Quartz is a partnership between St John’s Dumfries and Wordsmith Crafts CIC. Simon is supported a day a week to work flexibly to support Quartz activities, maintain this site and help people use the arts to experience, explore, and express spirituality through the arts, and for those that choose to, to enter into our heritage […]
Categories
Advent
The cosmos is pregnant. It’s a secret hidden in plain sight. Don’t you sense the pangs and frustration? The glimmers of joy? Come with me if you want to live…
Categories
Epiphany Art
This lead was sent in by Alison. It is a community of artists who are Christians. They publish a newsletter where they describe how their faith and art work together. https://www.epiphanyart.org https://www.epiphanyart.org/epiphany-art-newsletter
Soon the roof in St Johns will be filled with stars. Each star represents a hope, and Simon has just finished crafting more of them with new scots in the Depot. What do you wish for? What are your real hopes? What would make them happen? The building is open every day if you want […]
Categories
December Forest Church
We have decided not to meet as Quartz Forest Church in December. It is a busy time, and there is a lot going on in St Johns. Instead, please send in you glimmers where you become aware of meeting with Jesus in creation. Links to what else is going on in the Church would be […]
Categories
Exile
How long does it take to unlearn a cultural inheritance that dominates you? The Israelites spent decades in the wilderness, and only a few of the original adult generation who left Egypt entered the promised land. This is often understood as a punishment, but what else was going on? (Joshua chapter 5 vs 1-8) Wilderness […]
Categories
Nature Reflections
A collection of links and resources From the Iona Community – https://www.ionabooks.com/product/the-blessing-of-animals If you are interested in Forest Church, here is a link to a book which is a story of rewilding the church from the USA. Church of the Wild, on World of Books – (other suppliers available!) And the network referred to in […]
Did you know that the new year begins at the end of November for the Scottish Episcopal church (and others). With the beginning of advent we start to prepare to remember the birth of Jesus. There is an annual cycle of events, linked to the changing of the seasons. Because time has been measured using […]
Categories
November Forest Church
Quartz gathering as Forest Church November 2025 We will meet at 2pm outside the Crichton chapel on the 16th of November. Please dress for the weather! We adapt what we do to accommodate anyone who comes and the weather we find. Peace We will meet in Peace and make peace by meeting. Whether you consider […]
Categories
QFC Oct 25
It was a bit of a dreich day when we gathered, but that didn’t dampen proceedings. We practiced looking at the trees, and we read from the bible. As the day was colder than usual this gathering was a bit more active than the contemplative speculation we often default to! Is the a dry wit […]
We will be gathering to give people the opportunity to reflect on their connection with Nature. We will have indoor space and also a woodland to wander in. We will be guided by textile artist Alison Bixler. Don’t worry if you know nothing about weaving, or #SensingSpirituality. You were born for this! We plan to […]