, and we take our responsibilities regarding the security of information very seriously. This notice explains who we are and who is responsible for your data, what personal data we collect about you, how and why we use it, who we may disclose it to and how we protect it. It also explains how long we retain your information, the legal bases for doing so, and your data protection rights. ‘Personal data’ means information that relates to you and allows us to identify you, either directly or in combination with other information that we may hold. We collect some personal data from you, for example, when you use our website, donate to us, register as a member or guest, participate in any of our events, or contact us. 2. Who is responsible for your data and our contact details The LCSB is a lay-led, inter-generational and ecumenical community whose members meet and pray daily online, and gather physically in small local and regional groups, inspired by the Gospel. We are a registered charity and company limited by guarantee, number 04838564. Our registered office is 17 Edburton Avenue, Brighton, BN1 6EJ. We can be contacted via DPO@lcsb.uk or admin@lcsb.uk . The LCSB is, through its Trustees, a data controller and is registered as such with the Information Commissioner’s Office UK (ICO). We must therefore process all personal data about you in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA), the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 (DUAA), the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR), and any other relevant data protection legislation. 3. What personal data we collect, where from and when We may collect and process the following categories of information about you, when you contact us or donate by post, telephone or via our website or when you register to participate in prayers, events or activities or to receive news updates, or when you become a member/are employed by the LCSB. 3.1 Name and contact details. 3.2 Gender, age, date of birth, marital status and nationality. 3.3 Information about your education/work history and professional qualifications. 3.4 Information about your family and any dependents. 3.5 Information about your current involvement in LCSB activities and events. 3.6 Financial information and details of any donations you have made to us in the past; this may include bank details. When you make a donation online, by phone, or otherwise make a payment to us, our authorised third‑party payment processors (such as Stripe and JustGiving) collect your payment information (eg name, sort code and account number, or credit card details including name, number, CVV code and expiry date). We do not retain full payment card or bank account details ourselves. We keep records of donations for accounting and legal purposes in line with statutory requirements, but payment details are processed securely by accredited third‑party providers. 3.7 Information obtained because of any background checks on members/employees. 3.8 CCTV recordings, videos and photographs. 3.9 Information we collect through your use of our website(s) such as IP addresses and other information collected using cookies; please see our separate Cookies Policy and Statement. 3.10 Social media. We may collect your posts and messages when you interact directly with the LCSB on social media. This information is collected when you use platforms such as Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter), Instagram or LinkedIn. 3.11 Recruitment. We collect personal data as part of our employee, contractor or volunteer processes. This information is collected when you apply for a job or for volunteering opportunities with the LCSB. 3.12 Special category data. We collect and use personal data that you provide to us, to contact you and inform you about our activities. We recognise that many (but not all) people contacting us hold religious beliefs and, as this is defined as a special category of personal data, we put in place procedures to ensure that additional security and access restrictions are applied to all the personal data the LCSB holds, including health data (if provided) in accordance with UK GDPR data processing principles and the Data Protection Act 2018. We may also hold information about your health and wellbeing, or, in the case of background checks, information about criminal records or proceedings. 3.13 Any other information that you choose to provide to us or that we are provided by others. 4. Why we collect your personal information and how we use it 4.1 Sharing or disclosing your information 4.1.1 The LCSB does not share your personal data with any other charity, public body or commercial organisation without your express or implied consent, or where there is a statutory obligation to do so. Each member or friend of LCSB who provides to LCSB personal data about himself or herself (or about family members for whom he or she has legal authority, eg parental responsibility for a child) consents (and confirms that each such family member consents) to the data being processed as described below. 4.1.2 We may disclose your personal information to third parties if we are under a duty to disclose or share this information to comply with any legal obligations, or to enforce or apply any agreements; or to protect the rights, property, or safety of the organisation, or others. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organisations for the purposes of safeguarding or other statutory regulations we have to comply with. 4.2 We collect and use your personal data for the following purposes: 4.2.1 To contact members and friends of the LCSB and inform you about the LCSB’s activities and events. We may send you communications by email or post, if you have consented that you are happy to receive these – for example, when you have donated or attended a talk or event and you have opted into receiving such communications - or where we have a legitimate interest in sending these communications. You can choose to opt out of receiving email communications at any time by clicking on the relevant unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email you may receive from us or by contacting us at dpo@lcsb.uk . 4.2.2 To manage your donations or to fundraise. When you interact with us, we use your information to perform our services in relation to your donation. Under our lawful basis of legitimate interest, we may contact you by email. We will always give you the option of opting out from these emails. 4.2.3 To communicate with you and manage our relationship with you. We may need to contact you by email and/or telephone for administrative or operational reasons – for example, to send you confirmation of your donation. We will also use your personal data if we contact you after you have sent us a request, filled in a web form through our website or contacted us on social media. 4.2.4 To manage our members, seekers, guests and visitors and any others participating in LCSB activities and events. We need to keep some personal information about those who have joined, or are interested in joining the LCSB or participating in any of our activities or events, and will share your personal information with those organisations with whom we have reciprocal agreements for providing services for fulfilment purposes. This may, for example, be related to venue bookings. 4.2.5 To maintain and improve our own accounts, records and organisational processes, to fulfil our administrative purposes and protect our charitable interests. The purposes for which we will use your information include accounting and audit, credit or other payment card verification, fraud screening, safety, safeguarding, security and legal purposes, statistical analysis, systems testing, maintenance and development. 5. Lawful basis for processing your personal data and your rights 5.1 The Data Protection Act 2018 and any subsequent legislation require organisations to consider the legal basis on which they process personal data. The LCSB will process personal data under the following lawful basis: 5.1.1 Agreement: where it is necessary for us to fulfil a contract with you: for example, when you participate in an event. 5.1.2 Legitimate interests: when it is in our legitimate interests to do so as part of our efforts to build long-term relationships with our members and friends. In such instances, we will send you communications and marketing material via post and email, unless you have told us you do not wish to receive these communications. 5.1.3 Consent:with your consent, we will send you emails or SMS/Whatsapp messages. 5.2 Your rights The LCSB actively supports the principle of “fair and transparent” processing of your personal information. We support your rights in relation to your personal information under the Data Protection Act 2018, including the: right to be informed (chiefly via this policy) right of access right to rectification right to erasure right to restrict processing right to data portability right to object rights related to automated decision-making including profiling. If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please contact the Data Protection Officer via email at DPO@lcsb.uk . 6. How long we keep your data for before disposing of it securely In principle, the LCSB only keeps personal data for as long as needed to carry out each processing activity. We maintain data retention criteria to help us do this, taking account of our legal and accounting obligations, balancing this with what would be considered reasonable. The data retention/disposal criteria are set out in our Data Retention/Disposal Schedule. We are required to keep details of financial transactions, including donations, for six years to meet accountancy and HMRC requirements. We will anonymise or delete personal data if, after a period of six years, we have not had any contact or communication from you (this will be measured over a rolling seven-year period) – subject to special circumstances concerning, for example, any legacies. We may also be required to keep certain personal data for extended periods for HR or for safeguarding reasons. 7. Updates to our privacy notice We will make changes to this privacy notice from time to time, as and when required, and we will publish any new version of this Privacy Notice on this page. 8. How to complain If you have any concerns about our use of your personal data, you can make a complaint to us using the contact details at the top of this privacy notice. If you remain unhappy with how we’ve used your data after raising a complaint with us, you can also complain to the ICO. The ICO’s address: Information Commissioner’s Office Wycliffe House Water Lane Wilmslow Cheshire, SK9 5AF Helpline number: 0303 123 1113 Website: https://www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint As we progress in this way of life and in faith, we shall run on the path of God’s commandments, our hearts overflowing with the inexpressible delight of love.

