Author: Simon Lidwell

Quartz Forest Church gathering 18.6.2023

This months forest Church will be a little different. It is midsummer midweek so we are doing special things on the weekends before and after it.

Before:

On the 18th of June at the usual time of 14.00 and usual place outside the Crichton chapel we will be training to contribute to the Stove Networks Creative Caerlaverock event. Some people are familiar with the Quartz use of Labyrinths and religious art in public, but this is an opportunity for anyone to experience how we go about doing it. There will also be the opportunity to have a go at walking a labyrinth and trying out some medieval chants.

After:

On Saturday the 24^th of June from 13.00 -16.00 (with set up from 12.00) we will take part in the event we have trained for. The team don’t need to be there the whole time, but you will need to have been trained beforehand! There is also the opportunity to follow the example of brother Robert from the siege of Carlaverock in 1300 and explore physics by using a trebuchet.

On Sunday the 25th we plan to meet up on Wardlaw hill for a Forest Church Midsummer-ish service. This service will have it’s own page with full details.

“Creative Caerlaverock”

As part of the Stove networks “Creative Caerlaverock” project Quartz will be helping people encounter the earliest mention of the lands of Caerlaverock. This is from 1160AD when it was part of the Cistercian Abbey lands of Holm Cultrum. We will use a labyrinth and an interpretation of monastic life to help people immerse themselves in the spiritual experience of the environment and become more aware of this. People will be invited to walk the labyrinth and we have cards which introduce historical and contemporary ways of doing this. Once set up people can take part in this at their own time and pace. Members of the quartz team will also be there to answer questions and converse. Some of the team will also re-enact a simplified version of the monastic hours and have clothing and other replicas objects to provide an immersive experience of life in a C12th monastic community.

This is not an evangelistic outreach event. Quartz takes cultural sensitivity and inclusive use of religious art in public seriously. The team will need to be aware that all these activities need to be conducted out in a manner which the general public can participate in at the level they choose with integrity whatever their religious or philosophical beliefs. It is however an opportunity to explore the heritage of Caerlaverock, medieval monasticism and to create a shared space for honest chats about the things which make human being special. We should perhaps expect to reap without sowing and discover revelations in unexpected places.