SPACE IN THE CITYWINCHESTERAutumn 2018 | |
Remembering War … Making PeaceOur speakers this series consider what has been said and done;
Wednesdays 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 October and 7 November 2018, 12.30 – 1pmat The United Church, Jewry Street, WinchesterRefreshments available. No entrance charge, but your donations are most welcome. |
3 October | The war poetry of ‘Woodbine Willie’
Michael Jackson The Rev’d Michael Jackson is a retired Anglican priest. He was Director of St John’s Winchester Charity for 26 years from 1987 and served as a non-stipendiary assistant priest in the parishes of Twyford, Owslebury, Morestead and Colden Common. After retirement from St John’s he was for a while House-for-Duty Vicar at Kirkby Malham in the Yorkshire Dales. He is a past Chairman of Age Concern Winchester and also a past Director of the Winchester Samaritans. For some years he served as a voluntary Mental Health Act Manager at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital and was Vice-Chairman of its hearings panel. For ten years he was Chairman of the Winchester Diocesan Council for Social Responsibility and a Bishop’s nominee on the Diocesan Synod. He is a member of Christians on Ageing, and has served on its national executive. |
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10 October | What ho, Giotto! Stanley Spencer at Sandham Memorial Chapel
Mike Gowlett with Jane Jones of the National Trust Sandham Memorial chapel has been described as a hidden gem in the Hampshire countryside, reflecting as it does one man’s experience of the First World War. This austere but classic 1920s building belies the incredibly powerful images within, painted by one of the most important twentieth century artists: Sir Stanley Spencer. Spencer began work on this ambitious project in 1926 and completed what he called his ‘Holy Box’ in 1932. We welcome Mike Gowlett, Volunteer at Sandham Memorial Chapel, who will tell the story. |
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17 October | War Torn Musicians
Christopher Seaman British conductor Christopher Seaman has an international reputation for inspirational music-making. His diverse musical interests are reflected in his range of repertoire and he is particularly known for his interpretations of early 20th Century English music, Bruckner, Brahms and Sibelius. Christopher has had a long and distinguished career in the US as well as in Australia, Italy and the UK. In May 2009 the University of Rochester, USA, made Christopher an Honorary Doctor of Music acknowledging his outstanding leadership as conductor, recording artist, teacher and community arts partner. In 2013 the University published his first book, Inside Conducting, illustrating Christopher’s wealth of experience as a conductor and a teacher. The book was chosen by both The Financial Times and Classical Music magazine as one of their books of 2013; while The Spectator wrote that it “demystifies the art and the figure of the conductor”. |
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24 October | Global peacemaking – the struggle goes on
Pat Gaffney Pat Gaffney has been General Secretary of Pax Christi, the International Catholic peace movement, since 1990. Prior to this, Pat was the Schools and Youth Education Officer for the Catholic Aid Agency CAFOD and before this a teacher. Pat is a tireless worker for non-violent solutions to conflict. Her work has taken her to East Timor, Russia and Israel and Palestine but she is currently campaigning on Drone warfare and attempting to engage the Church in critical thinking on the morality of drones. Pat has been arrested 11 times and jailed three times for her efforts but in spite of that, she was named in the Independent on Sunday Happy List 2012 (in contrast to the Sunday Times “Rich List”) of people who make useful contributions to society. |
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7 November | We cannot say we didn’t know: Reporting War and Peace
Mike Wooldridge For over 45 years Mike Wooldridge reported on some of the world’s biggest news stories for the BBC. His career started in 1965 on the Lowestoft Journal and following a stint with VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas) he joined the BBC World Service. As Religious Affairs correspondent during the 1990s he found himself reporting first hand on the likes of Mother Teresa, the Dalai Lama and the centenarian Hopi Indian chief, Dan Evehema. He says that the single most memorable moment of his career was to be reporting the release of Nelson Mandela from prison after 27 years – live – outside the prison gates. Mike became the South Asia correspondent based in Delhi in 1996 and some five years later, based in London, was a world affairs correspondent. At that time he reported on the war in Afghanistan, writing, “when we made a programme on the return of music to Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban (2001) it felt as if we were witnessing the revival of the nation's soul.” Mike Wooldridge joined the Board of Trustees of BBC Media Action in July 2015. |
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14 November | Destruction, Hope and Renewal: from the Bombing of Coventry Cathedral to the Community of the Cross of Nails
Alice Farnhill Alice Farnhill is Project Officer at the Community of the Cross of Nails, Coventry Cathedral |
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† © Copyright of each recording or text belongs to the speaker. The material is made available on-line, by kind permission of the speaker, for personal, non-commercial use only.
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Space in the City is an ecumenical venture organised by lay, licensed, ordained and associate members of Winchester’s city churches: St Bartholomew and St Lawrence with St Swithun-upon-Kingsgate, St Peter’s and the United Church.