Ministry since 1972

-- 53rd Weekend -- an intergenerational experience of learning, worship, music and fellowship held annually at Huron University College, London

2008 theme speaker: John Bell

John Bell is an ordained minister of the Church of Scotland and a Member of the Iona Community. After a period in the Netherlands and two posts in church youth work, he became employed full time in the areas of music and worship with the Wild Goose Resource Group. He is a past convenor of the Church of Scotland’s Panel on Worship and presently convenes the Committee revising the Church Hymnary.

In 1999 he was honoured by the Presbyterian Church of Canada and the Royal School of Church Music which bestowed a Fellowship on him, and in 2002 he was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Glasgow.

John has produced (some in collaboration with Graham Maule), many collections of original hymns and songs and two collections of songs of the World Church. These are published by the Iona Community in Scotland and by G.I.A. Publications (Chicago) in N. America. He is an occasional broadcaster, lectures in theological colleges in Britain and U.S., but is primarily concerned with the renewal of congregational worship at grass roots level.

• Dates for 2008: May 30 - June 1
• The 2008 brochure and registration form is available.
• Contact the Registrar, Alison Boyd, at 519-884-8841 (Waterloo) if you have any questions or would like more information about 53rd Weekend.

• 2007, Theme speaker: Archbishop Andrew Hutchison, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada, June 1 to 3. Read the 2007 brochure (.pdf file)
• 2006, Theme speaker: John Bowen. (2006 pictures)
• 2005, Theme speaker: Linnea Good. (2005 pictures)
• 2004, Theme speaker: Valerie Tutson, storyteller.
• 2003, Theme speaker: Bishop Bill Hockin, Bishop of Fredericton
• 2002, Theme speaker: Marva Dawn. Saturday concert: Rev. Mark Curtis. Pictures from 2002
• 2001, Theme speaker: The Reverend Joseph Russell, church educator, liturgist, and conference leader in the Episcopal Church in the US. Saturday concert: Circle of Friends. Pictures from 2001.
• 2000, Theme speaker: Archbishop David Crawley, from the Diocese of Kootenay. Musical resource: Debbie Lou Ludolf
• 1999, Theme speaker: Rt. Rev. James Cruickshank, Bishop of Cariboo diocese in British Columbia

Diocese of Huron home page

updated February 8, 2008 by aamsmith @ fes.uwaterloo.ca (remove spaces around "@" when emailing)