other
sites to visit:
Damaris
for
the latest reviews of films, TV, books and music - explore spiritual
and moral issues in general - and the Christian faith in particular
Ship
of fools
for
a web-based, 3-D church where people can worship, pray and talk
about issues of faith
The Gospel and
Our Culture Network
resources
for mission to Western culture |
There are
groups in:
Nottingham
Leicester
Birmingham
To join one, get
in touch, giving your email address and the group you're
interested in. We'll return dates and venues of the next discussion meetings. |
set up your own group
if you can't find
a group near you, why not set up your own?
The format we've
found best is an all day meeting, usually on a Saturday, from 10am
until around 4pm.
keep it small
The best size for
meetings has been around 8 - 10 people. This encourages dialogue and
friendly exchange of ideas. |
focus
Court Oak Gospel
& Culture Forum has grown out of meetings held between friends to
discuss how their life and work relates to their Christian faith.
The aim is to find
out how our Christian faith can illuminate and enrich our
professional lives, and how in turn our faith can have an impact in
our professions and the culture in which we live and work |
The
subject matter for the meetings arises naturally from the
members' work and interests.Typical
topics for discussion have included:
Genetics
Environmental responsibility
Medical ethics
English literature studies
Education
Music
Books: e.g. Rowan Williams' "Lost Icons"
Astrophysics |
At each meeting, a
member with an expertise in the subject chats for a while about
certain issues, or may share other people's books or articles. |
The group then
discuss the issues raised, and examine them in the light of their
Christian faith. |
a suggested framework
In advance,
choose two
topics, one for the morning and one for the afternoon.
circulate
any relevant paperwork or suggestions for reading
On the day
start with
coffee, catch up with news and introductions |
one person
introduces the topic, followed by discussion
break for a
leisurely lunch around 1pm (this can be bring and share or the host
can provide a simple meal). Allow time for chatting
one person
introduces the second topic, followed by discussion
finish with
suggestions for next meeting and set the date if not already agreed. |
|
"The
Christian Tradition in English Literature"
for
students, teachers and all who care about literature - a series of
essays exploring the Christian background and implications of literature
Due
for publication in 2006 by Zondervan
_______________
meeting ground
rules
everyone should
be listened to with respect, even if we disagree
no-one should
be offended if others disagree; the idea of the meeting is that all
ideas can be discussed
Different
theological viewpoints are not a bad thing! |