Go Out to the Whole World…

[PaulW]

Just back from a meeting with Aidan Rossiter and Catherine Christmas, where the team have been working on the nitty-gritty of this year's summer school at Sneaton Castle, Whitby.

Wow! How best to tell you all how much there is here, how excited I am by the things that will happen this year? It isn't so much the workshops - these were chosen on the basis of feedback we have had over the last few years to try and give you what you've been asking for - but the shape of the whole thing, that has grabbed me.

How often are we reminded here that the liturgy is the "source and summit"? More times than I care to remember! And yet how many of us, in our planning, in our attendance, treat the liturgy as an end in itself, and so reduce it to summit only, or at best a source just for "me" to be "spiritually nourished"? This school has, for me already, turned on its head my view of liturgy and will give all who take part the impetus and tools to take Christ to the world, to go out and proclaim the good news. The work that Catherine and Aidan have put in; the line-up of speakers; the plans for the workshops; this is definitely one year not to miss the school!

Last chance for early bookings is this week… book now for the reduced price.

[Merseysider]

So how many messageboarders are preparing for Summer School? Any first timers? And what are we expecting?

[pirate]

Me, I'll be there. What am I expecting? Good company, being offered things to think about, some full-hearted singing, affirmation, and how to build a webisite.

[ssgcgs]

I'll be there for the third time.
The outward focus sounds good. I hope to do some networking and learn a thing or two from two experienced members of Composers' Group, Paul Inwood and Ray d'Inverno. If they give us as much as Bill Tamblyn did two years ago, I'll be well pleased. Like the idea of being assigned a task to prepare in advance for the Composing workshop - at least it won't all be improvisation.....scary!

CG Sec

[Merseysider]

What sort of task are you being asked to prepare?

I'm just looking forward to those sessions around the bar – swapping notes with people who have the same problems and joys.

[ssgcgs]

Well, I don't know - I just read the green flyer inside the latest M&L, which says:
"Those attending will be assigned a task ahead of the Summer School."
What could it be?
Setting Eucharstic Prayer 1 to music for a tone-deaf presider;
Writing a recessional song to rival "Go, the Mass is ended".....
.....we wait with bated breath

[Merseysider]

Could be fascinating. Would be great to sing something at summer school which has come directly out of the gathering.

[pirate]

Ah, like the Glory to God at Hope, several years ago. Whatever happened to that?

[mcb]

I'll be there. I'm, like, so looking forward to it. (I'm trying to bluff my way into the youth workshop.)

Like ssgcgs, I'm still waiting to hear what my homework is for the composers' workshop. Given how long it takes me to write anything, if we don't hear soon I'm going to have to pretend the dog ate it.

M.

[TimSharrock]

It sounds very tempting, but not this year... If I wait a couple more years then our youngest will hit 12, and maybe we would come as a family.

For newcomers like me, a whole week feels rather daunting. I wonder if an occasional shorter event might be practical - it might end up as just as much organisation and travel for less benefit, I suppose.

Tim

[MaryR]

I'm pleased to hear that you are considering bringing your family to Summer School in a year or two, Tim. I'm helping with the organisation of this year's Summer School and this is the first year we've really attempted to include something for young people. Family participation is exactly what we need because of the difficulties of children coming along unaccompanied. At present, we are unable to accept youngsters under the age of 18, unless they have a parent or guardian with them.

12 sounds a good age to start coming but, if families with younger children show an interest, we could think about having children's activities throughout the day, to keep them amused whilst their parents attend their workshops.

This year, the young people's workshop is being led by Bill Tamblyn who has promised to adapt what he does to suit all-comers. It looks at though we're going to have youngsters from aged 12 to 18 with a variety of talents, and we hope to be able to feed some of what they do into the liturgies through the week. As well their own workshop, they will be welcome to join in with the lectures and, of course, all the social events. They can take part in the quiz, do a turn at the concert and come along to the Choral Society which promises to be very entertaining this year.

I've been concerned for some time that the SSG could be doing more to encourage and support young people and, hopefully, making real provision for them at Summer School is a start.

As for what you say about a week sounding quite daunting, it's actually only three full days. It begins late Monday afternoon and finishes at lunchtime on Friday, so it's a bit like an extra-long weekend! It is daunting at first , especially if, like me, you try to go to everything and take it all in. The secret is to pace yourself, and take time out if you feel your head is going to explode. Summer School is many things to many people. I enjoy it for the opportunity to develop existing skills and learn new ones, for the thought-provoking lectures and liturgies, but mostly for the people. There is nothing quite like sharing experiences and frustrations. Many of the people I've met at summer school have become firm friends.

If you are a member of the Society, you'll receive mailings about future Summer Schools with Music and Liturgy magazine. If not, then keep watching the forum!

[MaryR]

The good news is that we are almost up to capacity for this year's Summer School, although there are a few places remaining if there are any latecomers out there.

Judging by replies to date, the non-musical workshops hold the most appeal this year. The most heavily subscribed are 'Celebrating Milestones' (Baptisms, weddings, funerals – dealing with the 'unchurched' at these services and exploring opportunities for evangalisation in this area, led by Fr. Allen Morris of the Liturgy Office) and 'Living the Word' (applying scripture to our daily lives, led by Catherine Dollard who is based at Ampleforth Retreat Centre). The remaining workshops have all attracted a good number of subscribers to each. We have some youngsters for our Youth Workshop as well as some young adults who are attending the other workshops.

Fr. Aidan Rossiter and Catherine Christmas have been working hard on the musical and liturgical shape of the week and it sounds very exciting.

We've managed to squeeze in some fringe events which will include a review of the SSG publication, Baptised with Fire, a talk from one of the Community on the life of St. Hilda and an introduction to the new GIRM.

We've negotiated extended bar opening times with Sneaton - very important for an SSG Summer School - and the social events promise to be, well, dead good.

I recently visited Sneaton again and was overwhelmed by the warm welcome I received from both the Sneaton staff and the Community at St. Hilda's Priory. The Sisters are looking forward to sharing worship with us.

All we need now is some good weather. It would be a shame to be beside the seaside and not have some sunshine. The timetable for the week is pretty full, but I have every intention of fitting in a paddle in the sea somewhere.

[Merseysider]

And it's worth a trip up to the Abbey ruins, site of the Synod of Whitby. There are several ways up to the cliff top – the fitter among us could try the 100+ steps from the harbour. According to Bram Stoker, this was the way Dracula's coffin arrived at Whitby – it came in by boat and was carried up the steps to St Mary's. There's something of a greyish pall over Whitby, even on sunny days – you'll see why Stoker used it in his novel.

And for the liturgical architects, have a good poke around St Mary's Church (in the Abbey ruins) – you really can see back through the centuries: the Romanesque sanctuary arch, almost completely hidden by the Reformers' large (and high) pulpit.

[ssgcgs]

There's something of a greyish pall over Whitby

This is obviously written by an inhabitant of humid, grey western climes. As a former inhabitant of the north-east, I can testify to the bright blue skies and pleasant, bracing climate enjoyed up there, except when the prevailing wind is from the east when it can get a bit nasty (especially if you live downwind of Teesside!).

Blow the wind southerly, or westerly, for the duration of Summer School. Can I join the paddling club, and is this an official fringe event? I have to admit, one advantage of west v. east is the temperature of the sea.

CG Sec

[Merseysider]

And, speaking as an expert in this field, must say that Whitby has the best Tuppenny Falls (2p slot machines) in the country. I once won 23 prizes in one weekend.