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#SensingSpirituality Thought of the Day

Glimmers in Frost

Quartz has a WhatsApp group where members share “Glimmers” moments when they recognise the presence of God in their daily lives. This can be a picture, or text, and it helps us keep in touch even when we are not in the same place for a while. When we share pictures though, are we simply […]

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#SensingSpirituality Mission Thought of the Day

Heroes

Today is David Bowies Birthday. This post is inspired by one of the songs he wrote. In Quartz we have practiced techniques known as Lectio Divina, and Terra Divina. These inform contribute to various attempts to increase the practice of the presence of God. Music is important in the life of many worshiping communities. I […]

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Arts Thought of the Day

Advent

The cosmos is pregnant. It’s a secret hidden in plain sight. Don’t you sense the pangs and frustration? The glimmers of joy? Come with me if you want to live…

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Thought of the Day

Exile

How long does it take to unlearn a cultural inheritance that dominates you? The Israelites spent decades in the wilderness, and only a few of the original adult generation who left Egypt entered the promised land. This is often understood as a punishment, but what else was going on? (Joshua chapter 5 vs 1-8) Wilderness […]

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Arts Thought of the Day

Tree of life

For Quartz it is a time of lent. We follow the journey of Jesus towards the cross. we have done this before, and we will do it again. Each time is new though, and the pattern is one of resistance and growth. Resistance can be dynamic, creative, full of life. Just as trees grow from […]

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#SensingSpirituality Thought of the Day

Viriditas 2

(Forest Church in October will meet at 2pm on the 19th) I’ve posted about Hildegard before, and the healing power of the green. As we are moving into a time of year where trees prepare for winter we will see all the other colours in their leaves. Perhaps a walk in the woods would be […]

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Forest Church Thought of the Day

Faith in Nature

I took time out to travel west recently. It has been over 10 years since I have last been to a conference/retreat with others who are interested in Forest Church type things. Many of the projects Quartz has been running flowed from that. Here is a video of my journey! For those interested in finding […]

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climate change Thought of the Day

Home Printing

Getting back to nature and spirituality are often linked together. Even those whonare comfortable in Church buildings will often take retreats into the countryside and green spaces. The houses we live in though, where we spend a lot of our time, can be places which become a spiritual home. What do you do that lifts […]

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Thought of the Day

Be the Light

I’ve been working on something for the holiday club at St Johns this week. While I was searching my files I found this clip I made for a school assembly. Carry on making the world a better place!

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Arts Thought of the Day

The Ruthwell Cross

Have you been to visit the high cross at Ruthwell yet? It is one of several crosses which were raised in the area between Whithorn and Bamburgh at the hight of Anglian power. This cross is particularly famous because it has words from a poem called “The Dream of the Rood” engraved on it. The […]