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So it's finally booked - the peace church en masse weekend away, 2008.

Venue
Stokes Barn
Newtown House Farm
Much Wenlock
Shropshire
TF13 6PP

More details on the Peace Church Weekend Away 2008 event page.

Several of us met up for the first 'evening conversation' on (re-)reading the Bible last Sunday evening. A fabulous conversation, in my opinion, very thoughtful and a nice gentle way of getting our thoughts, anxieties, aspirations etc 'out there'.

Well, the next evening conversation is almost upon us - tomorrow evening, Thursday 31 January, 8.30pm, at our place. I know it's a tad of a late start for a 'school night', but there you go, some of us have got responsibilities with children first of all. Let me know if you're coming and I'll get the kettle on.

The subject this time around will take us along these roads …

• Re-Reading the Bible (2)
  • What is this text?
    • What kind of text is the Bible?
    • What should we bear in mind in approaching it?
    • The world 'behind the text' - history, authors and context
    • The world 'within the text' - editors, narrative and argumentation
    • The world 'in front of the text' - readers and responses
  • Reading, interpreting and community
    • What happens to us as we read?
    • What influences the way we read?
    • How can we read 'in community'?

Hope that whets some appetites for a fun and stimulating evening.

So here's our New Year offering. Sarah and I are going to host a series of evening conversations on (re-)reading the Bible and all that that might mean, imply, demand, unsettle, rouse in us. Our emphasis is really on conversation, talking together about the subject at hand.

At the moment I'm anticipating eight evenings of discussion, the first being next Sunday evening, 20th January, from 8.30pm. I'm anticipating them being about every 2 weeks (and not always on Sunday evenings) for as long as we've got something more to unpack and explore.

If you're interested to this point, here's the skinny …

The next UK Census will be in 2011. It might be run by an American arms manufacturer. Maybe that's not a good thing.

The Green Party have put together a video explaining the potential significance of the UK government putting the running of the 2011 census out to contract by private companies.

Is this the most important thing you've watched this week...?

This weekend in Birmingham is the first weekend of the new year of Workshop, the course for 'inclusive Christian learning in today’s diverse world.'

The first weekend is called Spirituality - living under an open heaven, and the great news is there's still time to book up!

This is what the weekend is going to look at …

I've been thinking about having an en masse weekend away in Summer 2008 for anyone anywhere who's connected up with the notion of peace church somehow - a weekend for people from all over to get together and say hello to other people in other places who're similarly walking their faith journey off the beaten track. I've talked the idea with several people here in Brum and had a generally positive response, so now it's time to ask the question to others...

Fancy meeting up with other people who're connecting with peace church in some way? Up for a weekend camping in the country somewhere, playing frisbee, barbequing anything that doesn't move quick enough? Would you be interested in coming along?

A couple of years ago we here in Birmingham had a weekend away together in the Wyre Forest. It was a great weekend, but we didn't manage to do it again either last year or this.

21 September is designated by the UN as International Peace Day. Have a look at www.peacechurch.org.uk/blog/joe/060921 and www.peaceoneday.org for more info on the day itself.

Back by popular demand (from Phoebe), we're going on our 4th pilgrimage walk to Hailes Abbey, near Cheltenham, this Sunday, 15 July 2007.

We did this pilgrimage walk before, back on 12 November 2006, but of course it was out of season and Hailes Abbey was closed. Phoebe asked if we could go back when it was open, so that's exactly what we're doing this Sunday.

Anyone is welcome to join us!