TRiM 2024: Spirituality and Art

This, our annual Eastern regional short residential conference, Theological Refreshment in Ministry, is open to lay and ordained ministers, priests, local pastors, preachers, Readers and LLMs from all of the participating churches (Church of England, Methodist and URC) in the region, covering the dioceses of Chelmsford, Ely, Norwich, Peterborough, St Albans and St Edmundsbury and Ipswich.

The conference provides an opportunity to learn and pray together in a relaxed atmosphere away from church duties. Each conference focuses on a particular area of theology. This year Sharron Coburn and colleagues will lead us on the theme of:

Spirituality and Art

Connecting with our Creator God and our creative selves

You may think you are artistic and naturally creative. You may think you don’t have an artistic bone in your body! You may have a degree in history of art, or perhaps the only art in your house is a grandchild’s scribbles stuck onto the fridge door. But we are all made in the image of the Creator God, and so there is something of that creativity in each of us, experienced and expressed in different ways.

For some, creativity is about bringing order and clarity. For others, it is about spontaneous, unstructured expression. How we engage with any form of art, and what we are drawn to do, or doodle, ourselves, varies enormously.

These couple of days will be a chance to reflect theologically on how art – in all the ways we understand that term - helps us connect with God; to explore our reactions to various artistic media and the notion of what art is; and perhaps to have a go ourselves at some form of creative endeavour.

There will be times of worship and prayer together; sessions with input and discussion; and unprogrammed time to either spend with friends and colleagues, or take quiet time to process, pray, or indeed create.

Our lead speakers

The Revd Canon Sharron Coburn is the Director of Mission and Ministry in the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich, having previously served in parish ministry in the Diocese. Before that, her background was with Christian organisations serving young people. Sharron is an artist at heart and loves to combine her art with her ministry, as well as using it being a personal passion and means of achieving balance in life. She has led the arts venue at New Wine for a number of years, and is currently on the hunt for a new kiln to help her fulfil her pottery aspirations!

The Revd Mother Ali Miller was ordained in 2015 at Durham Cathedral and served her curacy in the North East. Since 2021, Ali has been the Team Vicar of the Lark Valley and North Bury Team (a benefice of 10 parishes: seven rural, two estates and one town) in West Suffolk. She is the Diocesan Advisor for Women in Ministry and the Rector for the St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Chapter of the Society of Catholic Priests (which is an inclusive Anglo-Catholic society). Ali is also a spiritual director and Godly Play story-teller. Ali posts daily Examens/ meditations on X as @Sacramentrix.

The cost of the conference will be £120 per person, which will cover all conference costs, including a single ensuite room and all meals.

Places are limited, so please register as soon as possible. There will be a waiting list if the spaces are filled, and if places become free, they will be offered to those on the list. For more information, please contact Lesley Steed at [email protected] or telephone 01473 298510.

Host or Publisher Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich