Encounter: An SCM Gathering in Durham

On a beautiful Saturday in the city of Durham, students came together to worship God, learn from one another and spend time in fellowship. The event was a collaboration between three SCM student groups – St. Oswald’s student group in Durham, Durham Methodist Society and York Christian Focus.

The theme of the event was ‘encountering God in worship’ and students experienced a range of worship from different traditions including Quaker worship, Christian meditation, Taizé, prayer stations and singing.

One of the highlights of the day was a talk from Revd. Chris Howson on ‘Worship as Liberation’. Revd Howson enthralled students with his stories, insights into Liberation Theology and practical tips for living out the Gospel in daily life.

Other highlights included a workshop from Ruth Wilde, SCM’s Faith in Action Worker, on the connections between mysticism and activism, as well as workshops exploring Christian mediation. “This was the first time engaging with mysticism,” said one participant. “It was great to think about linking our prayer and spiritual life with real action.”Students left the event committing to different actions, including praying more, finding ways to live in solidarity with others – especially solidarity with the poor and oppressed – becoming more visible on campus, and learning from different traditions.

We’d like to thank all of the amazing volunteers, workshop leaders and student leaders who made this event possible.