We are delighted that Rev Sarah Bachelard is coming to the UK in June this year for the annual WCCM gathering at Minsteracres, Consett, Northumberland. While Sarah is in the UK she is keen to meet as many people as possible so we are organising a tour which will work its way down the country ending at the Meditatio Centre in London on Saturday 15th June.
She will be giving talks at these tour venues, which will be different to those Sarah will give at the gathering over the weekend of 7th – 9th June. The talks may be adapted for the particular venues and participants.
Briefly these talks will be Soul in the System which Sarah describes as:
Meditation or mindfulness practice is often promoted as a way of helping us cope better with the demands of daily life. Meditation is said to build resilience and reduce anxiety, and so it does. But at what point does ‘coping’ become ‘colluding’? If we’re asked to work in unjust systems, or to live in an inhuman way, should we be learning to adapt ourselves to such demands? This talk explores the notion of ‘mysticism as resistance’ and asks how contemplative practice and community might empower souls to transform, and not simply survive, the system.
A second talk will be Poetry, Contemplation and the G-word and is described by Sarah as:
Many people today seek spiritual wisdom and strength to navigate the challenges of our world. Yet for many, the word ‘God’ feels difficult to say; the reality it points to seems doubtful at best. Do we really need it? Can we go on, spiritually speaking, without it? Drawing on the wisdom of poets, Scripture and contemplation, this talk reflects on the meaning of the G-word and its significance for contemporary experience.
The theme of the day at the Meditatio Centre is: Shouting, Cancelling, Signalling: Christ and the Anxieties of Speech.
The possibility of dialogue, questioning and honest disagreement seems often unattainable, so sensitised are we to certain verbal cues and so charged is our political atmosphere.
Can the Christ who broke down the ‘dividing wall’ between Jew and Gentile redeem our (un)civil discourse? How might
contemplative practice make possible different forms of exchange and allow us to inhabit our words anew?
Sarah is a highly regarded and published theologian with a passion for contemplative practice that she eagerly shares with others. I hope you are inspired to meet Sarah either or both at the gathering and the tour. Below is the itinerary that is in the planning with the help and generosity of willing WCCM hosts up and down the country.
The talks are available on the Events listing as separate entries – select the category Sarah Bachelard Uk Tour to view the full list.
- Â Thursday 6th June Sarah will meet the brothers at The College of the Resurrection, Mirfield, Huddersfield before travelling to Minsteracres.
- Monday 10 June – Leeds Minster, Kirkgate, Leeds LS2 7DJ
14:00-16:00 Soul in the System. Suggested donation £10. http://tinyurl.com/Soulinthesystem.
19:00-21:00 Poetry, Contemplation and the ‘G-word’.
Suggested donation £10.
http://tinyurl.com/PoetryandGword
Contact: paul.maybury@leedsminster.org Tuesday 11 June – St George’s Church, Birmingham B15 3DQJ
18:00-19:00 Soul in the System.
19:30-20:30 Poetry, Contemplation and the ‘G-word’.
Donations welcome.
Contact: vicar@stgeorgesedgbaston.org.ukWednesday 12 June – St Mary’s Priory Church, Chepstow, NP16 5HU
13:30-15:30 Poetry, Contemplation and the ‘G-word’.
Donations welcome.
Contact: frchris2@icloud.comWednesday 12 June – Bath Abbey BA1 1LT
19:00-21:30 Soul in the System. Suggested donation £15.
Booking through Eventbrite. See UK website Events page.Thursday 13 June – Sarum College, Cathedral Close,
Salisbury SP1 2EE
14:30-16:00 Soul in the System. Suggested donation £10.
19:00-20:30 Poetry, Contemplation and the ‘G-word’. Suggested donation £10.
Contact: nigel.done@salisbury.anglican.orgSaturday 15 June – Meditatio Centre, St Marks Church, Myddelton Sq, London EC1R 1XX
10:30-16:00. Shouting, Cancelling, Signalling: Christ and the Anxieties of Speech. £40/£20/ £25 online.
Contact: kate@wccm.org
There is a strong sense among many people of faith that God is at work and spiritual renewal is beginning to shine in the world. So we can be optimistic about the future of the church opening ourselves to and being available for God’s work in and through us.
If you get to any of the events please come and say hello, it will be lovely to meet you. May God bless you in every aspect of your life.
Sue Clarke – Diana Ohlson – Kate Middleton