Library Digital resources Publications Publications What if God is Child? Small, Weak & Curious Subversions Graham Adams 2024 SCM Press ISBN: 9780334065005 More information & to purchase The White Stone The art of letting go Esther De Waal January 2025 Currently being read by the Thames and Chilterns Group 2021, Canterbury Press Norwich ISBN: 9781786224019 More information & to purchase The Lay Community of Saint Benedict A short history 1971 - 2021 Martin Hollins Our History Book! Our History Book! Our History Book! Our History Book! 2021, Lay Community of Saint Benedict ISBN: 9780993597732 More information & to purchase Come Wind, Come Weather A pilgrim’s handbook of prayers and activities for the length of Britain Janet Lees 2024, Wild Goose Publications ISBN 9781804323397 More information & to purchase Click to watch book launch (at 29.04) Surplus to Requirements Will there still be communities for vulnerable people in 2050? Janet Lees 2025, Longdendale Press ISBN 978-1-0685628-0-8 More information & to purchase Click for the FAQs Click to watch book launch Is the End to End (Land’s End to John O’Groats or vice versa) a Pilgrimage? Chapter 3 in Memory, Crisis and Culture: A Spatio-Temporal Analysis, edited by Isabella Fiore Di Napolia, London Centre for Interdisciplinary Research, 2025. Janet Lees, Bob Warwicker & Hannah Warwicker Janet Lees thanks those who have supported the End-to-enders! Her quirky paper about the End to End is now published in this somewhat niche publication. It can be downloaded and shared with friends! 2025, London Centre for Interdisciplinary Research ISBN: 978-1-7395597-2-4 (eBook) Click to download Click to download Digital resources Mindfulness archive (audio) Grow closer to God through the beauty of art and the gospel You can subscribe to the Christian Art Free Daily Gospel Reading and Art Reflection and enjoy recent gospel readings & art reflections. Click to subscribe "I warmly endorse the celebration of the Benedictine way of living the Gospel. Blogs, talks and podcasts will highlight the inspiration that St Benedict brings to people's lives today, while community events and times of prayer will enable active participation in this way of life. St Benedict says that guests are to be received with humanity and humility, two qualities that I hope will characterise the experience of those taking part in the week." Dom Christopher Jamison, Abbot President of the English Benedictine Congregation We can see with what loving concern the Lord points out to us the path of life

