MSP FERGUS EWING ON THE BELLAHOUSTON GRAFFITI PROJECT AND THE WORK OF THE IONA COMMUNITY'S YOUTH DEPARTMENT
The Youth Department have been working with the students of Bellahouston Academy in Glasgow on an innovative graffiti project. More about the work here in a wonderful little film from Transform TV …

JAN SUTCH PICKARD'S BLOG FROM YANOUN, AND TWO 'POSTCARDS'
Member Jan Sutch Pickard is working in Yanoun presently. This is the second time she has volunteered with Quaker Peace and Social Witness as an Ecumenical Accompanier, serving on the World Council of Churches’ Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI). Read Jan's blog, and two more of Jan's 'postcards' from Yanoun.

DANCING FROM LENT INTO EASTER, by Ian M Fraser

In the last edition of the e-bulletin, Ian Fraser reflected upon the banking crash of 2008–2009. In this edition he reflects on Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and Strictly Come Dancing …

CUT TRIDENT – NOT JOBS AND PUBLIC SERVICES

Action suggestions from Scottish CND

CHARITY DINNER & VARIETY SHOW IN AID OF THE JACOB PROJECT
Featuring the Countess Von Glow! Find out how to get tickets for THE event of the year, on April 18th.

THE SOLAS FESTIVAL – A STAR IS BORN
Solas is a new Scottish festival, launching in summer 2010, which aims to celebrate, explore and develop connections between art, faith and justice within and beyond Scotland. Solas will take place 25–27th June at Wiston, Biggar. Find out more here …

ECONOMIC WITNESS DISBURSEMENTS AND HOMELESSNESS IN SCOTLAND
An appeal from Community member Malcolm May on behalf of Scottish Churches Housing Action: 'As your representative on Scottish Churches Housing Action I appeal to all Family Groups and members in Scotland to consider the work of SCHA when deciding what to support through your economic witness fund.' Find out more about Scottish Churches Housing Action's work here.

BANKING ON JUSTICE: CHURCHES INVESTING FOR A FAIRIER FUTURE: A CONFERENCE This conference, on March 18th in Edinburgh, is being organised jointly by ECCR (the Ecumenical Council for Corporate Responsibility) and the Church and Society Council of the Church of Scotland (Convener Ian Galloway; General Secretary Ewan Aitken). The Iona Community and a number of other Scottish church-based organisations (SCIAF, Christian Aid Scotland, ACTS, the Centre for Theology and Public Issues) are supporting the event in a variety of ways.

THE KAIROS PALESTINE DOCUMENT LAUNCHED

A group of Palestinian Christians representing a variety of churches and church-related organisations have issued an animated and prayerful call for an end to occupation of Palestine by Israel. Referred to as 'The Kairos Palestine Document' the call echoes a similar summons issued by South African churches in the mid-1980s at the height of repression under the apartheid regime. That call served to galvanise churches and the wider public in a concerted effort that eventually brought the end of apartheid.

A TWO-EDGED SWORD: READING THE BIBLE TOGETHER IN THE LIGHT OF OUR EXPERIENCE AND THAT OF PALESTINIAN CHRISTIANS – A GATHERING AT SCOTTISH CHURCHES HOUSE

Led by Jan Sutch Pickard, who has been volunteering in Palestine/Israel as an Ecumenical Accompanier

MARCH/APRIL EVENTS AT SCOTTISH CHURCHES HOUSE
Including a gathering led by John Bell

THE GROWING HOPE APPEAL – THE HOME STRETCH: AN UPDATE FROM CONVENOR OF THE FUNDRAISING GROUP, MARGARET STEWART

A SPECIAL CAMAS OFFER – DISCOUNTS FOR GUESTS DURING PART OF OCTOBER
Book now!

LENT DARKNESS, by Kate Mcllhagga

JUSTICE FOR RIMA CAMPAIGN, from Alison Swinfen

Rima is a vulnerable 17-year-old girl from Eritrea, who has been living in Glasgow for two years now. Abandoned by the authorities, she is supported by a caring community, but now faces forced removal.

At 15 years of age, Rima managed to reach Europe, fleeing her family's persecution as Pentecostal Christians. Sadly, she found no sanctuary in the notorious Italian asylum system. All alone, she suffered considerable trauma, subsisting in a large derelict squat.

Charity workers managed to help Rima escape to the UK, where she was initially supported as a lone child. However, unable to prove her birth date, the social services gave her an adult age, meaning she now faced removal back to Italy. Terrified, Rima went into hiding, eventually turning up homeless and destitute in Glasgow a year later.

Denied her right to support as a vulnerable child, and spending time last year in an adult detention centre, Rima is now facing imminent removal from the UK.

To find out how to take action, click on the Friends & Associates banner, or on 'More' below.

ASANTE SAN FROM KENYA
A thank you from Kenya and from Membership Secretary, Lynn Harper-Baldwin

MERSEYSIDE ASSOCIATES TAKE UP THE CHALLENGE OF ENGAGING WITH THE BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT AND SANCTIONS FOR PALESTINE CAMPAIGN
A letter from Member David Horton and a statement from Iona Associates from the Merseyside region

NEWS FROM THE SWEDISH IONA-INSPIRED NETWORK
From Associate Helene Egnell

THE NEW WORLD FOUNDATION ON FACEBOOK

News from President of the NWF, John Dillon

JOHN BELL IN NASHVILLE

But not at the Grand Ole Opry

LAUGHTER IN THE BLUE MIST
A timely new book from Dan Armstrong, a friend of the Community in America

'CHRISTIAN COMMUNITIES IN THE 21ST CENTURY'
Find out about this upcoming gathering at the Othona Community, led by John Vincent

BECOME A JACOB PROJECT BEFRIENDER
Find out more about the Jacob Project for young ex-offenders and how to become a befriender

KATHY GALLOWAY TO RECEIVE HONOURARY DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW

EDINBURGH–MUNICH TWINNING VISIT

News from Associate Jenny Martin about an upcoming visit and an ecumenical partnership that has been running very successfully for the last 30 years.

THE PATTERN OF OUR DAYS
This e-bulletin's Book of the Month. A Community classic.

PLUS RECENT PUBLICATIONS:

A Heart Broken Open: Radical Faith in an Age of Fear, by Ray Gaston

Poverty & Money: Readings, Prayers and Other Liturgical Resources (download):
A large collection of resources on poverty and sharing what we have

WILD GOOSE PUBLICATIONS SPECIAL OFFERS!
Check out the current Wild Goose special offers!

BOOKS AND DOWNLOADS FOR LENT AND EASTER

JABBERING AWAY
A wee reading from the book Growing Hope

THE COMING, by R.S. Thomas

Find out what John Bell is up to in the first part of 2010, about Holy City worship events, about Peter Macdonald's work and about other Community events and gatherings …

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