The Elephant in the Room -climate cafes

Research suggests that a majority of young people experience some degree of anxiety knowing what the science says about climate heating and the effects over the next century. We have a sense that many of us are not really finding places we can talk about it. So to try and address that, we’re trying to make space for some Elephant-in-the-Room conversations to at least begin to happen.

So, we’re planning to have some drop-in events in cafes around City Campus when you can come along and get your own climate-related worries off your chest and hear others who share similar concerns. We hope that doing this will help us to find a sense of not being alone with it. We should say that it’s not counselling, just a chance to share and unburden a bit.

Dates, times and venues  -including online.

Currently it’s looking like the following would be the dates and times. Venues listed here -if you wish to have an invitation to the Teams events, email andii.bowsher at northumbria.ac.uk to be added to the invitation list.

Monday 1 Nov, 14:00h Café Central

Tuesday 2, 11am, Teams

Wed’sday 3rd 10:30am, Café Central

Thursday 4th 13:30h  CCE1 cafe

Mo 8th 14:30h CCE1 cafe

Tu 9th 9am Teams

We 10th 10am Café Central

Th 11th  12:30 WJ406

Mo 15th 10:30 Café Central

Tu 16th 11:15 CCE1 Café

We 17th 15:00 Café Central

When you get to the physical cafe, look out for the signs on and by a table in the cafe and come along, join in the conversation or help to start it … If you’re attending an online cafe, please mute your mic when you enter.

Some mutual respect considerations …

So that the conversation can be as useful as possible to those who come along, we ask you to be prepared to hear what others have to say respectfully and let them finish what they have to say. Please don’t feel you have to share if you are uncomfortable about it. Do try to be helpful and encouraging to others as they share. We hope that you will speak honestly and openly and so we ask you to respect others by not sharing other people’s stuff outside of the Elephant-in-the-room conversation.

 

Finding Calm at Coach Lane Campus

KeepCalmCarryOn

If you want to learn a bit of mindfulness or would simply appreciate being able to be part of a group of people relaxing meditatively together, come along.

Sessions of around 35 mins.

Very simple led meditation with mindfulness research informing the leading.

You will find yourself much calmer and relaxed at the end.

What we do in these sessions you can do for yourself once you’ve got the hang of it.

Sessions differ from one another as we cycle through a handful of different meditative techniques. All welcome: content should be accessible to people of different life-stances, beliefs or spiritualities.

There are three sessions planned:

Tuesday 26 May 1210hrs, A109.

Thursday 28 May 1210hrs, A109.

Thursday 4 June 1310hrs, A109.

More Calm coming your way …

Half way through the term and many thoughts turn to de-stressing and carrying on. Help is at hand:

KeepCalmCarryOnsee below the dates for the next bunch of Learn Calm and Carry On sessions, during March, starting next week. Do also feel free to pass these on to people you think might value it.

As per normal, each session strives to be accessible to people of a variety of backgrounds and beliefs. Mindful of research into meditative practices, relaxation, and mental health and well-being

dates and times, all at 13hrs10 in WJ 408.

Tue 03/03/2015

Mon 09/03/2015

Mon 23/03/2015

Tue 24/03/2015

Thu 26/03/2015

Paying our respects to the Angel of the North.

800px-Angel_of_the_north_through_treesCome with us to visit this iconic symbol of the North East, great for photos, great view and great to be able to say “I’ve been there”. No time in the region would be complete without visiting. We’re also going to enjoy (free) tea and cakes on the way back with the Bishop of Jarrow at his home near the Angel.

It’s happening on Sunday afternoon, 5 Oct. Response is needed (sv.chaplaincy@northumbria.ac.uk) if you would like to come with us so we can bake enough cakes!

Bring money for your return bus fare(£5 should cover it) and meet in front of the Student Union so we can leave the university at 1:30pm from there we’ll go to the bus to take us to the Angel. If you are living at Trinity Square accommodation in Gateshead, you can meet at reception between 1.35 and 1.45 with Jim Craig (our Gateshead chaplain) to go over to the bus station ready to meet up with those coming from Newcastle. Please let us know if you want to do that so Jim can know who to wait for.Angel of North close

Learn Calm and Carry On -the next few sessions

he next round of Learn Calm and Carry on. Starting next week

September & October:

Mo 22 Sep 12.15 WJ408

Tu 23 Sep 12.15 WJ408

Mo 29 Sep 12.15 WJ408

Th 2 Oct 12.15 WJ408

Mo 6 Oct 13.15 WJ408

Tu 7 Oct 13.15 WJ408

Tu 14 Oct 13.15 WJ408

Th 16 Oct 13.15 WJ408

Wynne Jones 408, City Campus.

