The Parish of

Berkswich

Books, Films and Spirituality

These groups meet on Tuesday evenings at St Thomas Church, Walton. The programme for the remainder of 2008 is shown below. It has now been decided that we will continue to run the three groups next year.

Attending the groups.

All these groups are organised on an individual basis. There is no expectation that people need to attend every session in order to participate. For example you might like to read just one of the books and attend the appropriate evening when it is discussed. On the other hand you might feel that you want to make a commitment to attend all the Spirituality sessions. Alternatively, you might want to pick and mix from the sessions on offer. All of these are perfectly acceptable.

The Book Group

The Book Group meets bimonthly on the second Tuesday of each month. The purpose of the group is to meet and discuss a book which has been read by those attending. The books are selected to raise issues that are related to faith.  The hope is that the group will then discuss the book and the surrounding issues in order to help us grow in the faith.

The books for the remainder of 2008 are:

September 9^th -The Life of Pi by Yann Martell

November 11^th – Northern Lights by Philip Pulman

If you would like to order either or both of these books please sign the list which will be available in each Church nearer the time, or contact the Parish Office.

The Film Group

The Film Group meets on the intervening months to the Book Group, again on the second Tuesday of each month. The Format is similar. Participants will watch a film and then have a chance to discuss its purpose and meaning.

The films planned planned for the remainder of 2008 are:

12^th August – The Matrix

14^th October –  Evan Almighty

9^th December – Atonement.

The Spirituality Group.

Spirituality is a very hard subject to define. It is very hard to say what it is and what it does. Through the meetings it is hoped that those who attend will experience something of the huge breadth of the Christian spiritual tradition. The Spirituality Group will meet on the third Tuesday of each month also in St Thomas’ Church.

The themes planned for the rest of 2008 are:

19^th August – Spirituality of Music (leader: Andrew Baker)

16^th September – Spirituality of the Psalms (leader: The Rt Revd Dr Gordon Mursell)

21^st October – Franciscan Spirituality  (leader: Brother Anselm)

18^th November – Spirituality of Literature (leader: Jane Gledhill)

16^th December – No Group

20th January 2009 - Symbolism of the Eucharist (leader: The Revd Joy Bishop)