PETER SILLS
Anglican priest, pilgrimage leader and prayer guide.
Welcome to my website!
Like many priests I have developed materials for Christian education and formation, and the main purpose of this website is to make them available to parishes and individuals who might find them helpful.
On this page you will find information about recent and forthcoming publications and retreats, and in the side panel a guide to the website.
SIX STEPPING
The response to Six Steps Into The Bible (published October 2023) has been very encouraging. It is written for those who would like to deepen their understanding of the Bible and are up for a bit of serious study. It takes the form of a course, comprising preparation, commentary, a Time-line of the Bible and a glossary. Full details, reviews, and how to order a copy are on the Courses page.
A feast for enquiring minds and hungry spirits. – Canon Nick Parish
This book gets under the skin of the Bible. It is superbly written, clear, focused and engagingly accessible. – Barbara McGowan
Six Steps Online 2025
A number groups have followed Six Steps: in Cornwall, Sussex and Surrey, and online. I will be leading a second Online Group in 2025 with fortnightly meetings on Thursdays (6.00 – 7.30 pm) between January and April. The dates are: January 9 & 23; February 6 & 27; March 13 & 27; April 10. Further details on the Courses page.
Six Steps Retreats
Also on the Retreats page are details of five retreats I am leading in 2025 based on Six Steps Into The Bible. The dates and venues are:
25 January: a Quiet Day at The House of Prayer, East Molesey, Surrey.
4–6 April: a Study Weekend Retreat at Shallowford House, nr. Stone, Staffordshire.
28–31 July: a mid week retreat at Whalley Abbey, Lancashire.
20–23 October: a mid-Week Retreat at Launde Abbey, Leicestershire.
24–27 November: a mid-Week Retreat at the Ammerdown Centre, Radstock, Somerset.
Booking are made direct with the Retreat House; their websites, with the full details, are given on the Retreats page.
TIME OUT AT TOURNAY
I will be leading a week’s Time Out at Tournay Abbey, a Benedictine monastery in the Midi-Pyrenees (SW France) in early September 2025. The dates have not been finalised; further information will be posted on the Retreats page.
BOOKS AND TALKS
Much of what I’ve written is available to download. However, the longer books – Light in the Darkness, I Was There, Faithful is the One who Calls, Signs, Symbols and Ceremonies and Six Steps Into The Bible – are available only in print form. They make good gifts – something to think about with Christmas in mind!
Light in the Darkness explores the path of Christian Hope. It was inspired by the Advent Antiphons, some of the most beautiful prayers and praises of Jesus, and explores seven hopes: for truth, justice, freedom, a new beginning, enlightenment, peace and love. It it written in the conviction that the Christian faith offers a sure way forward, personally, communally and globally, and I consider how these hopes can shape our personal lives and our common future. Light in the Darkness will appeal to all who seek to understand how the Christian faith speaks to us today; it is available direct from the publisher, Sacristy Press: www.sacristy.co.uk
I Was There tells explores the meaning of the story of Jesus through the eyes of those who were there at the time. It is not simply a retelling of the story; as the characters recount their experiences, they also reflect on what it means for them. This book will appeal particularly to enquirers, those new to the faith, and to those preparing for confirmation.
Faithful is the One who Calls is a collection of talks published to mark my fortieth anniversary of ordination, the latest in an occasional series. In this booklet I reflect on what it means to respond to the Call of God, which I describe as the call of Love to grow in virtue, to bear witness and to serve. It offers encouragement and food for thought to all who would like to deepen their spirituality.
Signs, Symbols and Ceremonies is a concise exploration of the meaning of Christian worship written for those who want to know more about what we do in Church. The reader is taken on a journey through five basic steps of the Christian life from a first reaching out to God to becoming a witness for Christ. It is presented as a five part course based on the liturgy of the Church of England and explores the faith expressed in the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist through the symbols used in worship: water, oil, gesture, bread and wine, light and fire.
Talks
Some of the talks I’ve given recently have been added to the Talks Page, including the tribute I gave to her late majesty, Queen Elizabeth II at the Requiem I was invited to celebrate for her at Tournay Abbey.