Bard Fest Begins on Feast of Patron Saint of Poetry, Healing and Abundant life – St Brigid of Ireland

Bard School Festival February 2011 : The Heart Sees!

Our Bard Fest each year has been slowly growing.. It’s aim is to become a subtantial programme from 1st Feb to 14th Feb, which covers the Feast Day of the Patron Saint of Poetry, Candlemas, Our Lady of Lourdes,(Bard School Foundation Day) and of course Valentines Day.

The idea is that YOU can all try this at home, putting on your own events by your very own hearth… as St Brigid is also the great Saint of Hospitality and the Hearth. One of her symbols is a Perpetual Fire!

But here are some of the prayer, poetry and creativity events arranged so far – do come because they will all be beautiful, joyful, inspiring and most of all sacramental; which means that their roots are deep in the Waters of Life that flow from the side of the Temple ie from the Heart of Christ.

3rd Feb – Candlemas and prayer with Jesus Christ Fullness of Life prayer goup at Farm Street, Church of the Immaculate conception. This is the day we traditionally bring our art to the temple to be blessed. Please come to this beautiful church and to the prayer vigil which is always stunningly prepared by Peter and a really contemplative and deep encounter with God. Complete with reflective poetry and original Celtic song. Bring friends and bring yourself. You absolutely won’t regret it.

5th Feb – – Justin’s Literary Lunch with poetry and food

Literary Lunch

On saturday 5th February
1230pm till 3pm

At the charming Italian Cafe,
Terre di Sud,
42 Lavender Hill
London
SW11 5RL

To reserve a place or ask for more information please email me at harperharmer@aol.co.uk
Or phone 07950882824
Or 02072288471

Buffet lunch and wine / juice priced at £10 and the opportunity to share some homegrown work with likeminded folk – hopefully there will be live music too and feel free to contribute to that as well: bring a guitar and or/music or other instruments.

Bring cameras and videos. We will adjourn to the local pub The Elephant on the Hill afterwards, probably from about 3pm.

137 or 452 from sloane square
137 or 345 from clapham common
77 or 87 or 156 from clapham junction
77 or 87 or 156 from vauxhall

Parking easy nearby. Terre di sud is on the corner of Ashley Crescent and Lavender Hill.

Babysitting can be arranged.

Justin Harmer

5th Feb – – Sarah Fordham’s poetry workshop on JPII’s poetry and Karolina Stolarska’s new Workshop on the Sacred Romance – both at Sarah Fordham’s gorgeous fairy tale cottage in Peckham Rye.

The day starts at 10am – with tea/coffee introduction.

The Sacred Romance – workshop : 11am-1pm (lead by me 🙂

Chesterton said “Romance is the deepest thing in life, romance is deeper even than reality” – and this is what our faith promises us -journey full of beauty, truth, excitement, intimacy, adventure and meaning – and the re-assurance that we are both coming home and heading towards our ultimate goal.

Sometimes – through disappointment or the distraction and disconnection of our lives it seems that the Storyteller’s plot is incomprehensible– or, He is somehow absent, and the sense of his guidance and presence in our lives faded.
Using inspiration from John Eldredge and Brent Curtis’ book “The Sacred Romance” which draws on theology and literature these workshops will be looking to re-link the (true) story of Creation, Fall and Redemption – a story “big enough to live in” with the minutae and milestones of our individual lives to make sense of them and God’s manifestation within them.
The session will involve engaging with imagination and art expression to find “ a way of seeing that reveals life for the romantic journey it really is” and to re-discover our roles and identities and that of the divine Author.
He invites us to ask, to knock, to find out :
“Could it be that our lives actually make sense, every part – the good and the bad?”. John Eldredge.
Afternoon Workshop : 2pm-4pm. The Place Within – Poetry of John Paul II – lead by Sarah Fordham. http://karolwojtylapoetry.blogspot.com/

It was the soon to be beatified John Paul II that first enabled me to see how the truths of faith could be integrated with authentic human experience – its sloughs & transports and this was through art – the art of his poetry. As Christian artists we are called to awaken all sources of truth within us – feel, live, think, contemplate and through our art make sense of apparent dissonance and fragmentation – thus piecing back together the reality of the Triune God that persists and sustains our individual lives and that of the world.

This promises to be a brilliant and re-vivifying intro to JP II’s work and how it can inspire yours – fascinating and fun (as those Bards who participated in Sarah F’s Oct 09 workshop can attest!) – invaluable for Bards who want to follow our Patron’s inspiration!

PRACTICAL INFO :

10am-4pm
PLEASE EMAIL rozakinga@live.co.uk or call 07508020822 TO LET US KNOW YOU’D LIKE TO COME – the cottage (though magical) has limited capacity! We’ll let you know address/arrange to meet you at Peckham Rye station.
Please bring some food to share for lunch.
Please bring blank notebooks/journals to start collecting clues & inspirations about your individual journey! Plus any non-liquid (!) art materials (markers, pastels, pencils). Basic paper and selection of materials including collage provided.

12th Feb Sr Sheila Gosney and Alice Robertson doing an art and prayer workshop in Wapping called Beyond the Door.
Day of Prayer and Creativity

You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows Ps. 23:5

with Sr. Sheila Gosney rjm
‘Beyond the Door’

Saturday 12th February 2011
11am – 4.30 pm
Old St Patrick’s School, Dundee Street
Wapping E1W 2PH

There will be Mass at 10 am—all Welcome!

Come and join us in day of spirituality and creativity
opening doors on our spiritual journey through art and prayer.
Please bring something for a shared lunch. Coffee and tea provided.

Contact Alice Robertson for bookings:
alicerobertson@hotmail.com / Tel: 07714 200 505

Do post any other events you are organising – even if it’s just inviting people to a film at home, or a gallery exhibition you don’t want people to miss.

I really recommend the film The King’s Speech.

Any other ideas?

Happy Feast Day and Happy Bard Fest!
More to come for the Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes..

much love
Sarah