Creativity & Love
Leaders: Simon John Barlow & Jane Blackall
Leaders: Simon John Barlow & Jane Blackall
The heart of beloved community is love - love of self; each other; humanity; nature; what we each name God. Many religious traditions share the concept that God Is Love and that the Creation of the Universe was love in action. Emerging from the idea that Love is the potential energy of the Holy Spirit to act in the world, we aim to offer you the opportunity to explore your feelings, experiences and beliefs about Love in its myriad aspects, using creativity as our focus.
Simon John and Jane bringing thoughtfulness, experience and skill to the theme Creativity and Love.
"Summer School has been very important to me over the last six years, both in terms of the personal happiness it has brought me, and the sense of belonging in the Unitarian community that it has created. I have become gradually more involved in the organisation of Summer School, initially by helping to run the silent auction and various craft activities, then by co-leading an engagement group in 2004, and joining the steering group after being approached to do so last year. I was thrilled (and simultaneously terrified) to be invited to co-lead a morning workshop with Simon John this time around. It has been a wonderful experience to let our ideas evolve over the course of the year, and to experiment with all sorts of creative activities along the way, before all the hard work came to fruition at the sessions in Hucklow this August. I hope those who took part in the group found it enjoyable and worthwhile too." (Jane)
Throughout the week, as members worked on creating a Pillow Book, they were asked to consider topics around the workshop theme under the headings: Naming, Pondering, Memory, What I love about... This encouraged members to think creatively and enter their private thoughts into their own Pillow Book.
Just a few examples:
Naming:
A book I love
People I feel loved by
What I no longer love
Poems I love
Things/activities I love doing
Things that make my heart beat faster
Music I love
Pondering:
On sustaining, deepening and/or growing love
On hearing and/or saying "I love you"
On the boundary between liking and loving
On my favourite metaphor for love
Memory:
Of being read to
Of falling in love
Of when I allowed love to change me
Of experiencing the Love of God
Of an outing with a friend
Of being with a lover (The Beloved)
What I love about:
A specific plant
Life
Me
Things made of paper
A specific person
A specific creature
"Summer School is a unique blend of fun and fellowship. Long standing friends to catch up with and new friends to make. This year there were workshops and afternoon activities to cater for all tastes. The theme talks each morning by Cal Courtney on "The Beloved Community" were excellent and the workshop I chose was greatly enjoyed.
Added to this sing songs, circle dancing, epilogues in the Chapel, evenings in the Queen Anne and happy hour - who needs more? The whole week was one long happy hour and I recommend that everyone should do the Hucklow experience. It will enrich their lives." (Sonya)
Margaret & Sheena concentrate as they make a Love Rosary consisting of three sets of five beads considering The Joyful Mysteries, The Sorrowful Mysteries and The Glorious Mysteries within their own lives.
Simon John showing Sheena how to create a piece of felt to be made into a purse in which to keep her
Love Rosary and other tokens of love.
Rebecca, Dan and Caroline creating their felts.
"Walking into the workshop to find group members silently working on the felt as they moved rhythmically around the table placing carefully each small piece of wool to create the felt was a powerful experience which symbolised the whole of Summer School with its theme of 'Building Beloved Community' as well as this specific workshop of 'Creativity and Love'. The group were in the process of realising a religious model which I had for so long carried in my mind but had been unable to express. Words were and are inadequate to convey my gratitude to this small community as they gifted the felt to me which will not only serve as a reminder of a wonderful week spent together but also serve as a guide to meditation and prayer now and in the future." (Joan)