Musicians from across the country came together at Shallowford House near Stone on Sunday as part of Encourage Festival.
Created by the Vocations team of Lichfield Diocese, the event offered arts, music, poetry, speakers and food under the banner of Celebrating Gods call to us all.
Most well-known among the acts was Revd Kate Bottley who shot to fame as a participant in Channel 4s Gogglebox programme and now presents for BBC1s Songs of Praise and Radio 2s Good Morning Sunday.
"Were trying to nurture vocation, believing that everybody is called" said festival organiser and Diocesan Director of Vocations, Dr Lindsey Hall.
We have this prejudice sometimes that the only calling can be to this little piece of plastic round our necks said Revd Kate Bottley but thats not the case at all. We look at the gifts God has given us, we discern within that how we use the best of us and the worst of us actually for Gods glory.
Among those gifts on display at the festival were abstract art by Lichfield artist, Ros White and drawings of classic vehicles by former architect and Shrewsbury curate Adam Gompertz who now runs the Revs project. Participation was encouraged through crafts provided by Kate Marshall of Sanctus and body art/face painting by Julie Birkin who works in the artistic arm of the local potteries industry while training to become a vicar.
The music began on the main stage with Wolverhampton duo Caitlin & Ellie before sets by Born Again Beatles{link} and others concluding after dusk with Long for the Coast{link} ironic given the landlocked nature of Lichfield Diocese!
Participation was encourage by Andy Silvers of PopUK{link}, a charity that works with schools developing social and moral understanding using song. And local folk trio Wayward Priests consisting of pioneer minister Revd Merry Evans (Abbey Hulton nr Stoke), her brother Iestyn and Revd Richard Clarkson (newly installed as vicar of the AMICA group of churches near Market Drayton).
Folk music is also the vocation of Wildfire Folk which works with young people and provided one of the many food options available to visitors. All vendors profiting local charities or start-up entrepreneurs. Staffordshire oatcakes were perhaps unsurprisingly popular and sold out while Friends of Shallowford House and Friends of Norton Bridge (the adjacent village) did a roaring trade with a barbeque and cream teas. Those wanting something stronger were served by Real-Ale aficionado Revd Chris Rushton and team with beer from local Titanic brewery and ethically-conscious micro-brewery Toast which brews using waste bread from the supermarket and catering industries. A Fizz Bar served prosecco in aid of Musalaha{link}, non-profit organization that promotes and facilitates reconciliation be-tween Israelis and Palestinians.
Words without music were also much in evidence with a performance by local poets Liz Berry, Roger Brammer, Rich Clarkson, Annie Heppenstall and members of the Wolverhampton Poverty Truth Commission; Revd Zoe Heming encouraged rediscovery of the folk art of story-telling; Julie Jones was in conversation with Nello (Neil Baldwin) about his life, God, Marvellous, the universe and everything along with a showing of the biographical BBC drama about him; and the TGI Monday Show {link}team who recorded three episodes in front of a live audience and who welcomed Kate Bottley as a special guest on the panel.
Visitors were left feeling that theyd been part of a celebration of the diversity of Gods calling in a fresh and fun way.
More details of participants and supported charities can be found on the Encourage Festival pages and photos on our Flickr site.