Chester St Uniting Church Arts Programme

Escape to Create with Lindena Robb

with Trish Watts
Saturday 28 March, 2-5pm

Celebrate life with harmony, rhythm and joy, singing songs that uplift the spirit and soul.  Cost: $30 / $25 concession. See below (CLICK HERE) for booking & venue information.

Trish is a singer, songwriter, and educator with over 25 years as a performer, animator and creative arts facilitator in Australia and overseas.  She is a Director for InterPlay Australia and member of the Cafe of the Gate of Salvation.  Trish has a passion for community a cappella singing.  Visit www.interplayaus.com.au for more.

Sacred Circle Dance with Mary Jones Saturdays, 2 - 5pm 14th February, 14th March, 13th June

Join with others for easy dances and experience joy, quietness, peace and community through music and movement.  No previous experience necessary - all steps will be taught. Cost: $25/$20 concession, including afternoon tea.  Bookings essential. See below (CLICK HERE) for booking & venue information. Mary founded and coordinated the Christian Dance Fellowship of Australia in 1978  and the International Christian Dance Fellowship in 1987.   She is Dean of Dance studies at Wesley Institute and travels internationally teaching and dancing. Circle dancing as an experienceof prayer, worship, meditation and relationship has been an important focus.

Each workshop is offered first on Saturday and repeated on Monday.	Saturday 1 - 5pm	Monday 1 - 5pm
Seeing with the Artist's Eye.  Explore the practice of seeing, noticing how we perceive reality, using both contour and gestural drawing techniques with charcoal, pastel and pencil.  Reconnect with the experience of drawing from your imagination through guided meditation.	21st Feb	23rd Feb
Capturing the Light.  Experiment with 4 delicious techniques to capture light in your artworks.  Working around the light, lifting the light out of the painting, adding the highlights and wax resist light.  A cornucopia of vegetables will provide inspiration.	21st March	23rd March
Beyond Collage.  Another opportunity to create a delightfully whimsical collage using personal imagery.  Bring black & white photocopies of heads/faces about the size of a 50cent coin, preferably friends or family or self, and any fabrics that hold meaning for you.	4th April	6th April
Soul Cards.  this is an intuitive collage process where you end up with one or a number of beautiful soul cards to contemplate at the end of the day.  What will they tell you?  You can begin collecting images now.  Tear out or photocopy whatever draws you, without question.	23rd May	25th May
Mandalas.  As a group we will create a 3-dimensional mandala to begin our meditative process.  From there, we will explore the harmonising effect of drawing a jewel mandala for ourselves and a healing mandala for a friend.	27th June	29th June

Come on Saturday or on Monday to reawaken your creative spirit and invigorate your life.  These workshops are for all who want to explore their creativity in a variety of visual art media.  There will be gentle guidance in a step-by-step process throughout.  These new workshops are part of an innovative program for those who want to be creative, and thos who want the freedom to creatively express themselves in a safe environment.

Cost: $50 including all materials and afternoon tea. 
Scroll down or CLICK HERE)to view samples of work from 2008 workshops.

Lindena Robb is a visual artist and teacher of creative and performing arts.  She has been teaching "Creative Expression as Healing" at Nature Care College in Sydney for the past six years.  Many of her students have called her the "teacher of freedom" who inspires them with gentle guidance, encouragement and humour.  Her passion is to inspire people to experience the delights of creative expression, and through this process to open to self acceptance and the lightness of being.  Visit her website: www.lindena-robb.com.au.

Let Your Soul Dance
with Maree Haggerty
Saturday 16th May, 10am - 3pm

When we open to the inner Dance and tap into that eternal part of self, the soul, we find ourselves on the path to transformation. We learn to strengthen and trust our intuition as we still the mind and listen to 'the voice of God' speaking within. We find ways of releasing or transforming negative beliefs. We bring energies into balance. Our communication with others becomes clear and strong. When we free ourselves from inner conflicts, we are better able to express all that we are - and this brings a greater sense of joy and peace.

Using a mix of input (musings) and InterPlay forms: gentle movement, story, stillness, silence and sounds, participants will be invited into deeper relationship with soul - while enjoying the journey!    Cost: $30 / $25 concession
Bookings are essential.  See below (CLICK HERE) for booking & venue information.

Maree Haggerty RSM is a Sister of Mercy (Singleton) whose studies have invited her into pursuing the relationship between energy and creativity, physicality and spirituality. She has a background in Secondary School Education and holds a Master of Arts in Applied Theology, a Doctor of Ministry in Creation Spirituality, is a certified teacher of InterPlay and has trained as a process facilitator. Her current ministry involves spiritual companioning, retreat leadership and spirituality workshops. At present she is a member of her Congregation's Leadership.

InterPlay with Judith Dunbar Thursday evenings fortnightly, 6:30-8:30pm starting 29th January Want to play more?  Integrate body, mind and spirit?  InterPlay is a way for adults to sing, tell stories, laugh, dance, be still and connect with themselves and each other.  If you've never tried it before, now's your opportunity?  Find out more at www.interplayaus.com.au.  Cost is $10.  See below (CLICK HERE) for booking & venue information.

Jewish - Christian Biblical Culture Immersion with Elizabeth Raine & John Squires Saturday 30th May 10am - 3pm Leave the modern world behind and immerse yourself in some of the sights, sounds, tastes and smells of an ancient time.  Explore the ancient Pentecost festival, then join in a banquiet of biblical proportions, dining on authentic cuisine while being entertained by readings, dance, music, games, and more.  This is a family event - bring the children.  Elizabeth and John, who teach at United Theological College, are expert Biblical scholars and infectious, passionate, experienced communicators. CLICK HERE to view photos from a 2008 Biblical Culture Day. Cost (including lunch): $30 / $25 concession / $15 children 6-12 yrs.  Prior bookings are essential.  See below.