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Conversations Under Trees

Conversations Under Trees at St James's Piccadilly

Conversations Under Trees is a new programme that opens up conversations about life’s biggest questions, exploring the heart, soul, body and mind. It’s inspired by the idea that a conversation under a tree is a unique shared experience. It is different from having a conversation in a boardroom, across a dining table or online.

You’ll find more information on Conversations Under Trees on this page after the listed events.

The pilot programme of Conversations Under Trees offers a number of special events in October. See below for details.

How do I know what to believe?

Thur 24 Oct 6.30pm

Fact, fiction, faith: AI in an uncertain world – a conversation with Jocelyn Burnham, and Dr Shauna Concannon.

Jocelyn Burnham and Dr Shauna Concannon will take part in an open conversation chaired by Revd Lucy Winkett, in which everyone is welcome to share their thoughts.

Our topic is Artificial Intelligence and its intersections with faith, truth, trust and creativity. This will not be a debate, or a Q&A, it will be a guided conversation, where new questions and contemplation are encouraged as much as answers.

Those attending are invited to join us for welcoming drinks and nibbles from 6pm.

Full details of this event can be found here.

Tickets are free for students and those 65 or over.

Canopy – Join us under the trees

Saturday 26 October 10am – 3pm

A range of free activities will take place in the courtyard and garden, including: a Tree of Future Hopes; a Microplants Walk followed by contemplative conversation, with Deborah Colvin; Conversation Benches under the trees; a Quiz the Clergy Gathering session facilitated by Young St James’s group; art/writing activities and much more.

Activities and events will also take place in the church between 11am and 2pm

You can find details of both the indoor and outdoor activities and events taking place as part of Canopy here.

Free entry, no booking required.

Soft drinks, delicious falafel and vegan Ethiopian food will be on sale from two of our community street food vendors. Outdoor tables and benches are available in the courtyard if you prefer to sit down to eat.

London is a Forest: an historical and environmental perspective

Saturday 26 October 11am-12pm

Londoners live in a city that has a roughly equal number of human inhabitants and arboreal inhabitants. There are thought to be over 9 million trees in London, and together their canopy covers more than 20% of the city, which means, technically, London is a forest.

In this illustrated talk, Paul Wood, the author of the book, London is a Forest, will look at the history of trees in the city, their changing use, and he will highlight some fascinating details connected to the trees and offer some thoughts about their future.

More information about Paul Wood, his work and this event can be found here.

All tickets for this event are free.

Rooted in God’s Earth: Trees in Scripture

Mondays 6.30pm – 7.30pm on Zoom

Inspired by the Conversations Under Trees programme at St James’s throughout 2024, Monday’s evening online Bible study series led by the clergy team is an invitation to explore trees in scripture across the Old and New Testament, as well as in the church buildings of St James’s Piccadilly and St Pancras Euston Road.

More about Conversations Under Trees

Conversations Under Trees is a new programme that opens up conversations about life’s biggest questions, exploring the heart, soul, body and mind. It’s inspired by the idea that a conversation under a tree is a unique shared experience. It is different from having a conversation in a boardroom, across a dining table or online.

When is a tree not a tree?

Some activities will take place under the historic trees around St James’s while others will take place beneath the carved wood of the church roof or online. Some conversations will be about trees and the natural world, others may acknowledge the tree as a conversation partner itself. In other conversations, the idea of a tree’s importance may be symbolic, metaphoric, poetic or reflect shared experiences in images such as a Tree of Life, a Christmas tree, an olive branch or the seasons. Trees are age-old motifs that help shape and articulate our understanding of many things including science, faith, society, art, and philosophy. Conversations Under Trees will embrace all of these and more as the programmes grows.

 

 

When is a conversation not a conversation?

The programme will offer innovative ways for people to connect, contemplate, debate, and talk together. There are many ways to have conversations: they can be internal and reflective too – a conversation with oneself. They can also be sacred, connecting with faith and spirituality: a conversation with God. In Scripture, conversation is often revolutionary, leaving those who take part changed for ever. 

Think, for example, of Sir Isaac Newton and his famous apple tree. His encounter with the tree was the beginning of a revolutionary scientific discovery. We’re holding these Conversations Under Trees at St James’s, across the road from where he once lived.

Conversations Under Trees has now launched its pilot programme. We hope that this seedling will grow many branches over the coming years. We warmly welcome everyone, people of all faiths and none, to join us in imaginative and creative conversations.     

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