Jesus is the only founding teacher of a world religion to declare that his mission and gospel are for the poor. Most Christians in the West hardly fall into the category “poor” - or do we? Jesus is on record as saying “Blessed are you who are poor, for the kingdom of God belongs to you.” What is this poverty, and are we, on account of our comfortable lifestyles denied the blessedness of which Jesus spoke? Jesus told his followers to “lay up treasure in heaven.” What kind of investment did he have in mind? How is it that “you always have the poor with you”? This conference will be an opportunity to explore such questions as these.

Begins with Evening Prayer, 5:30 pm on Friday. 1st session: 7:30 pm.
Ends with lunch on Sunday.

Speaker: The Rev’d Howard Page-Clark
Howard Page-Clark grew up in southeast England, and after graduating from college he joined Post Green Community based near Poole, Dorset, later moving to Millport, Isle of Cumbrae in Scotland to become a member of a sister community, the Community of Celebration, of which he remains a Companion. In Scotland he met and married Jodi Page, whose leadership in and musical contribution to the Fisherfolk genre is well known. In Millport Howard served as manager of the Community’s bakery business for several years. Howard (now with Jodi) returned to Dorset, where for a period he ran Post Green Community’s caravan park business, before becoming administrator of the Post Green camp and conference program. He and Jodi adopted a family of four siblings, all now grown.
Howard trained as an Anglican priest and was ordained in 1998 to serve in the parish where he lives. He left Post Green and worked part time as a bookkeeper for a charity he and Jodi had helped to set up, while training as a teacher. He taught science at a secondary school in Bournemouth for six years, and then started his own business as a handyman. The onset of cancer led to the closure of that business, and since his recovery he has retired and completed a book about computer programming. He continues to serve his parish as an associate minister.