A Message from Rev. Maya Landell

Chapter 10: Standing Tall, Falling Hard

This week we have a friend with us for worship: Paul Hutchinson was with us earlier in the year, and on Sunday returns to engage Chapter 10 of The Story. Click here for this week’s video:

Paul Hutchinson is the founder/director of Imagined Spaces, (specializing in creative community relations) and the former Centre Director of Corrymeela, the oldest peace centre in Ireland http://www.corrymeela.org. Paul has been a mediator/peace activist for over 25 years and has worked extensively in Northern Ireland, north west England (as a Neighbourhood Renewal Advisor), New York, Jerusalem and Canada.

Paul facilitates retreats in creative contemplation & peace/reconciliation, and has worked with Lindisfarne Theological College, The Iona Community, Episcopal Church in Scotland, Irish School of Ecumenics, and The United Church of Canada.

He has a special interest in how the arts/creativity can be used in conflict transformation. Paul is also Visiting Professor at Dalhousie University & the Atlantic School of Theology (Nova Scotia). He is an award–winning documentary filmmaker and writer, and his latest film Waiting and Silence (about the Quaker Tradition) is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhHUGDnWMpo

Paul lives with his family by the sea on the north coast of Ireland.

During the week, Paul will be doing important work with our Trustees, Council and Staff to help us work stronger together on your behalf. I can’t think of anyone I trust more to nurture our leadership. We have all been working hard to serve this community, and I am prayerful that this will help us keep moving forward together.

Paul will be leading a staff training day on Tuesday November 19th. The office will be open, but staff will not be available. I’m sorry for the inconvenience, it was the only day that could accommodate everyone.

Also, Paul just wrote a new book, so bring your $20 on Sunday to purchase it.

“Much like Paul, his book is full of heart and personality. Through many bite-sized vignettes (and a few longer stories), Paul shares insights from his life as Director of the Corrymeela Community (a peace and reconciliation centre in Northern Ireland). With wit and wisdom offered in equal measure, Paul’s voice comes through clearly, whether in poetic prose or prosaic poetry. His humour and humility make profound moments unusually accessible. You will be grateful to pick it up and discover a book dense with inspiration, questioning the lines we often find between the sacred and mundane.” James Aitchison