Tag: Knowing Jesus

Categories
Arts creation Theology

Homo laudans

The Cathedral of Creation

It has often been said that people have a God shaped hole they need to fill. The Gospel is then presented as good news, that the hole can be filled.

It is, of course, true that like the father in the story of the prodigal son, God rushes from the house to meet us in our need. Jesus became low in order to lift us up, and we should call on our saviour in times of need.

However, what if you are one of the people who experiences God in the sparkling of light on the water? Or for whom the joy of tasting brambles and of just “living life” is a constant reminder of the presence of God. Perhaps then the Gospel for you is not characterised by the filling of an absence.

When you read in the Gospel of John that “… But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, …” this can the recognition of an overflowing of abundance found within the core of your being. A natural inclination to praise God that finds it’s shape in the unfolding story of Christianity.

What if the feelings of disatisfaction many experience within their christian life could be described as a hunger to expand their awareness. Just as children experience an urge to grow beyond the familiar safe space that those who care for them create, if we are filled with potential by God then this will drive us to seek more of God in the unfamiliar.

Rather than wondering why the “God shaped hole” isn’t filled no matter how much you give up or deny yourself, perhaps it is time to rest and remember the confidence God has in you and in who you are becoming. Trust that the yoke is easy and burden light.

Take time to remember how the sunlight sparkles on water, gather brambles that grow wild in hedgerows, and discover new ways of joining with creation to praise God for the things that make your heart sing.

And for those who like reading theology:

John Reuben Davies, “Human being and the praise of God” ch2 in “Made in the Image of God” Ed. Michael Fuller & David Jasper Sacristy press 2021 www.sacristy.co.uk

Categories
2021 Review Creative Worship Fresh Expressions

A Typical 3 Months

What does a typical 3 Months in Quartz look like?

This is a bit like asking what typical weather is like in a Scottish day. There will be a recognisable constant of four seasons, and at certain times of the year it is more probable that one will dominate the others. It is quite likely that all four will be experienced in one day though, and it is useful to learn to sunbathe with a wooly hat on.

Likewise, Quartz aims to develop spiritual literacy both within and beyond the St Johns community. It does this through using the arts to help people identify, explore and express spirituality. There is a recognisable consistency to this.

Working like a lead artist in a collaberative enterprise, I involve and support a loose collective of people in doing this together through projects and events – as well as developing my own practice through physical installations, experiental opportunities, and things like this website.

The substance of this adapts with context, follows up leads and opportunties, and also seeks to be ‘present’ in the community to generate opportunities that can be followed up. There is no blueprint, and although there is a Way, the path is discovered and made through walking.

The first phase of the project involved activities such as leading assemblies and RMPE classes in five local schools, attending a youthwork networking meeting, assisting with planning and leading at an experimental service in St Johns. We also put on larger scale multi media experiences. As Quartz we also developed ways of interacting at festivals through the use of things like labyrinths and weaving. Through this we helped people on the street to visualise #SensingSpirituality. In the background time was also set aside for mentoring a handful of young artists and providing hospitality for a student through an international ecumenical arrangement.

The context for this was found in long term background work with the D&G education commitee, and a national review of Religious Observance (RO) provision by the Scottish Government. St Johns was therefore placed to assist in the development and roll out of policy as well as provide continuous professional development training for staff. The support of a team within St John’s, allowed us to experiment with creative worship combining contemporary culture, inherited arts, and the church tradition handed down to us in ways which involved all ages. A long term professional engagement as Wordsmithcrafts with the living history and heritage sectors, provided a summer of events for the young artists to test their skills at. There is also a thriving Arts and Crafts sector in D&G and Dumfries hosts the largest free youth festival in Scotland. When opportunities arose to participate, we experimented. We used the framework for Time for Reflection within schools to develop guidelines for #SensingSpirituality activities in the wider community in ways which encouraged participation by people of all faiths and none without compromising their integrity.

The overall shape of activity was also influenced by the academic and Church calendars. This led to increased Quartz activity during school terms, and left room for the other Wordsmithcrafts activities not directly related to St Johns during the summer.

The previous post has a more practical description of what all of this looked like! And if this account is mostly of the first phase of the project there are probably three more recognisable phases to follow as the context and people involved changed.

If you were part of this stage, please use the comments option below to add your memories!

Categories
Lent

!st Sunday in Lent

Sunrise on distant hills

Aye, it is an exclamation mark. This is not a typo.

The Quartz Lent 2021 Sunday discussion group can be joined here

Click to Join the Zoom Meeting at 3pm on sunday

The daily “Knowing Jesus” material and readings have started by exploring the start of the ministry of Jesus.

  • He reveals God to us. – what does that mean?
  • He is in communication with God the Father and the Spirit through Prayer – Self in relationship?
  • His baptism marks a stepping into a time of new activity – Jumping into the river?
  • And when the Holy Spirit leads him into in the wilderness the way he will carry out his mission is tested and refined.

The exclamation mark is usually found at the end of a sentence. It gets called a “Bang” mark by some people though. Perhaps it can transform a whole sentence into the start of something – like a pistol at the start of a race!

Shrove Tuesday (PANCAKES!) is a day of celebration and forgiveness, a party before Lent. We start this 40 day journey knowing that however far or fast we run we have already met the conditions to finish, because they were met before the human race was begun. When we meet on Sunday we can discuss more.

Categories
Creative Worship Lent prayers

Knowing Jesus

Sunrise on distant hills

Lent – 2021 Quartz Lent group

How can we help each other journey to Easter in these strange times?

Collectively, and in our households.

You are invited to join our Lent study group from the 17th of February to Sunday the 4th of April. We will use the “Knowing Jesus” material available online from the Jesuits in Scotland. This starts on Ash Wednesday, but our first meeting is on the Sunday.

We will be meeting as Quartz too! Every Sunday between 3 and 4 PM. This will be online at first, but if Covid precautions allow we will meet outdoors as well.

During our retreat you are invited to pray and reflect over the man Jesus as you see him in the Scriptures and allow Him to reveal God to you.

Trust what you see will be what you need to grow deeper into knowing, loving and serving God and those around you.

… more on their website

Their page has daily prayer based on a Scripture, pictures and music. You can sign up to be sent a reminder and access their guidance with ways of praying. They also have groups you could choose to join in with.

BBC radio4 are linking their Sunday Worship and Daily Worship to programmes to this course as well, under the title of “Pathways to God”

When we meet on the Sundays, we will discuss what we have learned – whether you have had the opportunity to take time to reflect daily, or if you just manage to make it to a group meeting when you can. As worshiping in and with the natural environment is important for the way Quartz practices #SensingSpirituality if you want to contribute photos, comments, or other media to the discussion each week then we will work out ways to make that possible.