Must do things when you visit Iona . . .

Go to one of the 9pm services at Iona Abbey

No matter what your religion - or even if you have no religious beliefs - a trip to the 9pm service in the Abbey that is held by the Iona Community is a must do while on the island.

The service will depend on what week it is in the community program and which day of the week you attend. Family week and Youth week always provide enjoyable services and a great sense of community spirit.

Tip:

If eating at one of the hotels, let them know that you are attending the service and they will try to prioritise your meal to avoid you being late.

After the service take a relaxed walk to the north beach, Traigh Ban Nam Monach, (Gaelic for 'white strand of the monks) or across to the Machair. Watch out for bats. If it is a clear night enjoy the magnificent celestial display made possible by the lack of a million megawatts of city lighting.

For more information on the services at Iona Abbey visit the Iona Community Website

To give you an idea of what is on each week, here is the program for 2011:

Date At the Abbey At the MacLeod Centre 19-25 Mar Work Week Physical work, laughter, conversation and evenings spent relaxing by the fire. £87 per adult Closed   26 Mar -1 Apr  Work Week £87 per adult Closed 2-8 Apr Student Week led by Alison Phipps   9-15 Apr   Family Week Our Family Week aims to provide a lighter programme where families can relax together, and where couples and individuals can enjoy life in community with optional discussions, singing, art, and time to explore the island in early spring   Who Am I? Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Bebo, Faces.com, Youtube, Flickr and many more social networking sites where we meet new friends and keep in touch with old friends. Come and spend some time with other young people thinking about virtual and real communities.  Let’s make our own!  Led by Linda Pollock (a ‘people person’, avid Manchester United Fan, lover of Bruce Cockburn’s music, poetry, and theology!) This week is Youth Clubs Week for groups of children aged 11-14 and their leaders 16-25 Apr Holy Week and Easter (9 nights) Walk through the last week of Jesus’ life in the company of others…..and be changed   26-29 Apr Experiencing Easter (3 nights)   30 Apr-6 May   Gathering Place Join us for an open experience of God, each other and Iona in this varied, more flexible programme which has space for learning, fun, worship and reflection as together we build community!   Gathering Place Join us for an open experience of God, each other and Iona in this varied, more flexible programme which has space for learning, fun, worship and reflection as together we build community!   7-13 May   Being Human…Being Spiritual: A journey from the Ice Age to the “Eternal Now Stone Age people developed a spiritual awareness long before Biblical times. Their religion arose from their relationship with other forest animals. The first Celtic Christians committed to living as one with creation: we are not human beings seeking to be spiritual; we are already spiritual beings seeking to be fully human! Led by David Ireson, Member of the Iona Community, teacher, vicar, and member of the Deer Society Gathering Place Join us for an open experience of God, each other and Iona in this varied, more flexible programme which has space for learning, fun, worship and reflection as together we build community!   14-20 May Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May Fully Booked 21-27 May Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   21-23 May Relaxed Iona Weekend Away Arrive Saturday for a short weekend, Depart Monday morning. 23-27 May Fully Booked   28 May-3 Jun   Justice & Peace Join Hands: Models for Restoring Society. Building on the experience of the US Civil Rights Movement, we will explore the concept of Restorative Justice with reference to South Africa, Northern Ireland and the Israeli- Palestinian conflict. We will explore how liturgy grounds justice movements, looking particularly at the liturgy and music of the Iona Community. Led by Dr Don Will, Professor of Peace Studies at Chapman University, CA, USA; who has worked with the United Nations and worked for peace in the Middle East and South Africa Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   4-10 Jun   Colonies of Heaven: Columba & Christianity An exploration of the nature of Columba’s faith and how it was expressed and lived out in prayer, presence, pastoral care, poetry and community. How do we build ‘colonies of heaven’?  Led by Ian Bradley, a minister, writer, broadcaster and academic. Author of over 30 books, he is the Reader in Church History and Practical Theology at St. Andrews University.   11-17 Jun Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   18-24 Jun   Prayer Circle/Gathering Place - join members of the Iona Prayer Circle in a week exploring different aspects of prayer. With Polly Burns and Alix Brown, Members of the Iona Community   Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   25 Jun-1 Jul Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   Equality - It Takes Two to Tango Reclaiming original stories from Scripture and the equality of feminine and masculine voices. Led by Jo Love, Jane Bentley & Jamie Schmeling, WGRG project worker, community musician, Deputy Warden respectively, all Associate Members of the Iona Community   2-8 Jul   The Unsuspected Shapers of Belief   NOW FULLY BOOKED   Holiday Week Join us in the MacLeod Centre for a relaxed programme of reflective fun, perfect for all ages and for families.   9-15 Jul Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May 16-22 Jul Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   23-29 Jul Youth Festival for groups of young people aged 15-17 with their leaders. £138 per person   30 Jul -5 Aug Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   Holiday Week Join us in the MacLeod Centre for a relaxed programme of reflective fun, perfect for all ages and for families.   6-12 Aug Community Week – Fully Booked   13-19 Aug Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   Make It Flesh, Make It Real Jo Love and Graham Maule of the Wild Goose Resource Group share some be's in their bonnets and do's in their doo'cots. In this week about being and doing, they will be drawing on insights from WGRG's Holy City (the Glasgow monthly event) theme which has been looking at the early Church in Acts. The programme is for those who want to be physically creative, actively challenged and reflectively engaged with some of the issues and lifestyle choices facing the people of God today, head, heart and soul. An extra charge (£40/adult, £25 low income)   20-26 Aug Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   Holiday Week Join us in the MacLeod Centre for a relaxed programme of reflective fun, perfect for all ages and for families.   27 Aug-2 Sep Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   3-9 Sep   The Hope For Reconciliation. Working towards reconciliation between individuals and groups.. Led by Marion McNaughton and Colin McKenzie (Warden), both Members of the Iona Community   Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   10-16 Sep Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   17-23 Sep   Fully Booked Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May 24-30 Sep Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   Celebrating The Seasons Between Pentecost and Advent not much happens.  This week allows for a reflection on how we celebrate the seasons both of the Christian Year and of our own lives. Jo Love and John Bell are members of the Wild Goose Resource Group and will enable a multi-dimensional experience.   1-7 Oct Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   8-14 Oct Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   Stories that Move Us: an invitation to engage with The Healing Stories of the Gospel.  We will play together- for fun- but not just for the hell of it. Rather to rediscover our innocence as well as our warts. The more we bring our humanity to the healing stories of the gospel, the closer we will be to the wholeness we seek.  led by John Roussel, Associate Member   15-21 Oct Gathering Place see description 30th Apr - 6 May   Associates Week/Gathering Place – join other associate members of Iona Community   22-28 Oct Community Week - for Members of the Community and their families   29 Oct-4 Nov   Work Week Physical work, laughter, conversation and evenings spent relaxing by the fire. £87 per Adult Closed 5-21 Nov   Closed Closed 22-29 Nov   Quiet Week (7 nights) Join our winter community for space and quiet reflection, held by the rhythms of worship and meals (limited to 20 guests)   Closed 1-8 Dec Quiet Week (7 nights) as 22-29 Nov   Closed 9-19 Dec Closed   Closed 20-27 Dec Celebrating Christmas on Iona (7 nights) Families, couples, individuals welcome   Closed

Before the service - Iona Abbey

What to do on Iona