About the Editor

Heather Fenton is a priest in the Church in Wales and has run the retreat house, Coleg y Groes , for 25 years. In September 2009 she became editor of Quiet Spaces, BRF's prayer and spirituality journal. BRF's Marketing Co-ordinator spoke to Heather and asked her about her life and how she came to be editing Quiet Spaces.

How did you get to where you are today?

I became a Christian when I was 15, although like many children in the early 60s I had some residual Christian faith before that, and had been confirmed because there were classes at the independent school at which I was a 'day girl'. I was in the Youth Fellowship at the local village church in west Kent, and when I became a Christian I joined the choir as an excuse for going to church! About 18 months later I had an experience of the 'baptism of the Holy Spirit', which was very controversial at the time, and over which I had quite a hard time.

Early on I realised that God had a special calling for each one of us, and I looked round to see what that might be for me. As I was good at art I decided that perhaps I should go to art school. So this is what I did when I left school, and is how I got into my career in publishing.

Whilst at art school I specialised in lettering (hand-drawn lettering is my specialty although I don't do much at the moment) and typography. Afterwards I worked for publishers, including Routledge and Oxford University Press, initially producing their publicity material and then going on to work in their Production Departments. As I wanted to have a better theological understanding, I began to think and pray about going to theological college. In 1976 I was made redundant and took the opportunity to go to Trinity College in Bristol to study theology. I then went back into publishing for another eight years, and ended up as a Production Manager. It was then that God moved me to rural Wales, and together with some friends we set up the retreat House, Coleg y Groes. This is now in its 25th year, and has been used by God for a great many people during that time.

Where is your ministry based?

I was ordained in the Church in Wales as a deacon in 1987 and as a priest ten years later. I have served in a number of parishes in this remote rural deanery over the last 23 years. At the time of writing I am vicar of two rural parishes, small in number and massive in terms of area. They are Welsh-speaking sheep farming areas. I am well known for my innovative worship services and my work with primary school-age children, and am school chaplain as well as a governor.

What is your current role in publishing?

I have helped the Church in Wales with the production of some of their publications. I am currently Editor of the Church of England magazine for Lay Readers (Licensed Lay Ministers) called The Reader and have recently been appointed as the new editor of Quiet Spaces. This latter role brings together my experience in running a retreat house with my long career in publishing. I always think God is good at making the best use of resources!

What have been the main influences on your own spiritual journey?

The evangelical wing of the Anglican church, plus the charismatic movement (Fountain Trust for example), as well as the Fisherfolk, and associated community movement which started at the Church of the Holy Redeemer in Houston, Texas, and spread to the UK (Cumbrae in Scotland and Post Green in Dorset) in the 60s and 70s, were all very influential for me. Now I am a founder member of quite a small dispersed community 'The Community of Coleg y Groes', associated with the retreat house ministry I have had for the last 24 years. Ten years ago I took an MA in Celtic Christianity, which was very stimulating and a great blessing.

What are you hoping to do in the future?

I am planning to retire from parish work and trying to sell Coleg y Groes. but stay in Wales. I will be working for the Church of England and BRF, and may well produce some publications of my own. I also want to do some more art, especially using texture and lettering images, and I have a vegetable patch.

Heather Fenton