ThirdSpace operates on a seven week cycle. We meet for six weeks and then not on the seventh which is our Sabbath week.

Three of these Wednesday evenings are held at the pub / Lounge Bar ‘Ostello’  in Matlock. These evenings are discussion based and vary in style, though they are always very relaxed occasions and a chance to catch up on one another’s lives.

Sometimes we have the theme of ‘Headspace’. This embraces any topic for discussion and is characterised by pulling questions from a bowler hat in turn and giving initial responses before opening it up to general debate. Questions have ranged from the political to the theological to the ridiculous.

Another favourite evening is ‘What the papers say’ with someone leading discussion around something from the news that week.

Then again, at other times we might just do something silly  based around  ‘Room 101’,  ‘Manifesto’ or something like that. Whatever we do – it’s fun!

These three evenings in the pub are interspersed with meetings in a home. These too take on different forms.:

Approximately one in six weeks we share a meal. This is an important part of being a community and gives us an opportunity to talk, listen, laugh, debate and usually pray around the table. On these occasions we usually start with some kind of opening liturgy and mid-way we will share bread and wine.

Every other meal is designated ‘A simple meal’. One person will prepare something about a charity of their choice and a suggested donation of £2 per person goes to that work after the evening. We will have soup, bread and cheese or baked potatoes and stick to drinking water, mindful of those who have less than we enjoy.

Other evenings we will discuss a text, book or talk . We have used Richard Rohr CDs and Rob Bell DVDs, explored  Rob Bell’s book “Love Wins”, Michael Mitton’s book ‘Travellers of the heart’ and Christopher Jamison’s ‘Finding Snactuary’ to give just a few examples.

Usually one meeting per term in the home is set aside for prayer / reflection / meditation. This, too, is central to the health of the group.