worship and spirituality / february 2017 new lent course ... · global refugee crisis, developing...
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Worship and Spirituality / February 2017
ochesterLinkNew retreat houses in the Diocese
see pages 6-7
New Lent Course - Place in the CrowdOur new lent course challenges us to
consider our ‘Place in the Crowd’, through studying and reflecting on Jesus’ journey to the cross and his interactions with others. Why are we looking at this subject at this time?
Since the turn of the century we have collectively experienced 9/11, major wars, civil wars in big Arab states, the growing nihilism of religious violence, a global refugee crisis, developing climate change, a severe banking collapse which revealed deep and endemic flaws in the global economy, an era of austerity and lengthening inequality, a vote to leave the European Union and, across the so-called developed world, the re-emergence of demagoguery and extremist politics. This is taking place against the panoramic scenery of a digital revolution which we imagine has taken place but which presently is no more than the slow taxiing of a plane to the runway.
In the course of this century, which will belong to our children and grandchildren, they will travel to places so far away we could never imagine them. The two previous economic revolutions – agrarian and
industrial – made unprecedented impacts on where and how people lived and related to one another. Our revolution in personal communication will alter the social architecture irrevocably, impacting upon lives more intimately than anything that has gone before. It is the biggest social experiment in human history.
But still we carry on as if nothing has really happened. For the Church this would be a mistake. Its historic calling is to a dual listening role. It should open its ears: to the world, to make sense of the changes taking place; and to the Holy Spirit, to enable the Church to respond to these changes, that its people may live more fruitfully as disciples of Christ. The creation of a diocesan strategic framework is a response to the many remarkable things that are happening around us. In the midst of rapid and volatile change, we need to shape our mission – through evangelism and community action – in a way that demonstrates the coming Kingdom of God.
In the Diocese of Rochester, we are currently engaging as many people as possible in a conversation about our purpose and future direction. We have named this process Our Conversation; Our Future. These conversations will help us discern the will of the
Holy Spirit as we seek to develop a new strategic framework – a vision, or set of goals - to guide us. We are actively seeking to hear from anyone with an opinion, not just those who currently worship in a Church of England church within the Diocese of Rochester.
‘Place in the Crowd’ has been designed as part of Our Conversation; Our Future to encourage and enable engagement with this changing world around us, to look at these issues in a spiritual and reflective way.
The six sessions follow the journey of Jesus from his public ministry to the cross, using as a lens the crowds who accompany different stages of that journey. The sessions use the Gospel of Matthew, which is the lectionary Gospel for this year. The course aims to celebrate what is already happening, to put new heart into God’s people, and to acknowledge that it is God who is ultimately the one who is at work.
The Lent Course will be sent to every parish in early 2017, and more copies will be available on request. We will also publish the material and additional resources online.
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CONTENTS:
Introducing Lent Course - Place in the Crowd
Editor’s Letter
Don’t miss this wave - pledge to pray!
Mosaics of Mercy
On Becoming a Spiritual Director
Ancient Prayers for Modern Christians
New Retreat Houses in the Diocese
Godly Play Room
The Prayer Pack
A Decent Cup of Coffee
Our church buildings and what we do in them
Remembrance labyrinth
The Labyrinth is an ancient path
Editor’s LetterWelcome to this special edition of the Link, focusing on worship and spirituality, guest edited by the Rev Canon Susanne Carlsson, Adviser for Spirituality, and the Rev Lindsay Llewellyn-MacDuff, Worship Development Adviser. You’ll notice that some of the regular articles from Link – the Bishop’s diary, for example, and the diocesan Calendar of Intercessions - are missing from this paper. All of these are still available online, but we hope you will appreciate having here the extra articles.
It’s a good month to focus on prayer and contemplation, approaching Lent as we are. At this time of year we look to refresh our discipleship. There is a mixture of themes that start to emerge as we walk through these six weeks, stepping from our identification with Christ’s fast in the wilderness, to journeying alongside him on his last journey to the cross. We juggle penitence with discipline, and try not to get the two too muddled. We often simplify our liturgy and our ‘decor’ in order to mimic the wilderness in our worship.
Some of this will be about our personal disciplines. It’s becoming a bit of a cliché to ‘take something up’ for Lent, but so it is for many of us. Many will be planning to spend more time reflecting, praying and reading the Scriptures during this season. Archdeacon Clive therefore writes about the resources we might use for prayer and reflection. Also, this year the Diocese is offering a number of quiet days as we move into Lent. It’s a season that lends itself to taking time apart from the madding crowd, to pray and take stock, whether simply for a few hours or a retreat numbered in days. So we have a centre page spread on the resources for retreat and reflection offered in the Diocese at Burrswood, West Malling and Chatham.
But it’s not just as individuals that we reflect on our practice and on Scripture. Lent is often a time for parishes to take up new practices, or to set time aside to reflect together on their common journey. Susanne Carlsson has included some notes on the prayer pack that she and her team offer, while Sue Robertson records her experience of a quiet day at St Peter, Pembury. Stephanie Tibber gives an insight into putting together a themed labyrinth, as she did at the parish of St Peter, Walthamstow, for a Mothers’ Union day last November. (If the idea of labyrinths grabs you, Barbara Wallace has written about the history and resonances of this particular prayer path.)
