Articles - Miscellaneous

SPRING HARVEST 2005

Spring Harvest is an annual Christian conference held for weeklong periods over Easter at Butlin resorts in Minehead and Skegness. The aim of the conference is to help 'equip the church for action'. I went to Skegness with my sister and a party from her church. Here are a few things of the things that inspired me there.

The theme of the week was the book of Daniel. Daniel was taken by force from Jerusalem to live in exile in Babylon. The link was made that as Christians we are all living 'in exile' too as we live in post-Christendom culture, with our voice now being one of many, not the accepted norm. Much of the teaching during the week was about how to live out our faith in recognition of this situation, using the faith of Daniel to inspire us. God used the apparently disastrous time to work powerfully and creatively, using his people to reveal His mysteries and change society.
I went to an art workshop every day with my sister. We had a wonderful time learning to paint what we felt God was saying to us. No artistic brilliance was required and all ages had a really fruitful time using paint to help hear God better.

In the evenings there are a variety of worship styles to choose between. I went to a creative style that used a lot of ideas that we have also used at St Edmunds, such as using poetry meditatively and writing messages to God. In addition, the artist who ran our workshop was painting at the front during the service and invited others to join him. It was wonderful to watch beautiful images gradually appearing. We also had ten minutes of 'community time' near the beginning where everyone was encouraged to bring drinks to share with those around them.

I felt a bit weather-beaten, literally and metaphorically, during the week with much to challenge and inspire me. I can highly recommend Spring Harvest. It has all sorts for all ages and abilities. Next year there are a choice of seven weeks at the two sites between 1st - 23rd April. Check it out on www.springharvest.org.

Anne Jones

25 April, 2005