Founded in the aftermath of the Second World War to help the country learn to live in peace, Lee Abbey in Devon is coming into its own once more as it marks its 70th birthday.
The world-famous Christian retreat, conference and holiday centre in Devon is helping bring solace and renewal to people and refugees from across the world traumatised by the wars of today.
This week, Lee Abbey celebrated its 70th birthday with a reception at the House of Lords.
Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey of Clifton, who is president of Lee Abbey, said: "It's doing a wonderful job in promoting the Christian faith in a non-threatening way in beautiful surroundings."
He said Lee Abbey was ideal for people coming from conflict zones. "I met some refugees last year. To see Lee Abbey through their eyes was wonderful because all they know of is war. There is Lee Abbey, a place of peace, non-threatening."
Lee Abbey also has a student hostel in London and "missional" communities in Bristol, Birmingham and London.
Lord Carey told Christian Today "It's a very effective Christian organisation which I think is supplementing the main ministry of the Church in its Sunday duties but this takes the Christian faith deeper in teaching and in renewal of life.
"You get people from different parts of the world who are there and being trained themselves. People coming away from the world can rediscover their roots once again. That's one important thing. But also it's a very strong vocational centre in terms of ordinands in terms of particular professional instruction, it has a really important role to play."
Sometimes, Lord Carey said, the Church has to catch up with what the world is doing.
"But also I think it needs to go deeper in many areas of the world in terms of spiritual values. You can't exist simply on here and now because I think actually that's really unsatisfying. So taking it deeper and supplementing the wider ministry of the church is what Lee Abbey is for."
Simon Holland, the warden, said Lee Abbey began in the aftermath of a war when many were lost and suffering.
"It's a very thin place where God is encountered and in that encounter, lives are transformed. it is a place of prayer where people can meet God more easily."
There are still many places of war and hostility.
Holland said: "Here we learn to do relationship rooted in the love of Christ. This is how we can be together where these barriers come down, the walls come down and we begin to relate to one another in ways that normally wouldn't happen."
He sees people at Lee Abbey whose lives have fallen apart, and who are at the end of their tether - people with a lot of brokenness.
Holland said: "It is a safe place for people to rebuild their lives and find new hope and new purpose. It makes people feel we are there for them."
That says that God is there for them at a time when they may be thinking: "Where is God in all of this?"
Community members of all ages live there for between one and five years. There is no mobile telephone reception so it is a true retreat from the modern world. People serve three months' probation and make ten promises in front of the rest of the community. "It is about surrendering time, talents and relationships to God," said Holland.
Simon Holland, the warden, said Lee Abbey began in the aftermath of a war when many were lost and suffering.
"It's a very thin place where God is encountered and in that encounter, lives are transformed. it is a place of prayer where people can meet God more easily."
There are still many places of war and hostility.
Holland said: "Here we learn to do relationship rooted in the love of Christ. This is how we can be together where these barriers come down, the walls come down and we begin to relate to one another in ways that normally wouldn't happen."
He sees people at Lee Abbey whose lives have fallen apart, and who are at the end of their tether - people with a lot of brokenness.
Holland said: "It is a safe place for people to rebuild their lives and find new hope and new purpose. It makes people feel we are there for them."
That says that God is there for them at a time when they may be thinking: "Where is God in all of this?"
Community members of all ages live there for between one and five years. There is no mobile telephone reception so it is a true retreat from the modern world. People serve three months' probation and make ten promises in front of the rest of the community. "It is about surrendering time, talents and relationships to God," said Holland.
