So I’ve been away from Dock-world for a week’s retreat in Donegal, but you know what they say – you can take the boy out of the Titanic Quarter, but…

The first Dock-related happening of the conference was a fascinating session on the Shared Future of Northern Ireland, featuring guest speakers from both sides of the community and looking especially at the church’s role in the political scene.  A lot of regret was expressed for opportunities missed in the past – and a lot of hope for the role and potential of the local church in the future.

This is completely a personal reflection, but what really struck me was the lack of a high profile ‘Shared Future’ church project, something which models the messy, painful, courageous process of learning to work together.  Whatever your opinions on shared projects in areas such as education and politics – and goodness knows there are no easy answers – no-one can deny that new ground is being broken in putting the Shared Future into practice.   But as churches we still operate primarily in terms of ‘single identity’.  Isn’t it time for projects like The Dock to try something new?

The other Titanic invasion of Donegal will be familiar to anyone who has met up in the TQ at 3:33 on a Sunday afternoon over the past few months.  I was given the chance to lead a few of the worship sessions (thanks Bish!) and so I cajoled the assembled throng to join me for some mini-Dock Walks along the banks of the River Eske behind the hotel (an extremely beautiful spot for Dock Walking, as you can see from the pic).

Some people looked a bit nonplussed at first when I told them they had to bring their coats to morning worship – but as always, the experience of engaging with scripture and worship under big skies, with gulls calling and soft rain falling, was pretty amazing.  I love John Ortberg’s description of the natural world as the ‘big book’ of the revelation of God’s glory – with the Bible being the ‘little book’.  He recommends ‘reading the little book in the middle of the big book’ – could be the Dock Walk motto!