As usual, it strives to be accessible to people of a variety of backgrounds and beliefs. Mindful of research into meditative practices, relaxation, and mental health and well-being

Learn Calm and Carry On -January and February 2014

Learn Calm and Carry On resumes on 6 March. LCCO gives you a chance to learn by experience meditation for wellness. Whatever your background and beliefs you should find it accessible. The sessions are constructed mindful of research into meditative practices, relaxation, and mental health and well-being.
 In March:

Thursday 6 12.10pm

Monday 10, 1.10pm

Tuesday 18, 1.10pm

Monday 24, 1.10pm

In April

Tuesday 1, 12.10pm

Thursday 10, 12.10pm

 

All in Wynne Jones, rm.408.
Sessions last around 35 mins.

Christ and Capital

Presentation and discussion by Revd Professor Michael Taylor.

Christ & Capital details

Michael Taylor began his working life as a Baptist minister in North Shields.  He taught theology and ethics in the University of Manchester before becoming Director of Christian Aid from 1985 – 97. Following that he worked with the World Bank and international faith leaders on development, and subsequently on a government funded research programme, based on the University of Birmingham but with projects in Nigeria and Tanzania, looking into the role of religions in development.  He is now Emeritus Professor of Social Theology in Birmingham, and busy writing about the ecumenical debate about Capitalism.

Professor Michael Taylor
Tuesday 18 March, 6.30pm (Building 17 on this map)
City Campus East CCE1-007
Contact: sv.chaplaincy@northumbria.ac.uk  to reserve a place

Celtic Advent -and a calendar for it

What is ‘Celtic Advent’? The Celtic church in the British Isles, before the Church traditions based on Roman usage became the norm, used to have a forty-day Advent (taking the model of Lent as a season of preparation). Given that  Advent in the West nowadays seems to have been largely sucked into Christmas, some people are informally treating the Celtic Advent as a way of preparing for Christmas -it gives a couple of weeks at least of relatively quiet reflection before the rush and celebratory tone that now characterises December starts to pick up. The Eastern Orthodox churches still have a forty-day preparation period for Christmas (for them on 6th January) which they call ‘Little Lent’. Seasons of preparation are marked by a reflective feel, self-examination and often some degree of abstinence or fasting.

 The Celtic-Advent Calendar (See below). The idea of this Advent calendar is to have a little something to do each day which relates to spiritual growth. Sundays are not included in the suggestions as going to church might be considered enough for the day!  It is possible that some days, the suggestion for a deed is not practical for you. For that purpose, some ‘spare ideas’ have been included at the end as possible substitutes. It is always possible, too, to swap activities around different days and for this purpose the first day (Fri Nov 15th) has as its activity previewing the suggestions on the calendar to plan and if necessary swap in other ideas. A number of saints’ and commemoration days during the period are marked and the activity of that day is related to the saint or theme of the day.

Why go to Epiphany? The intention of the church’s year is that Christmas is a twelve-day feast period not just one day and that it ends with the Feast of the Epiphany on 6 January. So in honour of that this calendar goes all the way through.

The calendar is below. You are welcome to ‘borrow’ it to use it: just copy and paste. Please do give an aknowledgment to Andii Bowsher and this website.

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
Wait for   it … Wait for   it … Nearly there …  get   ready … 15 NOV

Look over   this calendar to plan and diary responses as needed (note at the end in the   undated slots are some other ideas in case the ones for particular days   aren’t practical for you.

16 Visit   a spot of beauty or wonder near your home. Breathe in the air, take time to   savour  something of the spot. 17

2nd   Sunday before Advent

18 Give   thanks for at least one thing you enjoy about your work. 19 St   Hilda

-was a   woman leader in the British church. Choose a woman church leader today to be   thankful and to pray for.

20 Choose   one colleague to be the recipient of a random act of kindness (if possible,   anonymously). 21 .   Listen to and appreciate a favourite piece of  music and give thanks for   it. 22 CS   Lewis day: Read a passage from one of CS Lewis’s books.

Check out the different dates to see different passages here:

23 Let a   loved one know that you appreciate them /are thinking of them today. 24

Sunday   before Advent. Feast of Christ the King

25 Isaac   Watts

-Watts   was a hymn-writer. Look up his hymns and choose a verse to sing or mull over   during the day.

26   Reasons to be cheerful -make a list of things in your life that are cheering. 27.   Choose an image of a favourite work of art and spend time with it:    perhaps compose a prayer inspired by it. 28 Take a   short walk round the university grounds today: notice beautiful and   interesting things to appreciate. 29 Day of   thanks and prayer for missionary work: Choose an organisation you   consider to be doing God’s work and pray and give thanks for them. 30 St   Andrew: Choose a person you consider to be doing God’s work and pray and give   thanks for them. 1DEC

Advent   Sunday

2 Degree   Congregations today.

Find a   degree course you know little or nothing about and find out what it involves.   Perhaps pray for those who learn and teach it.

