Between: dawn

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Tuesday, 23 June 2026

Artlyst: The Sun and The Moon Saatchi Gallery A Sublime Experience

My latest exhibition review for Artlyst is on ‘The Sun and The Moon: Art Inspired by the Celestial’ at Saatchi Gallery:

"With artefacts relating to ancient mythologies and early cosmologies progressing through to works of contemporary art and popular culture, the exhibition explores the profound influence these celestial bodies continue to have on human imagination. As such, the show brings together contemporary artworks, rare objects, and large-scale immersive installations across nine gallery spaces on two floors, with a huge number of artists’ works included.

With such a wide range of artists and media, there is no way of categorising the diversity of work other than by content. Therefore, the exhibition unfolds as a journey through a complete 24-hour cycle, moving from dawn through daylight, into the depths of the night. Each chapter of this sequence – Dawn, The Sun Rising, Zenith, Setting Sun, Evening, Midnight and Darkest Hours – features a large central work surrounded by a selection of paintings, sculpture, fashion items, textiles, photographs, films and/or installations."

My other pieces for Artlyst are:

Interviews -

Monthly diary articles -

Articles/Reviews -

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Talk Talk - April 5th.

Tuesday, 6 April 2021

Music and HeartEdge

HeartEdge is programming some excellent sessions on music over the next few weeks:

Living God's Future Now conversation - Maggi Dawn
Register for a Zoom invite at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/living-gods-future-now-conversation-maggi-dawn-tickets-146404655265.

At 6.00 pm (GMT) on Thursday 8 April 2021, Sam Wells and Maggi Dawn will be in conversation to discuss how to improvise on the kingdom.

The Rev’d Professor Maggi Dawn is Principal, St Mary’s College, Durham University and Professor of Theology, Department of Theology and Religion.

Maggi’s first career was in the music industry as a songwriter, guitarist and singer. She recorded five albums under her own name, and was a session player in numerous other bands.

Maggi studied Theology at the University of Cambridge in the 1990s, where her PhD research explored S. T. Coleridge’s theological language. Her ongoing research interests are the role of voice and form in the creation of theological meaning, and the role of the arts in theology and liturgy.

She began her career in academia as college Chaplain and teaching fellow at the University of Cambridge. She has five books in publication, one of which was quoted in Parliament in 2012 to launch a Private Members Bill. Before coming to Durham she spent eight years as Associate Dean, and Associate Professor of Theology and Literature, at Yale Divinity School and the Institute of Sacred Music.

In the shadow of your wings: Musical Bible study on the Psalms -

Thursday 15 April, 4.30 pm (BST).

Register for a Zoom invite at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-the-shadow-of-your-wings-tickets-145553260721.

A unique ecumenical event that combines three new musical interpretations of Psalm 57 with small-group discussion.

An Interactive Online Event Presented by Deus Ex Musica in which participants watch pre-recorded live performances of three brand-new vocal settings of a beloved psalm, each of which has been set to music by a composer representing a different Christian tradition.

This workshop will look at three settings of Psalm 57. After viewing each set of performances, participants engage in moderated small-group discussions. Since the psalm is set to music by more than one composer, participants hear how different musical responses to the same text bring to life various dimensions of each psalm. This provides a unique and memorable way for participants to experience the depth and beauty of Scripture in ways that promote both learning and discipleship. It also provides a rare opportunity for Christians of all stripes to gather in fellowship and dialogue about something we all agree on: the power and importance of the Bible.

No musical experience or expertise is required by any participants.

Deus Ex Musica is an ecumenical organization comprised of musicians, educators, and pastors, and scholars, that promotes the use of sacred music as a resource for learning and spiritual growth. www.deus-ex-musica.com.

Jesus Is Just Alright

For over fifty years, pop musicians in all genres have explored the meaning and significance of Jesus in their music. The result is a rich collection of songs that consider important spiritual questions like faith, doubt, and prayer in unique and often provocative ways. Through a combination of listening and discussion, this four-part series invites participants to explore a different spiritual topic each week. Join us to listen to great music that asks tough questions about our faith and our lives as Christians.

Fridays in June 2021, 16:30 BST. Register for a Zoom invite at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/jesus-is-just-alright-tickets-145857685263.

