The work has been rewarding. For most of us carpentry has been entirely new experience, for others it brings back memories of GCSE woodwork. The following well-known prayer reminds us that Jesus prepared for his ministry as a carpenter.

Lord Jesus, Master Carpenter of Narareth, wield well your tools in the workshop of our lives. That we who come to you rough hewn may be fashioned to a truer beauty and a greater usefulness for the glory of your name. Amen.

As the work progresses there are rapid and visible changes at Casa Lumina as rooms are boarded, first the ceilings and then the walls. The rough joinery and insulation are covered and the space becomes recognisable as a room which will one day accommodate someone.

However, the prayer goes on to remind us that there is a more important transformation – that of our lives. Here the changes are slower and less dramatic. Some of us grow impatient, recognising our failings and longing for God to create a more habitable space in our lives, both for God and for others. That said, we must recognise that such changes are God's work. Slowly but surely, God his doing his work in us. Paul writes to the Philippians, 'I am confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ.' (Phil 1:6).

Nicholas Cooper and Terry Norrington