John Bell presenting at First Metropolitan and Christ Church Cathedral

Imagination as a Spiritual Resource
Oct 10, 2012, 7:00 to 9:00 pm
First†Metropolitan United Church Sanctuary, Quadra at Balmoral

Ancient (Celtic) Gifts for These Times
Oct 11, 2012, 9:00 to 11:30 am
Christ Church Cathedral, Quadra at Rockland

John Bell, ordained minister in the Church of Scotland, noted composer, author and occasional broadcaster, is returning to Victoria for two sessions, co-sponsored by First†Metropolitan United Church and Christ Church Cathedral. A member of the Iona Community, he lives in Glasgow and is known for his contributions to a renaissance of Celtic Christianity through his music and his seminars across denominations in Europe, North America, Australasis and more recently, in South Africa. He travels extensively delivering approaches to prayer, worship and work at the grass roots level based on the teachings of Iona and Celtic Christianity but also grounded in contemporary language and social justice. His long list of hymns and anthems are sung in churches around the world. He and the work he shares with his colleagues has been honoured by the Royal School of Church Music, the Hymn Society in the Us and Canada, and the University of Glasgow, which bestowed on him an honourary Doctorate.

In his Oct 10 presentation at First†Metropolitan, Bell proposes that  the imagination, sometimes regarded as a bogus gift of the Holy Spirit,  is one of the means by which God communicates with us and we may be expected to respond, in our personal devotions and public witness.

In his presentation at Christ Church Cathedral the following morning, John Bell takes aspects of the ancient Celtic tradition, minus some of the contemporary romantic accretions and asks whether in their language of prayer, affection for creation, relationship to scripture, we have much to learn from those who went before us.

Tickets: $20 per event, or $30 for both when purchased in advance, $30 for one event, or $50 for both when purchased at the door. Tickets available in September from First†Metropolitan United Church, 932 Balmoral Rd, Victoria (phone 250-388-5188)  either online (below) or at the church office or from Christ Church Cathedral, 930 Burdett Ave, Victoria (phone 250-383-2714).

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