SESSION 1: Beer With Jesus

Cowboy, soldier, friend, mother, gangsta: Jesus has appeared in all these guises – and many more – in pop songs over the past 50 years. By exploring what these different incarnations say about the ways modern Christians have imagined Jesus, this session will challenge us to consider how our own assumptions affect the way we relate to him. Do they help us to follow him – or are they a hindrance? And do we fall into the trap of recreating Jesus in our own image?

SESSION 2: Would Jesus Wear a Rolex?

What would Jesus think if he came back today? That’s a question posed by artists working in genres as diverse as folk, hip-hop, punk, country, and heavy metal. Though written by non-Christians, most of these songs have no problem with Jesus, but instead with his followers, accusing them of sins including hypocrisy, judgmentalism, intolerance, and greed. Listening to these “prophetic” songs will challenge participants to consider how they can better follow Christ in their own lives and as representatives of the Church.

SESSION 3: Jesus, Forgive Me for the Things I’m About to Do

Pop songs are full of prayers. But rather than relying on familiar words, musicians lift their voices to Jesus in ways that are often highly personal and heartbreakingly honest. This session explores what we can learn about prayer – and faith – from the pleas and tears of a wide variety of artists. What to do they pray for? Why and how? How do we see ourselves in these songs, and how might it affect the way we think about prayer?

SESSION 4: If I Believe You

Pop songs include some of the most honest and powerful examples of spiritual searching that you can find. Whether they are doubting believers, faithful doubters, unwilling atheists, or simple humans hungering for meaning, pop musicians bring to life approaches to faith that rival the psalms in their depth and nuance. This session will use these songs to help us understand and articulate the various ways we consider “belief”, and how that relates to our identities as modern Christians.

With Delvyn Case, a composer, conductor, scholar, performer, concert producer, and educator.

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Deus Ex Musica - Psalm 57.

Living God's Future Now - w/c 4 April 2021

'Living God’s Future Now’ is our mini online festival of theology, ideas and practice.

We’ve developed this in response to the pandemic and our changing world. The church is changing too, and - as we improvise and experiment - we can learn and support each other.

This is 'Living God’s Future Now’ - talks, workshops and discussion - hosted by HeartEdge. Created to equip, encourage and energise churches - from leaders to volunteers and enquirers - at the heart and on the edge.

The focal event in ‘Living God’s Future Now’ is a monthly conversation where Sam Wells explores what it means to improvise on God’s kingdom with a leading theologian or practitioner.

The online programme includes:

Regular weekly workshops: Biblical Studies (Mondays - fortnightly), Sermon Preparation (Tuesdays) and Community of Practitioners (Wednesdays)
One-off workshops on topics relevant to lockdown such as ‘Growing online communities’ and ‘Grief, Loss & Remembering’
Monthly HeartEdge dialogue featuring Sam Wells in conversation with a noted theologian or practitioner

W/c 4 April 2021

*** Please note there is no Sermon Preparation workshop this week ***

Wednesday

Community of Practitioners - Wednesday 7 April at 4pm (GMT)

Church leaders (lay and ordained) from the UK and across the globe join in community, share and reflect together on their recent experiences in the form of wonderings and book discussions. We look forward to seeing you whether this is your first time or whether you have been part of the community for a while. Email jonathan.evens@smitf.org for details if you haven't joined before.

Thursday

Living God's Future Now Conversation - Sam Wells and Maggi Dawn - Thursday 8 April at 6pm (GMT)

Revd Dr Sam Wells explores what it means to improvise on God’s kingdom with Revd Professor Maggi Dawn - Principal, St Mary’s College, Durham University and Professor of Theology, Department of Theology and Religion. Please register here https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/living-gods-future-now-conversation-maggi-dawn-tickets-146404655265.

Forthcoming highlights

Biblical Studies: Monday 12 April, 19:30-21:00 (GMT), Zoom meeting. Join Simon Woodman on two Monday evenings each month for a Biblical Studies class: a lecture followed by discussion, with handouts, looking at the Gospels and Acts. Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrcOmgrTgsHt2ceY7LepLhQYqQxS1G1ix9. Lecture 07 – Matthew.

In the shadow of your wings: Musical Bible study on the Psalms – Thursday 15 April, 4.30 pm (BST), zoom - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-the-shadow-of-your-wings-tickets-145553260721. A unique ecumenical event that combines three new musical interpretations of Psalm 57 with small-group discussion. An interactive online event presented by Deus Ex Musica in which participants watch pre-recorded live performances of three brand-new vocal settings of a beloved psalm, each of which has been set to music by a composer representing a different Christian tradition.

