Quest

Simply Divine - A retreat for gay & bisexual men with Urs Mattmann & Ray Andrews

14 – 17 June 2012

This special week of recreation and retreat in wonderful Dorset offers the opportunity to discover where we are as gay and bisexual men on our journey as spiritual beings in this world. We will connect with and re-discover our potential as people who are loved and capable of loving others with a special contribution to make to society. We will also focus on the integration of your sexual identity and your spiritual self. During the retreat we explore together this essential question: What does it mean for gay and bisexual men to live a sacred life?

Group discussions, lectures, guided visualisations, meditations, liturgies and worship services will help our understanding of ourselves, the others, the world and God. Ray and Urs will be working from a gay affirming and open Christian perspective that acknowledges the existence of the divine in each of us, no matter our spiritual beliefs

The retreat will be at the The Othona Community, Coast Road, Burton Bradstock, Bridport, Dorset DT6 4RN UK Tel. 01308 897130
Email: mail@othona-bb.org.uk
www.othona-bb-org.uk
Cost for retreat and full board: £ 260 (Conc. £ 215)

RETREAT LEADERS

Urs Mattmann, qualified Social worker and a Psychosynthesis therapist with further training in theology and a background in meditation. Living with his partner in London, both are members of a Christian community. Since 1997 leading retreats for gay men and lesbians. Wild Goose Publications has published his book Coming In – Gays and Lesbians reclaiming the spiritual journey. (www.ionaboks.com – www.urs.mattmann.com )

Rev. Ray Andrews, for years member of a monastic Benedictine community , now Anglican priest in a Central London Parish. He also is a qualified Social worker with much experience in Mental Health and Addiction. He has a ministry in Spiritual Direction and conducts retreats. Appeared in BBC documentary “Father Ray Comes Out”.

PDF flyer

The Committee, the Local Group Convenors, and all who provide Quest’s services, are keen for you to receive what you want from Quest. To help us plan and provide this, we would be grateful if you could answer the questions in the questionnaire attached. The information you provide will be treated as anonymous, and any names will be kept confidential. Your replies to these questions will help us to understand your needs and views, and enable us to provide the services, and the direction for Quest, that you want.

You can also submit this questionnaire online.

As a thank you for your participation in this survey, you will be able to enter a draw to win one of three copies of James Alison’s latest book and a free Quest T-shirt will be offered to a further ten others drawn at random. You can enter the draw by supplying your name and email address on the tear-off slip below. This will be detached by the secretary on receipt so your answers will NOT be linked to your name or email. If you submit the questionnaire online, please advise by email to secretary@questgaycatholic.org.uk – your answers and email will NOT be linked.

Thank you in advance for your time and feedback.

The Quest Committee

‘Love Free or Die’ is the inspirational story of the first openly gay and partnered Bishop in Christendom, Bishop Gene Robinson, as he documents his travels between small-town and big city US churches to London’s Lambeth Palace, dedicating his courageous ministry to developing the Church’s relationship to its LGBT members.

Bishop Gene Robinson is a thorn in the side of the Church. Banned from attending the Lambeth Conference in 2008, the first openly gay and partnered bishop in Christendom, he has been a standard bearer for LGBT Christians. This film explores his problematic relationship to the Church with an account of his life as a husband, a father, a priest, and a lover. Some within the Episcopalian Church see his creation as a Bishop in 2003 as an abomination. Selected for this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the film follows Gene Robinson’s courageous ministry in the face of many obstacles and documents his struggle. This is a close-up portrait of a man who has taken on the Church hierarchy and is relentless in his need to stand up and be counted. By turns both disheartening and inspiring, this is a developing story of the Church’s relationship to its LGBT members.
Brian Robinson

Saturday, 24 March 2012, 1.50pm

Students/Concession   £6.75
16-18 year olds              £4
Adults                             £10

For tickets, visit bfi.org.uk/llgff or call BFI Southbank Box Office on 020 7928 3232.

Queering the Church is This is a brilliant blog – thoughtful, optimistic and clear. In fact, it’s one of the best blogs in its field. And its author, Terry Weldon, will be a speaker at this year Quest conference. Book it now! The early bird discount will be available for the next three weeks.

A new Quest Bulletin has been sent to print and will arrive to the members postboxes in next couple of weeks. – 28 pages of great read! Meanwhile, the digital colour version is already available for download (password-protected; Quest members can request the password from website@questgaycatholic.org.uk).