Our working pattern

As well as a “day job” in housekeeping, servery, office or maintenance, members participate in evening and community activities.

Community members work with us for up to 35 hours per week on one of our teams (housekeeping/servery, office/reception, maintenance). You will be allocated to a team when you arrive. You will have two full days off each week.

Most days begin with a 30-minute time of devotion which may include worship, teaching and prayer. In addition, LALSoM (Lee Abbey London School of Ministry) meets every week.

Community members must participate in all activities on Wednesday, Community Day, so that we can grow stronger in our faith, working relationships and friendships with each other. We celebrate Holy Communion together each Wednesday morning. This is a central part of our life together.

In addition, we ask all community members to participate in planning and hosting the evening coffee bar and social activities for students. You should expect to be involved up to two evenings a week. The aim here is to build friendships with the students and share your faith story with them.

Living at Lee Abbey is hard work. It can be tiring, but it can also be very rewarding – particularly as you see God working through you to impact others.

What work will you do?

Housekeeping/servery

This is the biggest team. You will help to keep the building clean, prepare rooms for new guests, serve meals and manage the dining room and washing-up area. Daily tasks may include: dusting and hoovering around the house, emptying rubbish bins, cleaning and preparing rooms for residents and guests, making beds, cleaning floors, toilets and communal shower areas, setting up the dining room, serving meals, and washing up. 

This is all part of our ethos of serving others as though we are serving Christ. We want all students and guests to know they are loved by God. Often it is the small things that make a difference.

Office/reception

At Reception you are ‘God’s welcome’ to all students, guests, visitors, contractors and neighbours. You will need to be a confident English speaker, have a polite telephone manner and be ready to go out of your way to help. You will learn to use our system to make bookings and take payments. You are the ‘face’ of Lee Abbey London, so being a people person, with a ready smile and a friendly word, is important.

Facilities

There is never a boring day on the maintenance team. We live in an old building that requires a lot of love and attention. You will learn the basics of painting, decorating, gardening and general repairs.