2010 Calendar of Events for September

Theme

Date

‘In Bad Faith’
Christian Szurko, Co-ordinator of the Dialog Centre UK, will lead a series of workshops intended to guide us to think about what is true and what is not, particularly in the realms of modern spirituality, and to recognize the ways in which not only error but also truth become weapons in the hands of those who are acting in bad faith. As we proceed, we will dismantle the myths about new religions and learn to understand the reality of them. We will consider questions like "What is spiritual abuse?" and "How much authority is too much?".
Throughout the week, we will return often to the challenge of what Jesus is saying to the alternative faiths and what is He asking of us. The workshops will give us time to discuss the practical implications and to explore where we can fit into the larger picture of God's response to the new faiths. Our final workshop will be an experiment in the relationship between alternative spiritualities and Christian spirituality.
The Dialog Centre UK is a charity that researches new religious movements in order to identify those developing harmful traits and to assist members and their families to repair the damage caused by such organisations.

Othonastock: Live Music Festival
A festival of live music on Saturday 4th with a whole host of artists and bands ranging through rock, folk, indie, live DJ-ing, open-mic, show-tunes, funk and, once night falls, the popular ‘glow disco’. A family-friendly event not to be missed!

Othona AGM
The first part of the meeting will include reports from both centres and from the treasurer. One third of the committee members will come up for election. The meeting will close with worship and then there will be time to chat over refreshments. All are welcome—whether members or not.
Provisional location: St Pancras Church Hall, 1 Lancing Street, Camden, London NW 1.
For further information, see www.othona.org

Christian Communities in the 21st century
The Ashram Community with its commitment of a lifestyle of sharing is based in inner city Sheffield. It started as a response by a group of Methodists dissatisfied with the Churches role in contemporary life. They longed for something more relevant to their experience of living and working in the inner cities of sixties Britain. Living in their own homes all over Britain, they meet to share support and encouragement and a rule of life within the Ashram Community. They are a "hands on" community, working to foster multi-faith understanding and offering practical help especially to the homeless and dispossessed.
Led by Rev. Dr. John Vincent, founder and leader of the Ashram Community, is a Methodist minister, Biblical scholar, community activist and prolific author.