A Dalmeny couple are holding a book launch for their co-authored memoir exploring life and faith.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Edwin and Laurel Lloyd-Jones wrote 'The Elm Grove Story' together, tracing their lives setting up a peaceful sanctuary in the snowy mountains.
The book starts with Laurel lying on a hospital bed under the surgeons knife after she suffered a cardiac arrest in 1980.
That was the moment the course of the couple's life together was dramatically altered, and it gave rise to Elm Grove.
Ms Lloyd-Jones said the near-death experience showed her there was more to life than just the present reality.
"I had disrespect for organised religion at the time, but I knew I had encountered my creator," she said.
Once she rose from the operating table, Ms Lloyd-Jones had a renewed vigor to create a place of solace and healing for people.
The agnostic couple became Franciscan Christians and together founded a spiritual retreat - Elm Grove Sanctuary - in Goobarragandra, near Tumut.
They saw thousands of people from all backgrounds and religions, or no religion at all, pass through the retreat.
"We saw amazing things," Ms Lloyd-Jones said.
Co-authoring a book as a couple
Ms Lloyd-Jones said it had been "fascinating" to write a book together as a couple.
"You try just tell the story as it happened," she said.
"We wanted to share our story to enable people to feel affirmed in their own lives."
Mr Lloyd-Jones had been writing anecdotes and events over the course of 10 years, compiling more than 1000 pages. Together the couple refined the manuscript, adding and subtracting where necessary, until they had the final book.
'The Elm Grove Story' was published in March, however an official book launch was delayed because of COVID.
READ MORE:
Ms Lloyd-Jones said people from all around the world - South Korea, Poland, Finland and the UK - had written to her expressing their delight at the book and the story.
The Elm Grove Sanctuary Trust continues to raise money to support the local community.
Now the couple are holding a book launch so the local community can find out more about the book.
They are holding a book launch at St John's Anglican Red Door Hall in Moruya on November 26 at 2:30pm.
Eurobodalla resident Anglican Bishop George Browning will be officially launching the book.
RSVP at: Laurelandedwin@gmail.com