After the last few years it may well have taken a bit of a battering! Maybe you are struggling with anxiety, depression, anger, grief or stress or maybe you are supporting someone dealing with these issues…
They are all very normal emotions; so please know that you are not alone!
Why not consider joining a 6 week wellbeing programme being run by St Michael’s Church, Stoke Gifford? It’s called Kintsugi Hope and is based on the belief that there can be treasure found in the scars of life.
Each week, in a small, safe and supportive group, we will look at subjects rarely talked about in-depth such as : Honesty, anxiety, depression, perfectionism, shame and anger.
The aim of this shared journey is to gain support, understanding and tools that will enable us to become more resilient.
Kintsugi groups are suitable both for people of faith and for those with none. This particular course is for Men only.
We are pleased to let you know that we will be hosting a Parenting for Faith course this Autumn. The course is on Monday evenings in St Michael’s Centre. It starts on 25 September and runs for 8 sessions (except Monday 23 October). We will be meeting at 7.45pm with the course content starting at 8.00pm with a 9.00pm finish.
The Parenting for Faith course is for suitable for anyone who wants to help children and teens meet and know God – parents, carers, grandparents, godparents, extended family as well as children’s and youth leaders who would like to find out more about how to help the children in your life to meet and know God. Throughout the eight weeks of this online course, you will be equipped with key tools to help you do just that as part of your everyday life.
The course will be run on Zoom, so you will have the choice to either gather in person and watch together at St Michael’s Centre or have the Zoom link and join from home. During the course, you’ll break out into a St Michael’s discussion group where Iain Nash, our Children and Families Minister will provide you with everything you need so there will be nothing to prepare in advance.
Click Here to book or contact Iain Nash for more information.
We’re delighted to be running The Marriage Course.
The Marriage Course is for couples who are seeking to strengthen their relationship. Some couples do the course to intentionally invest in their relationship, others are looking to address more specific challenges. Either way, the course offers essential tools and practical ideas to help you build a relationship that lasts a lifetime. The Marriage Course is based on Christian principles but designed for all couples with or without a church background
The course takes place in St Michael’s Centre, starting with a meal, and will be on Tuesday evenings starting 12 September for 8 sessions.
There is a £15 charge (per couple) for course materials, and there will be an opportunity to donate towards the cost of food and drink. Please get in touch if cost is a prohibitive factor for you.
What can we expect?
1. Eat together
Each session begins with couples eating together. This gives guests a chance to unwind and connect before the session’s episode. It also helps to create the atmosphere of a date.
2. Watch episode
The episodes are around 45 minutes in length, with breaks for conversations. Each episode explores a different topic through real experiences, expert insights, and relevant teaching.
3. Talk privately
Providing space for couples to have private, intimate conversations is a must for every course. It helps enable couples to engage openly and honestly throughout the session.
Another popular day course on Mindfulness and Christian Spirituality with Revd Tim Stead
We are delighted to welcome Tim back for another Saturday workshop.
These workshops are a great opportunity to stop, reflect, learn, and develop tools that help us ‘practise the present moment’ and ‘practise the presence of God’.
We need these skills more and more in our hyper-distracted, 24/7 digital age!
Whether you are seasoned in mindfulness or want to find out more – there will be something for you in this workshop,
Intentions for the day:
– Explore how mindfulness practice can engage with and support the spiritual journey with particular reference to the Christian contemplative tradition – Serve as a quiet day where participants go away feeling they have had space for deep reflection. – Share ways that mindfulness could be taken forward for those who choose to.
There will be regular breaks throughout the day. Tea and coffee will be provided. Please bring a packed lunch with you.
Course leader Tim Stead is an accredited mindfulness teacher who trained with the Oxford Mindfulness Centre. He was a Church of England vicar for 23 years and now operates as a freelance mindfulness teacher, teaching eight week courses and leading retreats and quiet days. His books, Mindfulness and Christian Spirituality and See, Love, Be – mindfulness and the spiritual life are published by SPCK. He has also published a Grove Booklet: Mindfulness and prayer. www.timsteadmindfulness.org
What people have said about these workshops:
“I now I have the practical tools to spend time with God in silence on my own – these tools and practices have actually changed my prayer life!”
“It’s so good to explore the links between current learning in mindfulness practice and Christian Spirituality – I didn’t realise there were so many’.
“These workshops have taught me to appreciate the present moment more and more and notice God working in my life in the small things and the big.’
“I could listen to Tim for ages – he’s such a good communicator”.
Spaces are limited. Book early to avoid disappointment
We welcome all recent arrivals to the UK to join us on the Hong Kong Welcome Course running at St Michael’s Centre from Sunday 19 February to Sunday 26 March.
Each week we will eat together at 1pm and then run through the course from 1:45pm, finishing by 3pm.
We invite people to bring their friends and relatives to join the course as well – it is for people of all faiths and of none.
Please register here to join the course so we can plan for the food and the activities.
For more information please talk with James Wong, Elsa Ma or Chris & Lucy Reveley.
Join the Kintsugi Hope team and explore together how we can elevate our understanding of mental health, eradicate the stigma against mental health issues by naming our position, and encourage a compassionate response through gentle presence.
The day is suitable for small group leaders, pastoral workers, lay leaders and anyone involved in caring or support roles in their church. This training will help you to:
• Understand our emotions and explore a robust theology of mental health
• Understand the Mental Health Continuum
• Explore how the church can help eradicate stigma
• Gain an overview of mental health conditions and how the church can respond
• Encourage compassion and a gentle presence in our churches and communities