Why should the church care about Housing? Around 90% of churches have engaged in some way with meeting needs around food poverty; in contrast, less than 20% have engaged with local housing need and, where they have, such engagement has tended to focus on emergency and crisis intervention to support those who are homeless, rather than approaches which seek to prevent homelessness occurring. Conscious that 8m people are living in substandard, overcrowded or unaffordable accommodation across the country, the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Commission on Housing, Church and Community has called for this to be a major element of the church’s mission in coming years and are encouraging a culture change that sees engaging with housing need as a creative and natural way to engage with our local communities. In advance of a HeartEdge webinar exploring ways in which all churches can get involved in housing need locally and the theological basis for doing so, The Rt Revd Dr Graham Tomlin, Bishop of Kensington, has written an article for HeartEdge explaining why the Church should care about housing. Read the article at https://www.heartedge.org/main/news/post/463-why-should-the-church-care-about-housing and register for the webinar, to be held on Monday 26 April, at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/why-the-church-should-care-about-housing-tickets-146911208379.

Wizards, Muggle Crust and the Human Purpose of Business: Thu, 22 April 2021, 19:00 – 20:30 BST. Register for a Zoom invite at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wizards-muggle-crust-and-the-human-purpose-of-business-tickets-146820156039. In our lifetimes the purpose of business is being reformed. The idea that this was, exclusively, to make shareholders wealthier is dying (slowly). In relation to the climate emergency, boardrooms have the language (eg net zero) but need more action. But on the human and social side purpose of business our language is lacking (argues Douglas Board). After Grenfell and similar events we react with outrage: but what can guide us beforehand, capturing the positives of commerce as well as its problems? A thinker and writer on leadership and a coach, Douglas will draw on his book ‘Elites: can you rise to the top without losing your soul?’ to propose that the human purpose of business is to create places (organisations, systems, communities) of extraordinary achievement in which ordinary lives matter. In this HeartEdge workshop Douglas will explore these issues with Jo Hill, Monisha Shah, Professor David Grayson CBE, Richard Goold and Revd Dr Sam Wells.

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Victoria Williams - You R Loved.

Wednesday, 31 March 2021

Living God's Future Now - April 2021

'Living God’s Future Now’ is our mini online festival of theology, ideas and practice.

We’ve developed this in response to the pandemic and our changing world. The church is changing too, and - as we improvise and experiment - we can learn and support each other.

This is 'Living God’s Future Now’ - talks, workshops and discussion - hosted by HeartEdge. Created to equip, encourage and energise churches - from leaders to volunteers and enquirers - at the heart and on the edge.

The focal event in ‘Living God’s Future Now’ is a monthly conversation where Sam Wells explores what it means to improvise on God’s kingdom with a leading theologian or practitioner.

The online programme includes:

Regular weekly workshops: Biblical Studies (Mondays fortnightly), Sermon Preparation (Tuesdays) and Community of Practitioners (Wednesdays)
One-off workshops on topics relevant to lockdown such as ‘Growing online communities’ and ‘Grief, Loss & Remembering’
Monthly HeartEdge dialogue featuring Sam Wells in conversation with a noted theologian or practitioner

Find earlier Living God’s Future Now sessions at https://www.facebook.com/pg/theHeartEdge/videos/?ref=page_internal.

Regular – Weekly or Fortnightly

Tuesdays: Sermon Preparation Workshop, 16:30 (GMT), livestreamed at https://www.facebook.com/theHeartEdge/. Please note there will be no Sermon Preparation workshop on Tuesday 6 April.

Wednesdays: Community of Practitioners workshop, 16:30 (GMT), Zoom meeting. Email jonathan.evens@smitf.org to register.