Community prayer << Back Prayer is at the heart of our lay Benedictine spirituality. We turn up. We turn up for God, because by coming together we can express our love and thanks as well as our needs and worries. And we turn up for each other to be a support on our life’s journeys. St Benedict centred the whole daily timetable of his monks around the seven offices of the day - fixed times of prayer designed to sanctify different times of the day. In the Lay Community of St Benedict, we pray online several times a day, seven days a week. Members and guests join in as and when they are able. If you're interested in joining our daily prayers, or finding out more, please look at the timetable and contact us. Daily prayer timetable We also meet on other occasions - for bible study, reading St Benedict's Rule to see how it may act as a guide in our lives; some of us meet for contemplative prayer or centering prayer; we pray the rosary and some of us meet for creative prayer ; we have groups for mothers, and sometimes we gather to pray for a particular intention, whether at Advent, Lent, or for peace in our world. If you're interested in joining any of these prayers, please do get in touch. Contact us Nothing is to be preferred to the work of God

<< Back to St Benedict Week St Benedict Week 2023 Photos << Back Benedict month 2023 finished with gatherings at the 1st and 4th days of the fifth and final Ashes Test Match at The Oval. 17 July 2023 - Henrie visited senior member Sheila for a cup of St Benedict Week tea and friendship. 14 July 2023 - and finally a SW London group gathered at Kew Gardens in the rain , and paid a visit to the Agius Evolution Garden! 12th July 2023 - some of the Wessex & Wales group met in Newbury and walked along the River Lambourn. 10th July 2023 - the third day of St Benedict Week - the Chilterns group based in Hertfordshire meets regularly - today it was for a cup of St Benedict Week tea and friendship 9th July 2023 - some of the Wessex & Wales group met in Taunton 9th July 2023 - the second day of St Benedict Week - the Weyside group based in West Surrey, met for a picnic and intergenerational game of volleyball in Bushy Park 8th July 2023 - the East Anglia group met at Ely Cathedral. 8th July 2023 - the first day of St Benedict Week - the Northern Lights Group, who are staying at Stanbrook Abbey, braved the elements on Bridlington Beach - inspiration! 8th/9th July 2023 - Members from Northern Group met at Headingley for the exciting end to the 3rd Ashes Test Match! 6th July 2023 - before the start of St Benedict Week - the Kent group met at Malling Abbey. We can see with what loving concern the Lord points out to us the path of life

St Benedict Week 2026 Photos << Back to St Benedict Week << Back Meet up in Rome! Meeting with Sylvia in Taunton, Somerset Delicious food! LCSB and Root and branch members at New Hall festival A visit to Minster Abbey/Priory Irene, Lesley and Derek Irene, Lesley and Heather Northern Lights group enjoying the outdoors Long-standing friends! What better than a trip to The Oval Celebrating communion together Eggs Benedict on the feast of St Benedict! The South West London walking group met despite the heat - the cold water was very welcome. Yum! Some members of the Thames and Chiltern group Meet up in Brighton with Monks in the City We had a lovely visit! Christ's resurrection A wonderful visit to Heydon Farm, Sussex

St Benedict << Back "What can be sweeter to us, dear ones, than this voice of the Lord inviting us? Behold, in His loving kindness the Lord shows us the way of life." Prologue to the Rule of St Benedict Benedict, a 6th century monk, radically influenced monastic life in the West. From Nursia, Benedict became a student in Rome before fleeing to Subiaco to live for three years as a hermit. He later established twelve monasteries near Rome, and wrote a Rule for monastic living. Benedict’s new message, that would later transform Europe, focused on the central call to ‘Listen’. In his view the whole spiritual life should be a process of listening with the core of our being to God’s voice in the everyday. As such it becomes a journey of discovery, through which we are able to live more fully in the Truth. In Benedict’s way of life, relationship with Christ is placed at the centre: “Let them prefer nothing whatever to Christ”. Through a deep inner listening and discovery of the Truth, we become open to the process of continual conversion. Benedict and the first monks were lay people. His wisdom is again being discovered by lay people today, inspiring us to root our lives in God, listen with openness to his Word, and recognise our calling to serve one another in love. Let them prefer nothing whatever to Christ

