The programme for the weekend

Friday 18 October

Arriving at Kents Hill Park from 4.00 pm, there will be time to register and settle in your room, and to meet up over a drink with friends old and new, before we gather for dinner.

After dinner, we will meet in our main conference room for welcomes, notices, and our keynote address on the theme, given by the Revd Jenny Pathmarajah. We’ll then close our evening in prayer.

Saturday 19 October

The day will begin with optional morning prayer, followed by breakfast. You can then enjoy two of the creative workshops on offer before lunch. Details of confirmed workshopsare in the creative workshops tab.

The ArtServe AGM will take place at 2.00 pm. We hope that anyone not able to be with us for the whole festival weekend will be able to join us either in person at the venue, or to watch a live-stream of the AGM on YouTube (the link will be available via the ArtServe Fellowship Facebook page). Bear in mind also that you can attend the whole of the Saturday as a day visitor.

After a break for refreshments, you can enjoy a third creative workshop before dinner. We’ll then enjoy an entertaining evening together, before concluding the day’s activities with prayer.

Sunday 20 October

The day will begin with optional morning prayer and breakfast. We will gather in the conference room to hear presentations from ArtServe members about their own creative ministries and how they are ‘creating harmony’, and the festival will finish with a service of worship and celebration. We will be ready to depart by 4.00 pm.

Creative workshops

You will be able to choose from the following creative workshops, but you don't have to decide yet. Nearer the time, we will contact everyone who has booked and ask you to choose your workshops.

Drama

Facilitator: Richard Adams

Through discussion and practical activity, Richard will enable you to consider ways of using drama in a church setting, focusing on how to get the best out of people for Bible drama with limited rehearsal time.

Richard is an author, scriptwriter, director, and performer, and a member of ArtServe.

Painting on silk

Facilitator: Beth Burton

Learn the basic skills of painting on silk – how to mix and blend colours, and using salt to achieve some interesting effects – before creating your own beautiful silk picture, which you can then frame or make into a greetings card.

Beth is an enthusiastic crafter who enjoys sharing her skills with others.

Icon writing

Facilitator: Susan Cooke

Susan will give an introductory talk on this ancient and beautiful form of worship. You will then learn some basic skills, before having a go at producing your own small sample of an icon.

Susan is an artist with a passion for iconography.

The life of Jesus: a South Korean art perspective

Facilitator: Jacqui Hicks

We know Christ was Middle Eastern and Jewish – and yet Christ is for all people. In this ‘look and think’ session, Jacqui considers the theme in terms of East-West harmony, as she introduces you to Jesus as portrayed through the eyes of Kim Ki-Chang, a South Korean Roman Catholic Artist.

Jacqui is a member and Trustee of ArtServe.

Why should the Devil get all the good tunes?

Facilitator: Jenny Pathmarajah

Continuing on from Friday evening’s keynote address, Jenny explores modern secular music and the lessons that chart music can teach the church.

Jenny is a Methodist presbyter based in Cambridge, and our keynote speaker for the weekend.

CPR to dead and dying hymns

Facilitator: Jenny Pathmarajah

In her second workshop, Jenny will consider how we can breathe life into dull hymns no one can sing and no one likes!

Jenny is a Methodist presbyter based in Cambridge, and our keynote speaker for the weekend.

Circle dancing

Facilitator: Gillian Pengelly

Traditional in many communities and cultures, circle dancing uses simple and repetitive steps, gentle and easy to learn, to create a beautiful harmony of music, movement, and meditation. No experience necessary.

Gillian is an experienced teacher of circle dancing, and a member of ArtServe.

Needle felting

Facilitator: Michelle Pickering

Needle-felting is a relaxing, mindful activity, and the rhythmic ‘stabby-stabby’ sound of the needle into the felting mat provides a gentle backdrop to the creative process. Michelle will teach the fundamentals, and you will leave having created your own little bee, Christmas bauble, or other small item. No previous experience is necessary.

Michelle is an avid crafter, and a member and Trustee of ArtServe.

The venue

We’re very much looking forward to our first festival in a new venue:

Kents Hill Park Conference Centre
Swallow House
Timbold Drive
Milton Keynes
MK7 6BZ

Kents Hill Park Conference Centre is centrally situated and easily accessible. It is less than 15 minutes from Milton Keynes railway station, and only three miles from junction 14 of the M1. There is plenty of on-site parking.

The centre’s facilities include a variety of comfortable accommodation, flexible meeting rooms, and communal spaces for fellowship and refreshments, including some pleasant outdoor spaces. There is also within the complex a gym and swimming pool, both of which are free to use for guests of the centre – so don’t forget to pack your cozzy!

The centre has facilities for people with disabilities, and caters for different dietary requirements (you will be asked about these when booking). Hot and cold drinks are available throughout the day.

You can find out more about the venue and its facilities from the Kents Hill Park's website.

Get directions

Costs

The cost for the weekend is £240 for a single en suite room, or £210 per person for a shared room, including all meals, refreshments, and conference expenses. Day visitor rates are also available.

A reduced rate of £100 is available for young people up to and including 19 years of age. There is no charge for children under five.

Discounts can be negotiated for families, and there is a special deal for groups – book six places together for the price of five. Please email for further details.

We require a deposit of £50 per person at time of booking (£20 for young people aged 5–19, and £20 per day for non-residential places). The balance is payable by 30 September 2024.

For methods of payment please see booking and payment.

Booking and payment

Book online

The easiest way to book is to use the online booking form. Once you have submitted the form there is an opportunity to pay your deposit by card (via PayPal), or you can return here to do so. See below for methods of payment.

Book online

Book by post

To book by post please download the postal booking form. Send the completed form to: ArtServe membership, 51 Blakehall Road, Carshalton, SM5 3EZ. Cheques must be made payable to Christian Creativity Ltd (not ArtServe). You can still choose to use the online booking form even if you're paying by cheque.

Paying your deposit

We require a deposit of £50 per person at the time of booking. You can pay your deposit by bank transfer, by debit/credit card (via PayPal), or by cheque.

You can choose to pay the full amount at the time of booking, but there is no card payment option for this.

Pay by bank transfer

Please pay NatWest, account name Christian Creativity Ltd (not ArtServe), sort code 51-81-08 account number 84118334 quoting Festival as the payment reference.

For further information please go to Paying by direct bank transfer (opens in a new tab).

Pay by card

We accept card payments (via PayPal) for deposits, but we don't currently offer card payments for the full amount because of the fees.

There is an opportunity to pay your deposit via PayPal once you have submitted the online booking form, or you can return here to do so.

Select the type of booking then click Pay Now. To pay more than one deposit, click Pay Now and then change the quantity on the PayPal screen.

Type of booking

Residential £50.00 GBPDay visitor £20.00 GBP

PayPal opens in a new browser tab.

Pay by cheque

Send your cheque to: ArtServe membership, 51 Blakehall Road, Carshalton, SM5 3EZ. Cheques must be made payable to Christian Creativity Ltd (not ArtServe)

Questions?

If you have any queries about the booking process, please contact Michael on 020 8669 9744 or email .

Download the brochure and booking form

Day visitors

Although primarily a residential weekend, you can attend either Saturday or Sunday (or both) on a non-residential basis. Costs are as follows:

• Saturday (including lunch and dinner) – £75
• Sunday (including lunch) – £70

We require a deposit of £20 per day for non-residential bookings.

Further information

For further information please email .

Alternatively, phone Michael on 020 8669 9744 (leaving a message if necessary) and we will arrange for someone to call you back if necessary.