Fortnightly on Mondays: Biblical Studies class, 19:30-21:00 (GMT), Zoom meeting. Register in advance: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMrcOmgrTgsHt2ceY7LepLhQYqQxS1G1ix9. 2021 dates - Gospels & Acts:

12 Apr: Lecture 07 Matthew
26 Apr: Lecture 08 Matthew

April

Stations of the Cross: Thursday 1 April 2021, 16:00 – 17:30 BST. Register for a Zoom invite at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/stations-of-the-cross-tickets-147886712137. Monuments to the Future, Global, 2021, is an exhibition that uses art and reflection to explore the way in which, for people of all faiths and none, the Stations of the Cross speak into issues of injustice. The exhibition takes viewers on a virtual journey around the world. Each station responds to a monument or memorial, reflecting a tumultuous year in which fresh memorials sprung up to grieve the dead and historic monuments to prejudice were toppled and dismantled. In this workshop Revd Dr Catriona Laing, Dr Aaron Rosen and guest artists featured in the exhibition will reflect on the relevance of the Stations of the Cross, the way in which they speak into issues of injustice and the virtues of the physical experience of the first four years versus this year’s online experience. Revd Dr Catriona Laing’s call to the priesthood was influenced by her desire to join those building the Kingdom of God with the poor and marginalized. Her academic interests, which stem from a childhood spent in the Middle East, are in the area of Muslim Christian relations and specifically the role of prayer in deepening inter-faith relations. Before coming to Brussels, she worked in parishes in London and Washington D.C.. In addition to serving St Martha & St Mary’s Anglican Church Leuven, Catriona is Associate Chaplain at Holy Trinity with a particular remit to encourage the chaplaincy’s social justice ministry. Dr. Aaron Rosen is Professor of Religion & Visual Culture and Director of the Henry Luce III Center for the Arts & Religion at Wesley Theological Seminary. As director of the Luce Center, he overseas research, teaching, and outreach, as well as exhibitions at the seminary's Dadian Gallery. He is also Visiting Professor at King’s College London, where he was previously Senior Lecturer in Sacred Traditions & the Arts and Deputy Director of the Center for the Arts and the Sacred.

Living God's Future Now conversation - Maggi Dawn: Thursday 8 April, 18:00 – 19:00 BST. Register for a Zoom invite at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/living-gods-future-now-conversation-maggi-dawn-tickets-146404655265. ‘Living God’s Future Now’ describes a series of online seminars, discussions and presentations hosted by HeartEdge. They are designed to equip, encourage and energise church leaders, laypeople and enquirers alike, in areas such as preaching, growing a church, shifting online, deepening spirituality in a congregation and responding to social need. The focal event in 'Living God's future now' is a monthly conversation in which Sam Wells explores what it means to improvise on God’s kingdom with a leading theologian or practitioner. Earlier conversations were with Walter Brueggemann, John McKnight, Chine McDonald, +Rachel Treweek, Stanley Hauerwas, Barbara Brown Taylor, Kelly Brown Douglas, Steve Chalke, Presiding Bishop Michael Curry, Sarah Coakley, and Jonathan Tran. At 6.00 pm (GMT) on Thursday 8 April 2021, Sam Wells and Maggi Dawn will be in conversation to discuss how to improvise on the kingdom. The Rev’d Professor Maggi Dawn is Principal, St Mary’s College, Durham University and Professor of Theology, Department of Theology and Religion. Maggi’s first career was in the music industry as a songwriter, guitarist and singer. She recorded five albums under her own name, and was a session player in numerous other bands. Maggi studied Theology at the University of Cambridge in the 1990s, where her PhD research explored S. T. Coleridge’s theological language. Her ongoing research interests are the role of voice and form in the creation of theological meaning, and the role of the arts in theology and liturgy. She began her career in academia as college Chaplain and teaching fellow at the University of Cambridge. She has five books in publication, one of which was quoted in Parliament in 2012 to launch a Private Members Bill. Before coming to Durham she spent eight years as Associate Dean, and Associate Professor of Theology and Literature, at Yale Divinity School and the Institute of Sacred Music.

In the shadow of your wings: Musical Bible study on the Psalms – Thursday 15 April, 4.30 pm (BST), zoom - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/in-the-shadow-of-your-wings-tickets-145553260721. A unique ecumenical event that combines three new musical interpretations of Psalm 57 with small-group discussion. An interactive online event Presented by Deus Ex Musica in which participants watch pre-recorded live performances of three brand-new vocal settings of a beloved psalm, each of which has been set to music by a composer representing a different Christian tradition. This workshop will look at three settings of Psalm 57. After viewing each set of performances, participants engage in moderated small-group discussions. Since each psalm is set to music by more than one composer, participants hear how different musical responses to the same text bring to life various dimensions of each psalm. This provides a unique and memorable way for participants to experience the depth and beauty of Scripture in ways that promote both learning and discipleship. It also provides a rare opportunity for Christians of all stripes to gather in fellowship and dialogue about something we all agree on: the power and importance of the Bible. No musical experience or expertise is required by any participants. Deus Ex Musica is an ecumenical organization comprised of musicians, educators, and pastors, and scholars, that promotes the use of sacred music as a resource for learning and spiritual growth. www.deus-ex-musica.com. Info and headshots about each composer may be found here. https://www.deus-ex-musica.com/isw-boston-2019.