Past events << Back In the Lay Community, many of our events are open to all, and recur annually. Some of our past events are included here to give a flavour of our Community life. To see some photos from our events, see our Gallery page. St Benedict Week 2026 Easter 2026 Lent 2026 Advent 2025 - Caring for Humanity Interfaith Week 2025 Season of Creation 2025 St Benedict Week 2025 Lent 2025 "I warmly endorse the celebration of the Benedictine way of living the Gospel. Blogs, talks and podcasts will highlight the inspiration that St Benedict brings to people's lives today, while community events and times of prayer will enable active participation in this way of life. St Benedict says that guests are to be received with humanity and humility, two qualities that I hope will characterise the experience of those taking part in the week." Dom Christopher Jamison, Abbot President of the English Benedictine Congregation We can see with what loving concern the Lord points out to us the path of life

Daily prayer timetable << Back Daily Offices 11-18 July Enter here About our Community Prayer If you wish to attend our online (zoom) prayers, the link will be live throughout St Benedict Week (11-18 July). Click below for full details of prayer times. If you are joining us from another country in a different time zone, please check times service times here: https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html If you wish to join outside St Benedict Week, please contact anyone you know to be a member of the LCSB or contact us directly: Contact us Weekdays (Monday to Friday) 06:45 07:05 09:00 18:00 18:30 (Fridays) 21:30 Saturday 07:30 18:00 Sunday 08:00 18:00 Early morning prayer Early morning prayer Monday - Friday: 06:45 - 07:00 A reflection to start the day led by a member of the Community. Contemplative prayer Contemplative prayer Weekdays: 07:05 - 07:30 In the Candle Chapel (link below) Morning prayer (Lauds) Morning prayer or Lauds Weekdays: 09:00 Saturdays: 07:30 Sundays: 08:00 Taken from the Office of the Catholic Church. It is a mix of psalms, readings from the old and new testaments, prayers and a reading from the Rule of St Benedict. Evening prayer (Vespers) Evening prayer or Vespers Monday-Friday: 18:00 Taken from the Office of the Catholic Church. It is a mix of psalms, readings from the old and new testaments and prayers. It starts with a period of silence from 5.55 when a Taize chant is played. Prayers for peace Prayers for peace Friday 18:30 In the Candle Chapel (details and link below) Compline Compline Monday-Friday 21:30 - 21:45 Taken from the Office of the Anglican Church, with prayers, responsories, a psalm and a canticle. We leave in silence at the end. Morning prayer (Lauds) Morning prayer or Lauds Weekdays: 09:00 Saturdays: 07:30 Sundays: 08:00 Taken from the Office of the Catholic Church. It is a mix of psalms, readings from the old and new testaments, prayers and a reading from the Rule of St Benedict. Evening prayer: rosary Saturday evening prayer 18:00 - 18:30 Outside of Lent, we pray the Rosary. In Lent, we pray the Stations of the Cross. Morning prayer (Lauds) Morning prayer or Lauds Weekdays: 09:00 Saturdays: 07:30 Sundays: 08:00 Taken from the Office of the Catholic Church. It is a mix of psalms, readings from the old and new testaments, prayers and a reading from the Rule of St Benedict. Evening service Sunday evening prayer Sunday: 18:00 A service, reflection or talk led by a member of the Community. Peace Prayers for peace In our Candle Chapel Friday 6.30pm only Candle Chapel Click here A deep intention of our Community is the prayer for peace, prompted by the wars in Ukraine and the situation in Gaza, and the knowledge that, while these may be uppermost in our minds, there are many areas of the world afflicted by war. On Fridays, after our Vespers prayers, at 6.30pm, we pray for peace. It is a quiet, contemplative space, with no cameras on and with microphones muted. If there is a peace-related intention that you would like us to pray for, please send it by email to peaceprayer@lcsb.uk . The intentions sent in in this way appear on a slide before and during the time of prayer. Intentions are followed by a music introduction to 25 minutes of contemplative prayer for peace, which closes at 7pm. We will also be praying for all those working for peace. This prayer is open to all who wish to pray for peace, so please feel free to pass on the logon details below, or simply click the candle icon to join this prayer in our online Candle Chapel. Zoom logon: https://tinyurl.com/58yadvwx On hearing the signal for an hour of the divine office, everyone will immediately set aside what they have in hand and go with utmost speed. (ch 43)