Creative Writing Workshop with Margaret Somerville – 'When Prayer Doesn’t Work: Expanding Our Spiritual Practice Through Writing'

Inspired by Margaret Somerville's book, ‘When Prayer Doesn't Work’ (Wild Goose Publications, 2025), this interactive workshop invites participants into an expansive and inclusive exploration of how our wonderings can help us reimagine both personal prayer and communal blessing. Through guided prompts, participants will write and/or draw as they reflect on identity, belonging, spiritual nourishment, gratitude, lament, wonder, and hope. Beginning with curiosity rather than certainty, participants will discover what lies at the heart of their own wisdom and how words, images, silence, and imagination can become pathways to insight, connection, and the sacred.

This event is organised in collaboration with the Iona Community.

Accessibility

We are committed to providing an accessible and inclusive attendee experience. In line with fire safety regulations attendees using a wheelchair must be able to self-transfer to an evac chair in order to safely evacuate the building.

If you have specific accessibility needs or accommodation requests please let us know during registration or contact us in advance by emailing divinity.news@ed.ac.uk.

Additional information can be found at Accessibility Information: New College

Venue & Travel

The event will take place at New College on the Mound. Please access via the glass door through main gated entrance.

New College is very accessible on foot, bike and bus. We would encourage all attendees to consider sustainable travel options to the event. Car parking is not available and limited only to nearby street parking:

Find parking bays – The City of Edinburgh Council

Further information on the venue and travel options can be found at

Travel Options

Description supplied by the event organiser.