Co-sponsors: the Thomas Merton Society of Canada and St. Andrew's United Church, North Vancouver
Location: St Andrew's United Church, St George's Avenue and 10th Street in North Vancouver; participation by donation—all welcome
Please register for the Saturday events through the TMSC in order to facilitate hospitality and workshop planning. Contact Susan Cowan, TMSC Communications Director, at 604-988-8835
For further program information:
Judith Hardcastle - 604-985-0408
Don Grayston - 604-709-0883
Our launching event …
Friday, October 18, 7 - 9 pm
Angus Stuart: “Poetry and Jazz: a parable of the soul.”
Poetry – poesis - is about creation and creativity; Jazz is about spontaneous improvized musical conversation. Poetry and Jazz have long been natural partners in articulating and explicating the inner mysteries of the soul. In this evening’s presentation, we'll be exploring the interrelations between raw sound and spoken word, and the spirit from which they flow.
Saturday, October 19, 10 am - 4 pm
9:30am Hospitality
10am Gathering, with body prayer
Two options:
(1) Introduction to the labyrinth (Susan Du Moulin)
The labyrinth is an ancient contemplative tool and universal symbol of transformation, with a capacity to connect us with ourselves and with the Divine. In this workshop, we will be invited to walk the classical seven- circuit labyrinth, also known as the Cretan labyrinth.
(2) Introduction to Lectio divina (Don Grayston)
Lectio divina (“divine or sacred reading”) is an ancient family of practices for the meditative and affective reading of scripture. One reading is usually read two or three times, with silences between the readings, so that practitioners can go deeper into the reading each time.
12noon Lunch
1 – 2:45pm Same two options as in the morning
3 - 4pm Ecumenical Contemplative Eucharist with lectio divina
Resource persons in October
Angus Stuart is rector of St Francis-in-the-Wood Anglican Church, West Vancouver. He is also a performing artist with his one-man dramatization of the Gospel of Mark, "Testament of a Naked Man.”
Susan Du Moulin is a Designated United Church Lay Minister, and chaplain to United Church students at the Vancouver School of Theology.
She also has a private counselling and spiritual guidance practice and has co-facilitated Centerpoint Spiritual Pilgrimage Contemplative Wisdom Circles for the past 17 years.
Don Grayston is an Anglican priest and a spiritual director. A former director of the Institute for the Humanities at SFU, he was for two years president of the International Thomas Merton Society.
Future gatherings …
2013 - Nov 15-16
2014 - second weekend of each month January-May:
Jan 10-11, Feb 7-8, Mar 7-8, Apr 11-12; May TBA