One of the things I love about The Dock is that life never stands still… there are always new things to explore and celebrate.

Like the art: loads of the artists on display in The Dock constantly update and refresh their work.  This section – above the comfy couch with the best view in the Titanic Quarter – is kept up-to-date by Makiko, who brings the latest work from her L’Arche group ‘In Other Words’ – a project in which people with and without learning disabilities connect with each other by creating art.

Or the bookstall – as well as a wide section of novels, travel writing and coffee table books to flick through on a rainy afternoon, Dock Cafe was recently the beneficiary of a huge selection of books from the Good Book Shop in Belfast (now sadly no more):

These books are stacked in the prayer garden, and any questions, queries, interests or doubts you have about any aspect of faith can be explored within their pages!  There’s also loads of different translations of the Bible and lots of devotional works by great authors like John Ortberg and Philip Yancy – so you can sit by the heat of the furnace, or in the sunlight in the Prayer Garden arbour, and take a moment in the middle of a busy day to find some sustenance for the soul.

Speaking of sustenance for the soul – we’re putting plans in place to start an exciting new project in the Dock Prayer Garden over the next few weeks.  A Dock team attended a training day in Willowfield Parish today – watch this space…

And of course I can’t write about new things without mentioning our fantastic new staff members, James and Joachim.  They are currently (hopefully) lying in a darkened room somewhere trying to let their overwhelmed minds and senses recover from the information-overload of getting stuck straight in to a busy week at The Dock.  You’ll hear plenty more from them as time goes on – in the meantime, if you tweet, you can follow them @DockTQJames and @DockTQJoachim to find out how they’re settling in!

And for everything that changes, the important things stay the same.  Dock Cafe is still a haven, a home and a little slice of heaven for hundreds of people every day – a place for games, chats, prayers, coffees, long lingering lunches, music, shelter from the storm and home away from home.