‘History’: a Hyde900 combined Inter-faith and Re-imagining Treasures of Hyde Abbey event

Discover a site-specific art installation by Stephen Cooper in the side chamber of Hyde Abbey Gate. This is a combined Hyde900 Inter-faith and Visual Arts ‘Re-imagining’ event. Read the rest of this entry »

The Spirit group represents a coming-together of all the faiths in Hyde to celebrate common values and greater understanding. We have a full programme of events this year – see the Events section for an up-to-date list. Here are a few of them:

The Monk

On April 22nd in the Discovery Centre Lecture Room we are putting on an experience of the way the monks of Hyde Abbey would have lived in 1110.  Well-known presenter Reg Fletcher will impersonate a Benedictine monk  -  in all the right garb!  -  giving us his ideas about why and how he became to committed to this way of life.  He will tell us about the monks’ systems of sustainability, conservation, low energy consumption and moral stability – ideas popular today, though taken for granted in those days. Reg has a great sense of history, and of humour; this promises to be a really enjoyable evening.

On two occasions, 4th May and 21st October, there will be a chance to join Keith Woodward, a very popular tour guide, on a pilgrimage to spaces sacred to various Faiths in Winchester: not only C10th Christian sites, but places holy to Jews of that time, and Moslems and Buddhists today. We’ll have a special surprise at the finish at the Hyde Abbey Gate, the only surviving building of Hyde Abbey.

Chanters

Winchester University is taking a great hand with us in finding  ‘Chanters’ of seven different Faiths who can show us how they approach their Divinity, interspersed with enacted stories from their sacred texts. There’ll also be a song for all of us to enjoy commissioned for the occasion from June Boyce-Tillman. That can guarantee that we can all join in and not be simply spectators. This will all take place in mid-July and will either be at the site of the Hyde Abbey or in St. Bartholomew’s Church if it is wet.

Stillness

Another event, which will be added to by students in their projects, will be a sponsored Sit-In for Stillness. Imagine trying to be still and silent at the centre of the excitement of the Hat Fair! Anyone can join in this from schoolchildren to elderlies, just to show you can do it. It will also hold surprises for a lot of people, whether they are taking part or just watching. The money they raise will go to the Mayor’s Charities.

Cathedral exhibition

We are encouraging artists from the different faiths to offer examples of work  influenced by their own beliefs. It will be held at the East end of the Cathedral, as part of the wider Hyde900 ‘Re-imagining’ installation of art. This is a large undertaking, and will make for a fascinating visit. It will run in April and May of 2010.

For more information on any of the Spirit events, contact Wanda Nash.