The Community
of the Way

Rooted in place, drawn by the sea,
following Jesus in community, welcome, and wonder.

Rooted in the Spirit

A Life Shaped in the Land and Sea

We are a small community based in Llansteffan, on the west coast of Wales—drawn together by a shared longing to live more simply, more prayerfully, and more gently in the world.

Our life together is shaped by four enduring passions:

  • A passion for Jesus—never leaving us, always loving us.
  • A passion for people—especially those on the margins, those who don’t quite fit, and those the world too often overlooks.
  • A passion for the outdoors—especially the sea and the mountains, where we encounter the wild beauty of God.
  • A passion for creation—for tending the land, staying close to a place, and learning to live as part of its life.

We are seeking a slower, steadier way of life—grounded in prayer, committed to community, and attentive to the earth. Inspired by the Rule of St Benedict, the joy of St Francis, and the wisdom of the Celtic saints, we’re learning to follow Jesus not just in belief, but in practice.

Our rhythms are simple: daily prayer, shared work, Sabbath rest, and time outdoors. We believe in welcoming everyone, honouring the land, and rediscovering a pattern of life that speaks hope in an anxious world.

We are rooted in this place, Llansteffan, where the church of St Ystyffan has stood for over thirteen centuries. Here we pray daily, tend the grounds, host neighbours and pilgrims, and live out a quiet witness of joy and justice.

This is not a perfect community. We are beginners—people learning to live differently, to love more deeply, and to be changed by the presence of God in each other and in the world around us.

You are welcome to walk with us.

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Rhythms of Prayer, Work, and Welcome

Our life together is simple, rooted, and prayerful. Everything we do flows from our shared commitment to follow Jesus in community, with care for creation and deep attention to place.

Here’s how that life takes shape day by day:

  • We pray daily, following a rhythm of morning, midday, and evening prayer, often in the church of St Ystyffan. These prayers are open, quiet, and anchored in the Psalms.
  • We share life in community, eating together, working alongside one another, and supporting each other through the joys and difficulties of ordinary life.
  • We honour the land, growing food, tending the church grounds with ecological care, and living by the principle of enough. We avoid waste and choose food that is local, fair, and sustainable wherever possible.
  • We keep Sabbath, setting aside a day each week to rest, worship, delight, and refrain from work. This rhythm is a sign of freedom and trust.
  • We offer hospitality, welcoming visitors, pilgrims, neighbours, and the curious with warmth and reverence. We make space for stillness and for creativity, for conversation and for prayer.
  • We live simply, choosing what is just, humble, and sustainable. We resist excess and consumption, seeking instead to live lightly and gratefully.
  • We learn together, reading Scripture, reflecting on our lives, and being shaped by the wisdom of Benedict, Francis, and the Celtic saints. We are apprentices of Jesus, always growing.
  • We stay put, holding to the vow of stability—not just to one another, but to this place. We listen to the rhythms of the land, the needs of our neighbours, and the quiet presence of God in all things.

Whether gathered under one roof or dispersed through the wider community, we share this way of life as a sign of hope and healing in a restless world.

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Our How

The community house in Llansteffan

St Ystyffan’s Priory in Llansteffan is the mother house of our community. There is a small group of community members living in Llansteffan, using St Ystyffan’s church for the daily work of prayer. And creating a place of stability and sanctuary.

A dispersed community

We are also a dispersed community of members who do not live in a community house but do live close enough to be able to meet together regularly for prayer, fellowship and study. We also welcome others who just want to connect with us occasionally for gatherings, outreach projects, prayer and study

Mercy ministry and outreach

The main focus of our other work is making friends with the street community in Carmarthen. And helping in what ever way we can, whether that is just enjoying coffee or lunch with someone, or buying someone a pair of shoes. We hope that this work will be able to expand in the future to make a real impact.

Training

We run a program of training for new community members both those who want to live with us and our dispersed community. We also occasionally have ad-hoc study days that are open to anyone

Becoming the Church Again: Reflections for Pentecost

  • The Turning We Forgot

    The Turning We Forgot

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    Br Mathew

    There is a moment in Acts 2 when the noise stops. The wind has come. The fire has fallen. The crowd has gathered. The languages of the nations have filled the air. Peter has stood up and preached the crucified and risen Jesus. The miracle has moved from sound to speech, from wonder to…

  • When the Spirit Gathers Us

    When the Spirit Gathers Us

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    Br Mathew

    There is a line in Acts 2 that we may pass over too quickly. After the wind, after the fire, after Peter’s sermon, after the crowd are cut to the heart, after three thousand are baptised, Luke tells us this: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread…

  • What if the Church we love has lost the fire in which it was born?

    What if the Church we love has lost the fire in which it was born?

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    Br Mathew

    We are still gathering, still singing, still serving—but something’s missing. The Spirit no longer leads. Prayer feels thin. Conflict creeps in. And we’re afraid to say it out loud: church isn’t working. But Pentecost wasn’t about survival. It was about power. The early Church didn’t manage decline—they turned the world upside down. This reflection…