St Martin-in-the-Fields and HeartEdge Theology Reading Group: Sunday 18 April, 18:00 (BST), zoom - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/st-martin-in-the-fields-and-heartedge-theology-reading-group-tickets-136190231649. Explore and discuss Dante’s The Divine Comedy with Revd Dr Sam Wells, St-Martin-in-the-Fields congregation and HeartEdge partners. Join this journey through Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The greatest single work of Western literature???

Building for the Future: A Zoom conference, for all interested parties, to consider strategies for churches and church buildings – Monday 19 April, 15:00 – 16:30 (BST). Some of the questions that many churches have been wrestling with during the pandemic have concerned the implications for the way in which our buildings play a part, for better or for worse, in God’s mission and in local communities and neighbourhoods. The URC Buildings Forum has existed for several years with a focus on these questions and this online conference is intended to be the first of a series that will focus on different aspects of exploring the use of our buildings and capital assets. The General Secretary, John Bradbury, will give a keynote address to guide our thinking about the purposeful and creative use of our premises; the HeartEdge movement, begun by St Martin-in-the-Fields, will share a little about the ways in which they can support you in the use of your buildings, and there will be at least one story of a creative idea that is being put into practice. It will also be an opportunity for conversation in breakout rooms and importantly will be a listening exercise to hear the questions that you have, the challenges that particular churches face and hopefully something of positive ideas and news. This will assist us in planning further conferences. This online event is open to everyone, whether or not you’ve been part of the Forum previously. The meeting will be recorded in speaker view so only those providing input will be recorded. To register please email mission@urc.org.uk with ‘Building for the Future’ in the subject line, by April 16th. Along with your name and email address, please tell us which church you belong to or are representing, if appropriate. Login details will be sent a few days before the meeting.

Wizards, Muggle Crust and the Human Purpose of Business – Thursday 22 April, 19:00 (BST), zoom - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wizards-muggle-crust-and-the-human-purpose-of-business-tickets-146820156039. In our lifetimes the purpose of business is being reformed. The idea that this was, exclusively, to make shareholders wealthier is dying (slowly). In relation to the climate emergency, boardrooms have the language (eg net zero) but need more action. But on the human and social side purpose of business our language is lacking (argues Douglas Board). After Grenfell and similar events we react with outrage: but what can guide us beforehand, capturing the positives of commerce as well as its problems? A thinker and writer on leadership and a coach, Douglas will draw on his book ‘Elites: can you rise to the top without losing your soul?’ to propose that the human purpose of business is to create places (organisations, systems, communities) of extraordinary achievement in which ordinary lives matter. With: Jo Hill, a regulatory director and member of the Gambling Commission; Monisha Shah, a media professional whose current appointments include the Committee on Standards in Public Life; Professor David Grayson CBE, an international thought leader and campaigner on responsible business; Richard Goold, CEO of organisation consultancy Wondrous; and Rev Dr Sam Wells, Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields.

Theology Group: Sunday, 25 April 2021, 18:00 – 19:00 BST, zoom - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/theology-group-tickets-146164063649. The St Martin-in-the-Fields and HeartEdge Theology Group provides a monthly opportunity to reflect theologically on issues of today and questions of forever with Sam Wells. Each month Sam responds to questions from a member of the congregation of St Martin-in-the-Fields who also chairs the session and encourages your comments and questions.

Back in the Building, Still Online! Monday 26 April, 14:00 – 15:30 BST, zoom - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/back-in-the-building-still-online-tickets-148637251019. How can we keep it manageable and build community as we return to our buildings but try not to abandon our online connections? With: Eve Powers, Digital Communications Officer in the Diocese of Manchester; Bill Braviner, Parish Priest of Stockton St Peter & Elton St John, in the Diocese of Durham; Kim Lafferty, Team Vicar in Farnworth, Kearsley and Stoneclough; Cath Duce, Assistant Vicar for Partnership Development working with HeartEdge in London; and Andy Salmon, North West Coordinator for HeartEdge and Rector of Sacred Trinity Church in Salford.