By far the most common lenten practice is the lent course, so Claire Boxall has given us an introduction to this year’s lent course: a Place in the Crowd, a course aimed at helping congregations come to grips with the Rochester Conversation. “Our Conversation our Future” is meant to stimulate prayerful thought and dialogue about our place in God’s economy – what the Spirit is saying to the churches of this Diocese.
And there’s more within these pages: Godly Play, spiritual direction, some thoughts on the use of space and on the practice of hospitality. These are articles on how we help each other discern what God is doing in our lives and how we express it, how we support one another in our journey and in our worship. Finally Caroline Clarke has written a piece introducing the Archbishops’ project for national renewal: Thy Kingdom Come, an octave of prayer for the work of the Church – of Our Lord – not only in West Kent, but in the United Kingdom.
I hope you enjoy having something a bit more themed than usual, and I hope the thread Susanne and I have tried to run through this paper leads you somewhere fruitful (which is not at all the same thing, necessarily, as it leading you where she and I expected or intended).
The Rev Lindsay Llewellyn-MacDuff, Bishop’s Chaplain & Worship Development
AdvisorQuiet Days:7 February at the Emmaus Centre, Westerham: “TMI [too much information]; finding the frequency of the Spirit in the white noise of our age” led by the Ven Simon Burton-Jones For more information please visit the diocesan website www.rochester.anglican.org/strategy/conversation/more-information
11 March at St Benedict’s Centre: Lenten quiet day led by the Rt Rev James Langstaff For more information please contact the Rev Lindsay Llewellyn-MacDuff on [email protected] or 01634 814439
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Don’t miss this wave – pledge to pray!
Mosaics of Mercy
Archbishop Justin’s opening comment to those of us
crowded into the Great Hall at Lambeth Palace for the launch of Thy Kingdom Come 2017 a couple of weeks ago, was “I thought, people were more important than books…” He was referring to the chill: every wall around us was crammed with ancient original books from centuries past, floor to ceiling: very precious and needing to be kept as cool as possible… Once we started talking about Thy Kingdom Come though, the buzz of excitement and enthusiasm sent temperatures soaring.
Have you ever been caught in a wave and felt the surge of the water swirling around you as you’re swept to the shore? Waves are a powerful force, a bit like prayer. They may start small on a distant horizon and build into a huge breaker. But unlike waves, prayers can move mountains. That’s what happened in May this year when hundreds of churches and individuals joined in a wave of prayer called Thy
Kingdom Come. The initiative began when the Archbishops of Canterbury and York invited churches to pray in fresh ways between Pentecost and Ascension. They encouraged everyone to ask for the Holy Spirit to help them be witnesses to Jesus Christ and to pray for others to discover faith.
What started as an idea gained momentum and earlier this year more than 100,000 Christians from different denominations and traditions took part around the UK and across the world. They joined in more than 3,000 events and services to pray for others to come to know Jesus Christ. The time of prayer culminated in six national Beacon Events at cathedrals around the country. At Canterbury a live stream was set up for people to join in on the internet. By July it had received 300,000 views. Chair of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Evangelism Taskgroup, Emma Buchan, who is also part of Rochester Diocese and a former missioner, said, “We were astounded by the take up. Some people got up to pray at 2am and said they didn’t know that an hour of prayer could change their life.”
This year the wave is starting to build again and it looks like being even bigger
than 2016. Emma said, “We’re hoping more people will join in Thy Kingdom Come 2017 between 25 May and 4 June and pledge to pray with the whole
family of God.” Don’t miss out on this God-given wave. To find out more see the website www.thykingdom.co.uk
A day of quiet, uninterrupted, chore free. This was heaven
in itself. The peace of St Peter’s Church, Pembury, with the early autumn sun filtering through the stained glass windows provided a perfect setting for Mosaics of Mercy led by Sue Robertson. This was indeed an opportunity to reach deeper into my own and other’s spirituality.
Sue used music to lead us in and out of the silence. Music moves us and immediately the silence is full of thoughts and emotions. She advised us to know they were there but to take no notice and leave them unanswered like ignoring a phone call. That can be difficult if ‘stuff’ is overwhelming. However, stuff comes and eventually goes and a deep silence brings calm and rest.
We were given a reflection sheet with two possible activities and advised to follow one of them. I chose the second one which was entitled ‘How is God including me in the mosaics of mercy he is shaping in the lives of those around me?’. The sheet guided us through the reflection with suggestions which included the possibility of working creatively with mosaics and crayons on
one of the tables around the church.
As we deepened our understanding of where God was working in our lives there were two areas focussing on prayer where we could sit and reflect. One held pictures of the beautiful Rose Window in Chartres Cathedral.
