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 […]
New technology has been acquired to use with Wordsmith Crafts video projects! But even before we have got it all working, you can watch videos on “The Floating Monastery” YouTube channel, as a taste of things to come. Find the whole channel here: https://www.youtube.com/TheFloatingMonastery and the Wordsmith Crafts general channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@Wordsmithcrafts
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The Hungry Months
In the (many) years before supermarkets the summer months were sometimes called the hungry months. Everything is ripening in the sun, but not ready yet. Nowadays we let things wind down for people to have holidays, or travel to outdoor events. You can read a bit more about the hungry months here. If you are […]
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Pump up the Volume
It might not be everyone’s ‘cup of tea’. It is rude, crude, and anti-establishment. Released in the 1990’s it references a time where radio was still remembered as a means to give a voice to hidden voices. The internet was already in existence, but websites and the dot-com boom were still to happen. I’m interested […]
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July 26 QFC
Summer holidays, Vikings events, it is a busy time. We are next gathering as Forest Church at the Crichton on the 16th of August. Please send in your photos and experiences of “reading” creation and finding God in everyday life. Something to think about while we are apart … To what extent do you expect […]
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Rushnyk Installation
The Tapestry has now been safely lowered and rolled ready to travel to its next destination. You can get a taste of the experience on YouTube though! This has been a technical challenge, but what a reward to walk under prayers woven into cloth. There has been a steady stream of people dropping in to […]
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Truth
Where is Truth found? People talk about the Celts, and celtic Christians in particular finding God in nature. Where else would one find truth? Perhaps in books, but does that mean that books are unnatural? Perhaps they are treated as such. In our experience we don’t need to think hard to rememberr how some books […]
Your chance to see an internationally significant work of art – contributed to by people living in Dumfries. The Rushnyk is installed now! The St Johns building is open for prayer and reflection during the day, everyday, so please call in if you are passing. Photos really do not convey the feeling you get if […]
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QFC 21st June 2026
Ground Breaking Quartz Forest Church in June. Gather at 2pm outside the Crichton Chapel. Please dress for the weather! We will be enjoying the lawn this Sunday, and will perhaps have a picnic – if it is cold we will retreat to the Crichton central. Radical means rooted. Peace All are invited. Whether you consider […]
There may have been a time when you have heard a preacher describe the gospel in a way which makes it sound like everyone needs to bow before an super powerful sky father. Or passionately describe a formula where all who use the name Jesus as an identity statement are saved. It is easy to […]
It is important to live in the present. However, especially with refugee week coming up and the noise being made by certain politicians, we also need to remember that we are part of a living communion of Saints. “The Radical Tradition” (Edited by Gilbert Márkus op DLT 1993) Tells the stories of some of our […]