53rd Weekend 2002

Choose your elective from these exciting options:

From a Potter's Hand
Learn basic pottery techniques. Seek the sacred in yourself and your world through this ancient craft. Create personal memories of the weekend. Led by potter Mary Lee. Materials fee $20

Drama - a Doorway to the Bible
Use storytelling and role-playing to flesh out the humanity of biblical characters. Explore the theology of your favourite bible passage. Bring a 2000 year old story to the present through dramatic interpretation.
Facilitated by Peter Mansell a career artsie and drama teacher

His Embrace - The Touch of Christ
Unpack, relax, and lay-back. Dare to risk, bring your baggage and learn how to travel light. Explore the opportunities for new directions and new relationships, a relationship with a God that loves you and wants to be a part of your life. Come and experience the love and embrace of our Saviour through prayer, stories, music, videos and discussion.
Offered by Paul Innes, Church of the Epiphany, Kingsville and Bill Jones, St. John's Sandwich

Bringing the Bible to Broadway
Delve into the world of Andrew Lloyd Weber (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Whistle Down the Wind) and Stephen Schwartz (Godspell). Learn the techniques of singing for Broadway. Put together basic combinations of movement and acting. Become part of the creative process of putting musical numbers together starting from scratch with music, choreography and staging. No previous singing, acting or dancing experience required, all ages welcome.
Presented by Kirsten Fielding, Markus Howard and Thomas Castaldo all living in musical theatre!

Cultivating the Habit of Holy Listening
How do we perceive God's presence and guidance? Explore various approaches, including: Reflecting on Scripture, Journalling, Meditation, Music and poetry, Spiritual friends. This elective is intended for those whose prayer life is beginning to broaden.
Led by Marilyn Malton, Director of the Renison Institute of Ministry, Waterloo and Rev. Maryann Sommerville, Chaplain, Women's College Hospital, Toronto

Everyday is a Lord's Day (Sabbath) in Islam
Better understand the religion of Islam through teaching and discussion. Three Abrahamic Monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. How do they complement one another? Jesus, the son of Mary, in the Quran? Explore the 5 pillars of Islam. We welcome Mohammad Yassine, Chair, The Association of London Muslims, to 53rd Weekend to enable this timely elective.

Sacred Movement - A Response to Life.
This elective is for everyone who wants to dance with the Creator. Explore the many ways we can respond and move to enrich our worship with embodied prayer. * Visions of a dancing church. Who me? * Dancing in community - including native and Israeli circle dances. * Movement with Taize chants, storytelling and witness * Creative and healing movement - Exploring spiritual depths. * Processional movement &special celebrations. Come in comfortable clothing for ease of movement. No previous experience required to enjoy this elective.
Facilitated by Rev Gaye Whippey, Parish priest, Chaplain and Certified dance teacher

Nurturing Body, Mind & Spirit
Understand our ability to heal body, mind and spirit and create a greater awareness of the power of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. Explore how therapeutic touch can soothe and relax the body and uplift the spirit. Learn to use meditation to nurture the body. Investigate what biblical herbs are still available and being used today. Use your own gifts of the spirit to enrich your life and the community you live in. Sessions will be informative, easy to absorb and most of all, fun.
Ann Rayner, owner of Folkstone Natural Foods, Exeter, working with Dorothy Chapman, a retired nurse, Mildred Northcott and Micheal Rayner, who has studied herbs for over 10 years. Together they have taught people these skills and encouraged healthy living.

Now You're Talking!
Use this elective to openly discuss the events and challenges that face you in your everyday Christian life. The topics are yours to choose based on what is important to you! Bring an open mind and prepare to join the conversation, share your opinions and enjoy the fellowship.
Father Jawn Kolohan, Parish of the Bruce Peninsula, facilitates the discussion.

Marriage Preparation
Couples will investigate how open communication, sharing, similar values and mutual respect are key ingredients to making any marriage work. The diocese requires clergy to ensure that couples planning a marriage understand their wedding is more than guest lists and napkin colours. The elective will assess relationship strength and growth areas and is designed specifically to encourage and enhance couple communication. This marriage prep opportunity fulfils this requirement using 'Enrich Canada' materials to explore the many aspects of a successful, lifetime partnership.
Skilfully enabled by Rev. Dr. Peter Baldwin, St. Luke's, Cambridge and Suzanne Baldwin. Registration required before April 1 to allow participants to complete a preliminary profile.

Sacred Circle
Native Ministries and the newly formed "Ad Hawk" Synod committee invite you to participate in exciting dialogue through a Sacred Circle experience, in an effort to build a new partnership for the people of Huron. A Sacred Circle includes all of the seven grandfather teachings: Respect, Love, Wisdom, Bravery/ Courage, Honesty, Humility and Truth. The "Ad Hawk" committee was created from a motion at Huron's fall Synod.

Facing the Change - A Time for Clergy
Clergy are invited to spend Saturday with Dr. Marva Dawn in 2 elective sessions designed just for you! Marva will meet you to discuss: 1. Navigating beyond today's worship wars and developing effective worship practices that are truly God centred. 2. Biblical suggestions for deepening the worship life and practices of every congregation 3. Clergy are often pulled to and fro by modern cultural influences. Recover a pure, biblical vision of your pastoral call. Share in the wonderful insights that Marva has to offer based on her experiences, writing and studies. A fee of $30.00 includes all programming and meals on Saturday May 4. A bargain for the opportunity to join the 53rd Weekend, work with Marva Dawn and still be in the parish on Sunday!

Just for Kidz
Indoor and outdoor games, arts & crafts, origami, drama, music and snacks will facilitate learning through doing! Our public school aged children will be busy in this elective which will gather during the theme speakers addresses and elective time. Lisa Boate, educator and former Huron Church Camp camper, counsellor and program manager, will be joined by special guests to offer this fantastic program.

Whassup? Living as a Christian Youth in Today's World
This is an elective designed and run by youth, for youth, with our unique needs in mind. Interaction with other youth, open discussion and pizza will be plentiful! We'll explore questions and situations that affect us as Christians caught in an overwhelming world. Help us foster an understanding of our rightful place in the church and in the community. Enabled by Chris Johnson and Andrea Morrison, both former 53rd Musicians involved in youth ministry.

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