HeartEdge/CEEP transatlantic conversation – Art & the Church calendar: Monday 26 April, 20:00 (GMT). See https://www.ceepnetwork.org/webinar-resources/ for more information. This webinar explores ways of engaging artists with churches/congregations using the Church calendar. What might inspire artists in engaging with the patterns that underpin the life of many churches and how might engaging with artists open up understandings of faith in new ways for congregations? Examples of the kind of projects we will explore include initiatives using the visual arts in dialogue with scripture or exhibitions/installations in particular seasons such as Advent or Lent. Fundamentally, though, this webinar seeks explore a range of ideas and approaches and to hear about the benefits both for artists and congregations. Panellists include: Janet Broderick - Rector, All Saints Beverly Hills; Beverly Hills, California; Paul-Gordon Chandler - Bishop, Diocese of Wyoming; Jackson Hole, Wyoming (moderator); Catriona Laing - Chaplain, St. Martha & St. Mary’s Anglican Church Leuven; Associate Chaplain, Holy Trinity Brussels; Brussels, Belgium; Ben Quash - Professor, Christianity and the Arts & Director, Center for Arts and the Sacred, King’s College London; Director, Visual Commentary on Scripture Project; London, United Kingdom; and Aaron Rosen - Professor, Religion and Visual Culture; Director, Henry Luce III Cener for the Arts and Religion, Wesley Theological Seminary; Co-founder, Stations of the Cross Public Art Project; Washington, D.C.

Anglicans in Europe Post-Brexit and the Pandemic: Bishops in Dialogue - Tuesday, 27 April, 14:00 (GMT), zoom - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/anglicans-in-europe-post-brexit-and-the-pandemic-bishops-in-dialogue-tickets-139455213297. Exploring issues and challenges facing the Anglican Churches in Britain and Ireland, post-Brexit and in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic, and what the Church’s role now looks like in contributing to God’s reconciling work in the world, in this new context. Alastair McKay (facilitating), Executive Director, Reconciliation Initiatives; Sam Wells, Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields; Guli Francis-Dehqani, Bishop of Chelmsford, Church of England; June Osborne, Bishop of Llandaff, Church in Wales; Andrew Swift, Bishop of Brechin, Scottish Episcopal Church; and Patricia Storey, Bishop of Meath & Kildare, Church of Ireland.

Introducing the Visual Commentary on Scripture: Thursday 29 April, 14:00 (BST), zoom - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/introducing-the-visual-commentary-on-scripture-tickets-148377347641. The Visual Commentary on Scripture, TheVCS.org, is the first online project to introduce visitors to the entirety of Christian Scripture in the company of art and artists. Celebrated with a launch event in November 2018 at Tate Modern, TheVCS.org seeks to connect the worlds of art and religion as a ground-breaking resource for scholars, educators, churches and interested readers looking for insightful, original explorations of art and the Bible. In this talk, Canon Ben Quash, the project’s director, will share some of the challenges and discoveries he has encountered so far in this ambitious undertaking. Ben Quash came to King’s College London as its first Professor of Christianity and the Arts in 2007. Prior to that, he was a Fellow of Fitzwilliam College and then of Peterhouse, Cambridge, and lecturer in the Faculty of Divinity in the University of Cambridge. He is fascinated by how the arts can renew people’s engagement with the Bible and Christian tradition, and is directing a major 7-year project to create an online Visual Commentary on Scripture. He runs an MA in Christianity and the Arts in association with the National Gallery, London, and broadcasts frequently on BBC radio. He is a Trustee of Art and Christianity Enquiry, and Canon Theologian of both Coventry and Bradford Cathedrals. His publications include Abiding: The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent Book 2013 (Bloomsbury, 2012) and Found Theology: History, Imagination and the Holy Spirit (T&T Clark, 2014), and he has written catalogue essays for exhibitions at Ben Uri Gallery, London, the Inigo Rooms in Somerset House, and the Vatican Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2015.

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Natalie Bergman - Home At Last.

Friday, 26 July 2019

HeartEdge Mailer | July 2019

HeartEdge Mailer | July 2019

HeartEdge is an international ecumenical movement.

