Reconnect Weekend Away

Date: 2010.08.24 | Category: community, worship | Response: 0

We bravely agreed some months ago to spend a weekend camping together during August. What could be better than lazing around chatting on a balmy summer’s evening in the beautiful Dorset conutryside whilst the kids played happily close by? Unless of course it rained…all the time.

Yet, what transpired was a great weekend where the adversity of the weather, collapsing tents, and a nasty sick bug that struck a couple of us, forged bonds of community that wouldn’t have occurred otherwise. On Sunday we shared communion together and read from Matthew 10 where Jesus calls this bunch of misfits together and sends them out under adverse conditions (no money, extra clothes etc). I reckon partly this was to forge community amongst them. Its as they work together towards a higher purpose, the Kingdom of God, that community is formed. I guess to some degree that’s what happened over the weekend and continues to happen as as look to build God’s Kingdom in Poole.

Big Lunch

Date: 2010.07.23 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

The Eden Project in Cornwall have since last year promoted The Big Lunch to encourage local communities to come together, enjoy lunch and build community. There is an emphasis on fun and creativity as well as the enjoyment of good locally grown and produced food. Since the creation of the community garden in the Old Town Children’s Centre we have thought about hosting a Big Lunch as a way of showcasing the garden and of course building community in this part of Poole. The Old Town First School kindly let us use their hall and 40 local people gathered to eat together. Many people commented on the great atmosphere and the mixture of food, drumming, parachute games and good conversation were immensely enjoyable.

Wild Spirit 2010

Date: 2010.07.23 | Category: Men, spirituality | Response: 0

Wild Spirit 2010 turned out to be real success. The sun shone, mainly, and 7 guys, joined by others for points of the weekend, enjoyed a weekend of fires, walking, mountain biking, sea swimming, rock climbing and spirituality in the wilds of the Purbeck hills.  The camp took place at Rempstone Farm, nr Corfe and tried to give those who attended the opportunity to come away into a quiet and beautiful place, put the responsibilities of work and family aside for a while, reflect and connect with God. Paul Bradbury, leader of Reconnect, lead morning and evening times of quiet reflection with some meditation on wilderness in the Bible. Feedback on the weekend was very positive and plans are afoot to do some Wild Spirit days once a month and another retreat in 2011.

Green Rd Park

Date: 2010.06.21 | Category: Out & About, community, mission | Response: 0

Since living in the area for nearly 2 years we have picked up the sense of frustration at the poor state for the play park in Green Rd. It is the only resource for children serving a social housing estate of some 1,000 dwellings as well as the wider community of residential streets and some of the new build projects. The park missed out on a substantial investment in play parks across the Borough, something local residents feel quite angry about.

We got in touch with Cllr Carol Evans who has also championed the cause of this park in the past. We have also been using our Out & About Sundays to good use and last Sunday we met in the park, someof us went out door-to-door and collected signatures for a petition on the issue, we then finished by having a icnic lunch in the park itself. Our hope is that we can work with local residents to get something done about it.

Community Garden Update

Date: 2010.06.21 | Category: Grow your own, community | Response: 0

Pentecost

Date: 2010.06.18 | Category: Uncategorized, worship | Response: 0

At Pentecost in May we celebrated the coming of the Holy Spirit to the first disciples and the birth of the church. Jesus once said ‘The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit’ (John 3:8). There is an old Eastern Orthodox tradition of flying kites at Pentecost as a celebration of the wind as a powerful symbol for the work of the Spirit. So we really enjoyed as part of our worship making and flying kites. As is often the here there was plenty of wind to help the kites off the ground.

Wild Spirit

Date: 2010.05.18 | Category: Men | Response: 0

Last year Paul Bradbury, leader of Reconnect, lead a pilgrimage for a small group of men over the course of a weekend. The aim was to get out into comparative wilderness of the Isle of Purbeck, be still, walk together, chat together, make fires and use the space to get in touch with God. Our hope was to be able to offer this idea more widely this year.

So we are now going to be holding Wild Spirit, as a retreat for men, whether Christian or not from Fri 2nd – Sun 4th July. The retreat will involve a two night camp at a location in the Purbecks, walking, rock climbing, story telling and some space for silence and reflection. The cost is £10 and people are expected to provide their own tent, sleeping bags etc.

If you’re interested in coming do contact Paul at paul@reconnect-poole.org.uk for more information.

Children’s Centre Community Garden

Date: 2010.05.18 | Category: Grow your own, community | Response: 0

Reconnect have been involved in a community garden at the Old Town Children’s Centre right from the start earlier this year. Clare Schmeider who works as a learning consultant for children’s centres across the borough has initiated a superb vision for developing a new resource that will enhance the childrens’ play and learning. At the same time it provides an opportunity for local people to work together and grow some fruit and veg together in an area of the town where many people have little or no garden space of their own. The space we have available to us at present is fairly limited but we have already managed to put in potatoes, beans, beetroot, carrots, peas, lettuces, mini-pumpkins and courgettes. We hope to be able to expand the amount of growing space we can use next year.

If you live in the area and you’d like to get involved do come along on the 2nd Saturday of the month 10am – 12pm – the next work session will therefore be Saturday June 12th.

Easter stuff II

Date: 2010.04.09 | Category: Uncategorized | Response: 0

Here are some pics from our Easter gatherings. A highlight possibly for everyone was our worship on Sunday morning, the sun shone as we connected with the story of Jesus’ resurrection appearance on the beach of the Sea of Galilee. What with BBQed fish as well it brought this beautiful and incredible story to life.

Easter stuff

Date: 2010.03.30 | Category: community, worship | Response: 0

Reconnect will be celebrating Easter with a number of gatherings this coming week. Easter, when we celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus, is a celebration of the new life, of the new creation made real in the person of Jesus risen from death. This week we have had a felting workshop, will be offering a spirituality session in Barclays and will be starting to plant up a community garden in the local Children’s Centre. All this is just as much about Easter as our own specific gatherings when we will reengage with the story of Holy week.

On Good Friday morning we will be going out to place some gifts that represent the life of Easter around the town. If you happen to have picked one up and have come to the website as a result – Happy Easter! Do leave a comment and tell us where you found it. These felted stones, ordinary stones enfolded in vibrant coloured felt, symbolise something of the power of God to transform lives like ours. It is through the resurrection that this transforming power has been made available to everyone. We hope and pray you will know something of the full life that has been unleashed through the rising of Christ.  You’d also be really welcome to join us on Sunday as we join together to enjoy breakfast on the beach, and connect with one of the stories of Jesus’ resurrection appearances (9am, Easter Sunday, beach at bottom of Green Road, Old Town, Poole).