Groups
Several groups meet regularly. You’re welcome to attend these whether or not you worship at Cotham.
Findings
A monthly creative writing and spirituality group, run by an experienced facilitator, where we can explore our spirituality through creative writing. It provides those who come with a chance to write as a spiritual exploring, an attempt to articulate the thoughts, beliefs and feelings we have within us. This is for anyone who wants to have a go and is willing to be surprised by their writing.
Benefice Art Group
Meets fortnightly on Tuesday mornings. The group is led by practising artist Sara Metelerkamp with different creative projects and practical guidance. Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided and a small donation is requested for materials. You can come to as many or as few sessions as you wish, since each session has its own theme.
Benefice Book Group
The Benefice Book Group is open to any member of Cotham or St Paul’s Church. We meet on the second Thursday of each month from 8pm and usually finish before 10pm. It’s an informal evening hosted by one of the group. It’s a fairly fluid group – members come when they can, and everyone is welcome, even if they have not finished the book (or sometimes even started it!)
Books are chosen in December for the year ahead with the aim of having a varied menu of both fiction and non-fiction. Please contact the group for upcoming titles.
Contact: Rob Booth rfbooth@blueyonder.co.uk or 0777 999 1697
For info the rest of 2020’s books click here
| Date 2020 | Title/author/broad genre | Chosen by |
| Jan 10th | Moments of Reprieve by Primo Levi (short stories) | Mary |
| Feb 8th | The House by the Lake by Thomas Harding (non-fiction) | Jo |
| March 8th | The Story of Lucy Gault by William Trevor (fiction) | John |
| April 12th | Findings by Kathleen Jamie (travel) | Diana |
| May 10th | Do not say we have nothing by Madeleine Thien (fiction) | Stephen |
| June 14th | Hag-Seed by Margaret Attwood (fiction) | Sue |
| July 12th | Kim by Rudyard Kipling (classic fiction) | Mary |
| Aug 9th | The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben (non-fiction) | Rob |
| Sept 10th | The Dark Room, Rachel Seiffert (WW2 fiction) | Sue |
| Oct 8th | The Secret Barrister (Anonymous exposé of the criminal justice system) | Stephen |
| Nov 12th | Dark Matter by Michelle Paver (ghost story set in arctic in 1937) | John |
| Dec 10th | Planning for 2021 |
Time Out Teas
Time Out Teas is a monthly gathering on the first Thursday of the month for tea, cake and sandwiches, and for a chat with friends old and new. There is also a summer outing to the seaside or another place of interest.
Benefice Lent Groups
During Lent and at other times there are ad hoc meetings and discussion groups. For example, in 2016 we read ‘Meeting God in Paul’ by Rowan Williams and in 2017 we looked at the liturgy around Easter and also some of the poems in ‘A Splash of Words’ by Mark Oakley.
Food for Thought
This is a fortnightly group meeting on Monday evenings for those in their 20s and 30s. The group shares a veggie meal and a gently reflective discussion finishing with a time of silence.
Whether you are well-established in the Christian faith, feeling called to a new expression of your faith, or teetering on the edge of any faith, we hope you will find resources, inspiration and good company here with us.
Cotham Parish Church is a registered charity in England & Wales (no. 1132307)