Quartz
This week much of Scotland will be awash in the discarded plastic left over from a commercialised Halloween. How many of us are wrapped in misinformation about the roots and current experience of this Holy time? This article discusses the history of the festival we have inherited, and some of the misinformation surrounding it. https://www.premierunbelievable.com/articles/was-halloween-originally-a-christian-festival/16648.article […]
20/10/2024 2pm Outside the Crichton Memorial Church While we are waiting for everyone to arrive we will look for a patch of fallen leaves to build a labyrinth in. Peace We meet in Jesus name and share his peace. Whether you consider yourself a close friend or are just curious, we meet in peace. Offer […]
Every October some artists take on the challenge of inking. This post highlights contributions made by artists involved in Quartz There are rules but they are more like guidelines. There are daily prompts throughout October, or due to the success of the original idea you can participate throught the whole year. There are no prizes, […]
I was asked where the space for public lamenting in church gathering can be found. I’m not sure. Perhaps this post is in someways a lament in itself. Laments are both an expression of grief and longing. An exploration of loss coupled with a hope that things could – should – better. There are psalms […]
A spirituality of making The scars on the Ruthwell cross are witness to the troubled relationship Christians have with art. We are physical beings who need a world of sensations, we are also spiritual beings who can sense a realm that is more than simply physical. The Bible is filled with references to God crafting, […]
QFC on Sunday the 15th of September We will gather outside the Crichton chapel at 2pm. Our theme this month will be harvest. At this time of the year you can walk up to a hedgerow and it is waiting there to give you fruit. Will we be able to find any at the Crichton? […]
August Forest Church 2024 We gathered outside the chapel, and were surprised by foraged brambles! Walking through the estate we thought about animals, and what they can teach us. We gathered materials to make masks, as described here We then sat around the tables and discussed the fruits of our reflections whilst making masks. If […]
“Light” is used frequently in the Gospels, especially in the good news as told by John. I chose this theme for my final assembly with the Dumfries High School year group I have been chaplain to since they started secondary school during lockdown. As they gather I usually run a video which introduces the theme […]
The Holy Spirit is described as a comforter. This is a short video with a collection of images to remind us of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our everyday lives. These pictures are particularly effective when they pop up on Facebook and other feeds like “The Unvirtuous Abbey” which peppers digital diet with […]
Creative Church Building Our gathering on Saturday the 18th was uplifting. Members of St Johns were joined by people from around Dumfries and Galloway. Participants described it as “encouraging”, “insightful”, and are planning events to build up the Body of Christ as we move onwards after Pentecost. This post will have a few images from […]