A Weekend With John Bell – 22-24 April 2016
Organised by the Anglican Chaplaincies of Northern Spain
Josep Manyanet Centre, near Barcelona
John Bell is an ordained minister of the Church of Scotland, based in Glasgow. He works with his colleagues in the areas of music, worship and spirituality. He lectures, preaches and conducts seminars across the denominations in Europe, the Americas, Asia, and in Southern Africa. He is a hymn writer, author and occasional broadcaster on national radio and television, but retains a primary passion for congregational song. He does not have a mobile phone, driving licence, camera, iPod or wife. He is a member of the Iona Community, an association of men and women, lay and ordained, fully ecumenical in membership, committed to the renewal of the Church and Society.
The Weekend
Friday
Session 1, 6.00-7.30 pm – Workshop: Ten things they never told me about Jesus
Supper, from 8.00 pm
Compline, 9.00 pm
Saturday
Morning Prayer, 8.30 am
Breakfast,from 9.00 am
Session 2, 10.00 am-12.30 pm – Workshop: Singing with the global church: songs from the Iona community
Lunch, from 1.30 pm
Session 3, 4.00- 6.30 pm – Workshop: Engaged spirituality of Jesus
Supper, from 8.00 pm
Compline, 9.00 pm
Sunday
Eucharist, 8.00-8.45 am
Breakfast, from 9.00 am
Session 4, 10.00 am-12.00 noon – Workshop: Improving congregational song
Lunch, from 1.30 pm
The Location 
Josep Manyanet Centre
C/Morella, 08859 Begues
near Barcelona
Josep Manyanet Spiritual Retreat Centre in Begues near Gavà. Private en-suite accommodation (shared rooms with 2 single beds, and some triples) and meals. Lovely garden on the property, a paved ‘pista’ (sports courtyard) behind the property, and a quiet neighbourhood for walks. 
The Cost
Full weekend per person, board and workshops, €120
Saturday am until after lunch on Sunday, or Friday and Saturday, €95
Saturday only meals and workshops, €45
Single supplement for the weekend, €35
Deposit of €50 with registration (payable through the local chaplaincy).
Entertaining. Informative. Deeply thought provoking. Challenging. This is how Synod reps described Revd. John Bell and the keynote address he gave at the Gibraltar Archdeaconry Synod in 2013. We did not do him justice. There are many superlatives we could have used and many more ways we could have expressed the sheer joy he brought to all of us privileged to have been there.
The great news is that there is to be a new opportunity for anyone to hear John speak, preach, sing, teach, entertain, and to be spiritually challenged and uplifted.
Amongst other things, John is a liturgical composer having shared in the writing of words and music of well over a hundred hymns and songs for adults, youth and children. John has a unique method of convincing people that we can sing, whether or not we have knowledge of music, and showing people that we can and should worship with music from around the world because we are part of the worldwide family of Christians.
He can demonstrate just how much our beliefs can be based on the poetic words of well-loved hymns / carols which our minds retain more easily than sermons based on the Gospels. “Silent Night” in a crowded Bethlehem with no room at the inn is an example. John provides an interactive and lively experience of theology and song. Clearly, John is a man of many talents, many experiences and strong in the gifts of the Spirit.
Registration
Registration for this event has now closed.
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