The Othona Community

2010 Calendar of Events for July

Theme	Date
Pilgrimage Weekend Every year on the first Saturday of July, people from a wide range of churches in Essex and beyond come to Bradwell village and walk to the Chapel of St Peter-on-the Wall. The 2010 ecumenical pilgrimage will take place on Saturday 3rd July. We need lots of members to welcome visitors and introduce them to the Community (and its new building). The next day, there will be a special Sunday lunch in which members of the Community will treat the Wardens and other members of the Core as honoured guests. Members will cook, be waiters and tidy up afterwards. Working rates apply (half normal rates). For further information, see www.bradwellchapel.org	Fri 2-Sun 4 Jul
Convivial Peace and Quiet A repeat of last years successful retreat facilitated by Robert Ricks, a long standing member of the Community, in which you can unwind and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature in our lovely surroundings. After breakfast washing-up and other tasks and a led Chapel service, we will be silent until tea time—a chance to read a book you always meant to, go for walks, do a bit of gardening or knitting, meditate or just be still. For the rest of the day, you can talk, have discussions and play games or continue in silence in the separate common room or the Chapel. We begin with supper on Monday and end with tea on Wednesday.	Mon 12-Wed 14 Jul
Circle Dancing Enjoy Circle Dancing as a communal social activity and also explore it as a form of prayer. The mixture of traditional folk dances and contemporary choreographies, to a wide range of music from across the world, gives tremendous flexibility of use—energetic or gentle, meditative or exuberant. Themes can be drawn out to use in community settings or for liturgical purposes. How far do we feel able to merge those parameters? Many wonderful dances from countries such as Greece, Russia, France, the Balkans, and Israel tempt us to move our bodies to both familiar and different forms of rhythms. The sessions will be led by Ann Hyde, a Circle Dance teacher from Luton who has a particular interest in developing prayer through dance, as well as leading regular community dance groups in her area. Ann has worked in the community for many years as a Social Worker, in Community Development and as an Adult Education Basic Skills Tutor. She has worked with the Grassroots team in Luton for ten years in community project work. Her current work is with women across different faiths and cultures and she will be able to share some of her experiences of working closely in a Co-operative with Hindu, Muslim and Christian women.	Sat 17-Sat 24 Jul
‘Thorny Theology’ From the casual enquirer to Richard Dawkins, many people caricature what Christians 'are supposed to believe' then knock it down and dismiss it, totally ignoring what we actually believe or don't. Long-term church goers keep silent in the pews, afraid to air their doubts and questions. One page into the Old Testament and we're faced with creation in 6 days; the first page of the New Testament and we're into virgin births - no wonder people give up before ever discovering the rich teachings to be found therein. “Bring all your own favourite chestnuts and we’ll knock ‘em around a bit” with the guidance of *Steve Barnes*. “Will my rabbit go to heaven?” and other children’s questions also welcome. (Any answers might come in handy too!) Steve, once a civil engineer, first wandered into Bradwell off the sea wall in 1979, turned up next in the 80s whilst a Church of England curate in Chadwell Heath. That was followed by youth chaplaincy in Barking and Dagenham and vicaring in Crawley, West Sussex. He is currently a hospice chaplain in Milton Keynes.	Sat 24-Sat 31 Jul

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