We are churches and other organisations developing mission.

We focus on 4 areas - commercial activity, congregations, cultural engagement and compassion.
Join us! Details here.

Each month we collect and email stories, web links, news related to our focus: commercial activity, congregations, cultural engagement and compassion. Useful, inspiring, practical - it's a resource.

This month:

Maggi Dawn on diversity and worship, Lucie Shuker and Phoebe Hill on young people and belief and Bishop Michael Curry - on HeartEdge.
Helen Tomblin on comedy and Simon Sinek on the value of 'infinite games' and building trust in your team.
Marika Rose on bad Christianity and Michael Volland on entrepreneurship.
Plus - Full Cost Recovery and Sam Wells on meeting truth in the unexpected.

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Lucrezia Orsina Vizzana – O Magnum Mysterium.

Saturday, 30 June 2018

HeartEdge's June Mailer

HeartEdge is a growing international ecumenical network, passionate about nurturing Kingdom communities via four C’s - congregations, culture, commercial activity and compassion.

Each month in our Mailer we bring you inspiration, ideas and resource. If you haven't already,
you can subscribe - sign up here!

This month:

Hairdressing, community work, commissioning art and Banksy
Food coops, Big Local and the Big Welcome - resources for welcome and collective hospitality.
'Power to Change' and an Aladdin's cave of resources!
Plus John Bell on the legacy of Lizzie Lowe and going beyond inclusion, Vicky Beeching and being an inclusive church, Maggi Dawn on pilgrimage, and Walter Brueggemann on poetic imagination.

The Mailer also has information about the first HeartEdge Annual Conference 2018 - 12 & 13 September 2018: St Martin-in-the-Fields and Lambeth Palace, London.

Commerce, Compassion, Culture, Congregation are essential – in our view, it’s all church! The September two-day HeartEdge intensive includes theology, ideas, resources, plus time to linger, build connections, make plans, develop practice, find encouragement, get involved and do HeartEdge!
Programme: Including keynote speakers, workshops and panels on 'Church, Welfare and the Future', 'Start-Ups (and Keeps-Goings)', 'Digging Deeper into Mission', 'Art and the Impossible' with more to follow.

Confirmed so far: Bishop of Liverpool Paul Bayes; urban theologian Ann Morisy; Chair in Christianity and the Arts at King's College London Ben Quash; Theologian and writer Professor Anthony Reddie; activist Russell Rook; Baroness Maeve Sherlock; Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby; Vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Sam Wells; Rector of St James, Piccadilly Lucy Winkett - with more next time.
Venue: Day 1 at St Martin-in-the-Fields, day 2 at Lambeth Palace
Cost: Early Bird rate £69 (until 20th July 2018); then HeartEdge members rate - £79, non-members rate - £99. Tickets include conference programme, refreshments & lunch, plus complimentary Jazz on evening of 12th September.
Registration: Book tickets here.

For latest information email Revd Jonathan Evens here or call 020 7766 1127

Additionally, our friends at New Roots have teamed up with new HeartEdge members commission4mission to create an online artists in residence programme. The New Roots Artist in Residence will be invited to profile a number of different works on the New Roots website for a month. The first Artist in Residence is commission4mission member Valerie Dean (see/).

New Roots are keen to work with artists using different visual mediums – interested in becoming a ‘New Roots Artist in Residence’? More information here. Get in touch here.

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Sister Rosetta Tharpe - This Train.

Wednesday, 28 March 2018

HeartEdge Mailer: March 2018

Welcome to the HeartEdge Mailer for March. Loads to inspire and equip this month - including:

Portrait from Prison, plus Adam Curtis on fear of change. And face paints!
Purple Shoots in the West Country plus a social enterprise 'how to' guide
Big Lunches, Dave Andrews on compassionate community work and 'Down to Earth'
Plus John Swinton, Maggi Dawn, Inderjit Bhogal and Jess Foster!

We're defined by our four Cs - HeartEdge churches and organisations are about becoming:

Active in commerce
Engaged with culture
Nurturing congregation
Developing community

HeartEdge: Events

21 May, 7.00pm: St Martin in the Fields, London: “Who is my Neighbour? - The Global and Personal Challenge". Sam Wells chairs a panel discussion with Rabbi Shulamit Ambalu, Dr Megan Warner and Revd Richard Carter. Sam Ahmad Ziaee who will talk about his journey aged 16 from Afghanistan to the UK. Edited by Richard Carter and Sam Wells, and published by SPCK. The event is free and open to all. Copies of the book will be on sale at £10. Book here.