3 Degree   Congregations today. Be kind to someone who looks fraught or in need of help   today -staff, student or visitor. 4 John of   Damascus -was the first Arabic-writing theologian and  the first    Christian recorded to dialogue publically with Muslims.

Reach out   to a Muslim in his honour.

5   Nicholas Ferrar -founder of the Little Gidding community. Pray for a   Christian intentional community you know of. 6 St   Nicholas Day. St Nicholas is reputed to have bestowed gifts anonymously. Give   a gift or do a favour for someone today unbeknownst. 7 Ambrose   of Milan – was elected pope while still a lay-person and ordained in quick   succession to fulfil his calling. Pray for those preparing for church   leadership, especially any you know personally. Perhaps send them a note to   tell them you prayed for them. 8

Advent 2

9 Take   someone for a coffee or tea today -especially if you don’t know them very   well yet. 10 Uni   Carol Service. -plan to be there: 6pm St Nicholas Cathedral, Newcastle. 11 Ember   Day -traditionally a day to pray for people to discern vocations (needn’t be   just for ordination) … 12 Find   something little and usually -overlooked to notice and appreciate. 13 St   Lucy -In much of Europe, St Lucy’s day is a festival  with candles and   torches.  Take a walk to consciously enjoy Christmas lights today. 14 St   John of the Cross -a mystic poet. Find or rediscover a spiritual poem to read   and appreciate today. 15 Advent   3
16 Change   one thing in your daily routines today, notice how it feels or be aware of   what you notice because of the change. 17   Traditionally in the last few days of Advent, Titles of Christ theme the   worship of each day.

 

Today ‘O   Sapientia’ -Wisdom. Communicate appreciation to someone who has shown wisdom.

18   “Lord”  (Is.33:22)

 

plan how   to go about something you find challenging as a Christian. Can you be SMART   with it?

19   “Key of David”

 

List the   keys that you hold (home, work, leisure, church …?) and the types (metal,   smart cards, codes, PINs …). How might each help you to understand something   about Christ?

20   “Root of Jesse” Is.11:10.

 

Who are   your ancestors in the faith?

What do   you appreciate about them?

What do   you find difficult about them and why?

21   “Morning Star” Is.9:23. If the sky is clear this morning, see what   stars you can see around dawn and admire them.

 

The joint   Universities’ Christmas campaign period starts: pray for students for whom   the Christmas period might be problematic.

22 Advent   4
23   “King of Nations”. Consider some world leaders to pray for: try to   think of some less well-known ones. 24   “Emmanuel” (God is with us); make a list of things that have helped   you this year to appreciate that God is with you. 25 Feast of the Nativity of Christ: enjoy! 26 St   Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Find out about one situation where   Christians still face martyrdom … 27 St   John the Gospel-writer. Write out by hand one passage from John’s gospel.   Notice what you learned or paid attention to differently. 28 Holy   Innocents -the infants Herod massacred. Find an organisation that works   against genocide and give some support in prayer and/or effort. 29

Christmas   1

30 Identify   at least one thing to ‘declutter’ from your life/home. 31 Auld   acquaintance: spend some time making contact with or tracing a former   acquaintance… 1 JAN New   year’s day. The Naming of Jesus.  Do something today involving the name   of Jesus. E.g. sing a song, write an acrostic, find out how it’s spelt/said in   other languages … 2 Do   something today that is new to you; even if it’s only a little thing 3 Take   stock of causes you support. Should you make any changes of level of support,   kinds of support or of what you support this year? 4 identify   at least one thing you’d like to do differently next Christmas and make plans   for it and put a reminder in your diary. 5

Christmas   2

6 Epiphany

Go to   Chaplaincy Communion 0830 or 1210, WJ 408

  Spare idea 1 –   -smile at a stranger today. Enjoy Spare idea 2 –   Change your route to or from work and notice what you discover. Spare idea 3 –   send /do something to encourage someone who is struggling. Spare idea 4 –   re/search ‘spiritual disciplines’ make a shortlist to choose one from to try   next Lent.

 

 

 

Paying our respects to the Angel of the North.

 

Visit this iconic symbol of the North East, great for photos, great view and great to be able to say “I’ve been there”. No time in the region would be complete without visiting.
It’s happening on Sunday afternoon, 6 Oct. Response needed (sv.chaplaincy@northumbria.ac.uk) if you would like to come with us so we can bake enough cakes! … Because we’re also going to enjoy (free) tea and cakes on the way back with the Bishop of Jarrow at his home near the Angel.

Bring money for your return bus fare(£5 should cover it) and meet in front of the Student Union so we can leave the university at 1:30pm from there we’ll go to the bus to take us to the Angel.

See here to learn a bit more about this well-loved public art work.

800px-Angel_of_the_north_through_trees