Encountering the Other

“Never underestimate the importance of dialogue” is the message that came out of our ‘Encountering the Other’ weekend in early February. 

For two days, a group of Christians and Muslims came together to explore how we encounter difference.  We all had stories to tell.  Particularly poignant were those shared by Waleed, a refugee from Sudan, and Djaleli, a refugee from Algeria, about their experience of being seen and treated as ‘strangers’.  And particularly encouraging were the stories told by Omar and Daniel, from Bristol, about how Salam Shalom, a local Muslim Jewish radio station, is doing wonders for community relations. 

After hours of talking and listening and being transformed through it, we all agreed that ‘honest conversation’, held in an atmosphere of mutual respect, is the best way to build bridges across difference.  Dr Carl Evans, who led an illuminating session examining the treatment of ‘the other’ in the Bible, captured the spirit of the event beautifully when he said: “Let us never forget that it is in our encounters with ‘the other’ that we best encounter God.”

One of the prayers we chose for our shared prayer time on Sunday was taken from the Jewish Prayer book.  It seems so appropriate to what Ammerdown is about that we would like to share it with you:

 O God of truth,
Make us honest in the quest for truth, even when it goes against our favourite prejudice.
Make us brave in speaking it, even when it goes against the fashion of the day.
But teach us also to respect the right of others to seek the truth in their own way, and to come to different conclusions.
For they may be right and we may be wrong.  Or we may be partly right and partly wrong.
And when we disagree, may we disagree charitably, in mutual respect and love.
Amen

 

Christmas Houseparty a great success!

 Once again we had a full house and a wonderful time over Christmas! Our Ammerdown pantomime, performed by staff and guests (see photo), was once more a wonderful occasion!  It is easy for those of us who have family to celebrate Christmas with to forget how difficult Christmas can be for those with no family.  This is why we put so much time and effort into our Christmas Houseparty.  The thank you letters we receive make it all worthwhile.  Here is one moving example: “It was a truly wonderful time and it really lifted my spirits about the ‘festive season’.  Having no relatives it has, for many years, been a time of dread, but I feel that I have now found a place where I am really welcome and can be myself. So it is that I thank you for such a wonderful Christmas.”

 

Wedding Fayre

 We are normally quiet in the first week of the New Year, but on Sunday 6 January, we were delighted to welcome a large number of visitors to the Centre.  The occasion was the first local wedding fayre of 2008, held at Ammerdown with the help of over 20 exhibitors. The fayre was the brainchild of Kelly, our recently married booking secretary, who thought it would be an excellent way for local people to discover a new side to Ammerdown. The Centre partnered with Solitaire, a bridal shop in Midsomer Norton, to organise and publicise the event.  The day proved very popular – especially the two fashion shows organised by Solitaire, with some truly fantastic dresses on display!

 

Journeying through bereavement

 One of the new courses in our 2007 programme was entitled ‘Journeying through Bereavement’.  It proved to be a real blessing to those who took part.  “I am leaving a different person”, said one of them, “the course has helped me move forward in ways I would never have thought possible.”  Another commented that the safe and loving atmosphere of Ammerdown had helped her to face up to her feelings in a way that she been had unable to do until then.

We are running the course again on 19-23 May.  If you know of anyone struggling with the loss of a loved one, you may like to make them aware of the course and encourage them to enquire.  The two course leaders are happy to have one to one conversations with people wishing to know more before committing themselves.

 

New faces

 

Hye-Joung has recently joined us from South Korea.  She came via an organisation called IVP (International Volunteer Programme) which  arranges one year placements in UK-based Christian organisation for young Korean graduates.  The idea is to provide them with an opportunity to improve their English and experience another culture and at the same time grow in their personal faith.  Hey-Joung has become a valuable member of the team.  Her English and confidence have improved by leaps and bounds since she arrived, although she still struggles somewhat with English food!

 

 

Do you enjoy Gardening?

 Whether or not you live locally, if you enjoy gardening and have some spare time, we’d love to hear from you!  With no resident gardener, we struggle to keep up with the work, and yet we know how important well kept gardens are to the overall Ammerdown experience.  For amateur gardeners living some distance away, we are happy to offer ‘volunteer gardening weeks’, when we would provide free board and lodging in return for help with our garden.  If you are interested, please contact Bénédicte, our Director, on 01761 433709 or email b.scholefield@ammerdown.org

 

Dates for your Diary

On Saturday 21 June, the Midsomer Norton and Radstock Silver Band will return to Ammerdown for a special ‘Midsummer Night’s concert’.  If the event is as good as the Band’s ‘Last Night of the Proms’ in September 2006, it should prove a memorable evening!

Tickets will be £12 a head, which includes a buffet supper, and proceeds will be shared between Ammerdown and the Band.  To reserve your places, please contact Tessa, our administrator on 01761 433709 or centre@ammerdown.org

 On Sunday 6 July, we will hold our annual Ammerdown Summer fete from 2pm to 5pm.  Last year, in spite of poor weather, we raised £1,500 for Ammerdown and everyone seemed to have great fun.  Volunteer help on the day will as always be appreciated, as would be donations of plants, books, tombola gifts and good bric-a-brac.

 

Join the Ammerdown Community

We are looking for additional weekend volunteers to give a hand at weekends, and also for new community members.  This could be part-time or full-time.  If you are interested in enabling Ammerdown to have a “praying heart”, if you have a special heart for hospitality, and if you are interested in dialogue and peace-building, then this may well be for you! 

Please contact Bénédicte, our Director, on 01761 433709 or email b.scholefield@ammerdown.org ,  for more information.

 

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