Title: Psst!.....Look who’s talking?
‘Psst!’ says the voice, catching our attention. Curious, we turn to see where it’s coming from, but it keeps on moving, just on the edges of our awareness. Who does the voice belong to? What would we hear if we stopped long enough to pay attention? What might unfold if we did? And what might change?
Hearing voices – it’s something we associate with madness – or mysticism. But hearing voices – particularly those that people discount, discard, dismiss or disown – is central to the work of pastor, social worker, politician, counsellor, priest, spiritual director or social activist. Not all voices are easy to hear, though, and we have to give conscious attention to the quiet ones, the off-centre ones, the ones that unsettle us, the ones that we suppress – both in others and within ourselves. And then there’s that still, small voice which keeps on saying ‘Psst!’ just when we thought we’d got everything sorted…
The 2010 Continuing the Journey conference invites you to stop for a week and look to see who’s talking…
Meet the Speakers: our practice to invite four speakers to come to our theme from different perspectives: theological/biblical, social/pastoral, spirituality, psychology or therapy. Our speakers this year are Bill Bazely, John Bell, Isabel Clarke and Margaret Silf
Bill Bazely is a Mental Health Chaplain and an Anglican minister. He much prefers listening to speaking and encourages people, organisations and communities to spend more time listening to each other and to themselves. In recent years he has tried to share his conviction that spirituality is a vital component of good mental health. Part of his work focuses on reducing stigma by enabling dialogue between and within the NHS, the Church and the Community; on challenging taboos and prejudices associated with mental health issues; on promoting respect for the spiritual needs of the person, whether ‘professional’ or ‘patient’ or both. He prioritises pastoral and spiritual care and counselling in his chaplaincy work. His wife and present hobbies of photography and tending an allotment plot help to keep him as sane as he thinks he can be in a mad world.
John Bell is a native of Kilmarnock, who lives in Glasgow where he studied Arts and Theology. After spells of voluntary work in London and Amsterdam, and engagements in student politics, he was ordained by the Church of Scotland. For ten years he worked in youth ministry with his colleague, Graham Maule, before transferring to concentrate on music and worship. He lectures, preaches and conducts seminars across the denominations in Europe, North America, Australasia, and more recently, in Southern Africa. He is a hymn writer, author and occasional broadcaster on national radio and television, but retains a primary passion for congregational song.
Isabel Clarke is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, currently employed as Psychological Therapies Lead in a new NHS Acute Inpatient Unit (Woodhaven, New Forest). She has a particular interest in the psychology of spirituality, and in her most recent book, 'Madness, Mystery and the Survival of God' ( O Books, 2008), she brings together the themes of the persistence of religion and spirituality in a secular age, and the experience of otherness, whether reported by mystics or those diagnosed with psychosis. Over the last 10 years, she has published, organised conferences and given talks in the area of psychosis and spirituality as well as on CBT for severe mental health problems and on therapy in inpatient settings. Details of her publications and activities can be found on her web site:www.isabelclarke.org
Margaret Silf is an ecumenical lay Christian, committed to working across and beyond the denominational divides. For most of her working life she was employed in the computer industry and left paid employment in 2000 to devote herself to writing and accompanying others on their spiritual journey, especially through retreats and days of reflection. She is the author of a number of books on the spiritual journey for 21st century pilgrims who may or may not identify with institutional religion, and a regular columnist with “America” magazine.
Date: 3rd-7th May 2010
Cost: full rate £440, early bookers £390 (by 31st october)
booking forms coming soon