Quartz
Would it upset you to know that there are people living peacefully in Dumfries, having come here to find sanctuary, who are in fear of being detained by representitives of the UK government and deported to Africa? Does this sound like the sort of country you want to live in, or a good way to […]
Developments to help understand the big picture Back in 2021 I wrote a report reviewing Quartz activities for the vestry at St Johns in Dumfries. I used the diagram (Pioneer Spectrum) that is the key image for this post to help give a structure for the report. A new version of the diagram has been […]
Gill Swales handed in some resources about this organisation. The map in the picture charts where it is most dangerous to practice Christianity openly. “Our very mission is called ‘Open Doors’ because we believe that any door is open, anytime and anywhere. I literally believe that. Every door is open to go in and proclaim […]
In some parts of the world absolute poverty is obvious, you see it on the streets as you walk. In Scotland poverty is a complicated issue, and not always visible. This organisation lives out it’s faith through helping people overcome poverty related issues. An important first step is to become aware of what is actually […]
It makes me smile when I think that one of the things which early Christians in these isles are remembered for is illuminated manuscripts. The grin gets broader when I compare the ready appreciation of this art with the slowness with which “youthwork for adults” has been accepted in many worshiping communities. The Manga gospels […]
Those interested in pioneer ministry will hopefully be recognise many common ways of working in this article (and perhaps even identify glimmers of micro-gospels). The article is about creative placemaking, and a phrase which stood out to me is: “The common thread amongst various definitions, however, is that it is a process that helps to […]
A Quartz Outerweave at Kirkcudbright Art and Crafts Trail We will be #SensingSpirituality in Kirkcudbright during the last weekend of July 2022. The trail is open from 11am to 5pm on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. You can find more info here We were last there in 2017, and are looking forward to returning. This […]
There is an importance in places. I sometimes wonder what it is like to grow up in the digitally connected world. It is quite possible that many who are now in their 30’s have never been in a place where it wasn’t possible to pick up a device and phone, or latterly video message, a […]
Who would be interested in gathering round a table to spend time thinking about what it is to become a missional community? I’ve had a basic introduction to this resource and it is an engaging tool for helping think about what church community is and could become. There is a video describing it here: It’s […]
There is a story told of an estate owner. He managed his land by letting it out to tenants. Each one held a plot, and they had freedom to develop it as they saw fit. The story doesn’t say how much help each of them got in establishing themselves, but other stories let us assume […]