Thur 24 May, 2pm - 4pm: St Martin-in-the-Fields, London: HeartEdge Start:Stop Workshop. Learn about Start:Stop, the popular 10-minute work-based reflections for people on their way to work, with Revd Jonathan Evens. Session include - growing a new congregation; engaging with working people; ministering in the workplace and communicating with busy people. Book here or call 020 7766 1127. HeartEdge members - free. Non-members - £10.

24 - 27 August: Boughton House, Leicestershire, Greenbelt: Sam Wells, Vicar of HeartEdge members St Martin in the Fields will be speaking at Greenbelt Festival this August Bank-Holiday. Carol Ann Duffy, Paula Gooder and Pussy Riot also feature. Details here.

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Carol Ann Duffy - Prayer.

Friday, 26 January 2018

HeartEdge Mailer | January 2018

HeartEdge Mailer | January 2018

Our passion is growing Kingdom communities via four C’s - congregations, culture, commercial activity and compassion.

Welcome to our January de-tox Mailer. This month:

Culture: Churches as space for art and... comedy clubs
Commerce: Macaroons and cakes as social enterprise - and 'start up' hints and tips
Congregation: Looking Up with Annie Lamont, Harry and Chris on the Apocalypse, Maggie Dawn on submerging church and Barbara Glasson on diversity
Community: Craftivist and introvert activism with Sarah Corbett - and Naomi Thompson on lessons from the Sunday school movement

Plus - Lucy Winkett on rare sympathy and holding fast in turbulent times

HeartEdge is making spaces where members give from their experience and take from others – an exchange that’s inspiring and mutually useful for all. HeartEdge works with members to find solutions, share resources and connect with others developing their church and community. If you have ideas or requests for topics on which you would like to share ideas and experiences with other churches, please call 020 7766 1127 or email Jonathan.

Join HeartEdge - detail here.

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David Gascoyne - Lachrymae.

Saturday, 1 April 2017

HeartEdge Mailer 2 | April 2017

Welcome to the HeartEdge Mailer, on Facebook and hand delivered each month to your inbox.

This month: Maggie Dawn, Brian Eno, Stanley Hauerwas and Sam Wells. Plus setting up a community choir, tips for your business plans, nurturing volunteers, running church cafés and navigating change in the charity world. Plus New Members and HeartEdge events.

Join HeartEdge: More about HeartEdge and become a member here.

Keep in touch - like us on Facebook and Twitter @HeartEdge

Final Thoughts: “Making Christ Present Today…”

Round about 1860 something important in the churches started to change. People started to stop believing in hell. It was mostly on moral grounds – they ‘did the math’ and couldn’t work out how even terrible sins on earth could merit eternal roasting in hell. Ten million years, maybe: but ten million is nowhere near eternity.

That meant they needed to begin to rethink the central purpose of church. It could no longer be principally a mechanism for delivering people from the flesh of this world to the spirit of the next. It maybe had a validity of its own. And worldly existence perhaps was not simply to be spent evading the earthly realities around us; maybe it might be about celebrating creation, enjoying culture, sharing in flourishing life.

But the structures of our church have lagged behind a bit. We still take people out of the world for an intense hour or two a week to be transported to heaven and thus to be restored or fuelled or inspired to face the challenges of our lives. But our theology has moved from (mostly) screwing up our eyes to glimpse the significance of what Christ did long ago, to (increasingly) keeping alert to perceive where the Holy Spirit is making Christ present today.

HeartEdge is a network of kingdom churches – communities hearing a call to foster, embody, model and advance the gifts the Spirit brings, of forgiveness, reconciliation, healing and resurrection. We want to have the humility to learn from those who don’t call themselves church but nonetheless show Christ’s face to us, and grow by encounter with the least, the last and the lost, in whom Christ promised to be made known. We’re not trying to make the world more like us; we’re wanting to reflect the generosity, grace and glory of God – and to receive the gifts God sends us in the unexpected people who turn out to populate God’s kingdom.

Rev’d Dr Sam Wells

HeartEdge is an ecumenical network of churches initiated by St Martin-in-the-Fields.

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Late Late Service - Resurrection Day.