Co-hosted by the Saint Stephen's Episcopal Church and the Diocesan Task Force for Creation Care, this evening will feature an introduction to the work of A Rocha by its founder Peter Harris and a book launch, celebrating the release of A Place at the Table by Jo Swinney, daughter of Peter Harris.
A Rocha is a global family of Christian organizations which, inspired by God’s love, engages in scientific research, environmental education, and community-based conversation projects. Learn more about A Rocha at arocha.org.
Join us early at Saint Stephen's for the Celtic Service at 5 p.m. and/or for a simple dinner at 6 p.m., followed by the presentation and concluding with a wine reception where you will have the opportunity to meet our guests and mingle. Then event is free, but you will need to register here.
ABOUT THE BOOK
Rooted in the story of the Christian environmental conservation charity, A Rocha, and the life of its late co-founder Miranda Harris, A Place at the Table: Faith, Hope and Hospitality (Hodder Faith, 2022) is a profound reflection on hospitality and the transformative power of community.
Miranda Harris’s tragic death in 2019 sent a shockwave across the globe to those closest to her and the many who found her approach to hospitality and community a life-long inspiration. In A Place at the Table, Miranda's daughter Jo Swinney honors her mother’s dedication to a life of community and fellowship—pairing her own words with her mother’s writings and exploring how sharing food is at the heart of a shared life.
Lyrically written and structured around the shape of a meal, A Place at the Table explores the six parts of a meal: hunger, preparation, welcome, at the table, the clean-up, and the forever feast. With prayers, biblical examples and stories, and personal reflections, A Place at the Table meditates on themes of belonging, loss, and community, and is an encouraging call to action to make hospitality a part of daily life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jo Swinney is a writer, speaker, and editor. She is the Director of Communications for A Rocha—the international Christian environmental conservation charity founded by her father and her late mother, Miranda Harris, who co-authors A Place At the Table. Jo is author of eight books and a regular contributor to many Christian publications in the UK and elsewhere. Learn more about Jo at her website, joswinney.com.