In contemplating the construction of this window with its 7000 pieces, insights into my own life flowed. I was coming to the end of a piece of life’s mosaic which was particularly difficult. It had taken a long time to come to completion with immense effort and constant working. It was exhausting. Then I looked at it and saw it was very beautiful because so many good, inspired, and highly skilled people had been there also. Their goodness and inspiration I knew in some cases had come from God. I myself had been guided on many occasions. Together we had made a mosaic which God had breathed on and made shiny.
Some mosaics are hard to craft. Those are the ones where we have no choice but to ask God for direction. We walk together and chew it all over and whether we think we did it right or wrong, God makes it good.
The rights and wrongs of decisions were addressed by Sue in her introducing us to the Examen of St Ignatius of Loyola, a new tool in my spiritual kit box.
It starts with “You are precious in my eyes and honoured and I love you” and includes giving thanks for the kindnesses received this day, and things that have lifted our spirits. It moves to asking God for understanding, reviewing our feelings about events, asking for forgiveness and healing, and
asking God for renewal and gifts for forthcoming daily life.
The time to stop and reflect, guided by someone with spiritual insight and maturity is a rare opportunity that I would advise everyone to take when they get a chance.
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On becoming a Spiritual Director
By the Ven Clive Mansell
Some prayers are timeless. They touch eternity. They linger from
past history. They carry us forward from the present into the future. I have found that prayers written by others before me have often been of great help to me. I draw inspiration from those who compose the prayers. I borrow their prayers to give voice to my thoughts and petitions before God. My bookshelves contain several collections of prayers, but probably many of us have on the bookshelf a copy of the Book of Common Prayer, or even of the modern Common Worship Services of the Church of England. Just wending our way through the Collects, which are set out there for Sundays and special moments in the year, can bring us to pause as we come into the presence of God and take us deeper and further beyond the words themselves. Some of the phrases in older English can catch our eye, stay in our memory and travel with us. For example, “… that we may so pass through things temporal that we lose not the things eternal” or “O God, who hast prepared for them that love thee such good things as pass man’s understanding …”
Anthologies of prayers draw from all sorts of sources. Sometimes, the words are profound. Sometimes, the prayers are long. Sometimes, they combine piety with humour. Have you ever read “Prayers from the Ark” by Carmen Bernos de Gasztold and encountered the whimsical Prayer of the Butterfly, or the warm and humble Prayers of the Tortoise, and of the Elephant, or the solid Prayer of the Ox? Search for the prayers of Lancelot Andrewes or of St Augustine of Hippo and investigate their biographies. Enjoy the modern Celtic Prayers of David Adam. Dip excitedly into prayers gathered around
the theme of “morning” or “praise” and relax gently into the prayers collected for use in the evening, by which day and night life, death and life eternal are gathered together before the God of Love. Sometimes, when we do not know how to pray, there is a prayer of someone else which puts into words our heart’s desire.
Two modern anthologies in print are The SPCK Book of Christian Prayer and the Book of a Thousand Prayers (Angela Ashwin). Other anthologies can be found in libraries.
Ancient Prayers for Modern Christians
By the Rev Dr Margaret Wilkinson
Spiritual direction has been described as a hidden ministry
so it is perhaps not surprising that that I was in my forties before I gave it any thought. I would like to suggest that I stumbled across it but I am sure that God would insist that that was not so. For God took and used my self-centred attempt to reduce my blood pressure by meditation to show me an entirely new way of praying and being in relation to God. When I eventually plucked up the courage to tell my vicar what was happening he offered to be my spiritual director. Feeling somewhat panicked I said I would think about it.
So why did I react like that? The words Spiritual Director conjured up a vision of a severe male figure in a cassock, probably also wearing a dog collar pointing out my faults and failings of which I have many and, worst of all, telling me what to do. Fortunately in the course of my “thinking
about it” I came across a little book called “Spiritual Direction and Meditation” by Thomas Merton. It explained how my negative misconceptions probably originated with autocratic directors who flourished at times of religious upheaval especially in the 17th century. It opened my eyes to what God was already doing in my life and it did more than reassure me that meeting with a Spiritual Director was not something to be feared for I found myself thinking that it was something I would do in the future.
I have discovered over the years that my original ideas about what a spiritual director would be like were all wrong. Although many spiritual directors are men, most are women. Many are ordained but most are not. I have never had my faults and failings pointed out to me but have unfailingly received gentle understanding and encouragement to discover for myself what it is God has in mind for me. I have never been told what to do but I have been helped to discover a way forward through many difficult and testing times. In Thomas Merton’s
words “a spiritual director is one who helps another to recognize and follow the inspirations of grace in his or her life in order to arrive at the end to which God is leading them.” This is done by listening attentively to what is said by the directee and at the same time listening to the promptings of God. Which is why those words of Thomas Merton still humble me so much that I have to remind myself that the work of spiritual direction is done by God. The director’s role is to facilitate that work. To do that I have to maintain my own relationship with God, through prayer, my own on-going spiritual direction, and make sure that I have supervision of my work.
I said at the beginning that spiritual direction is a hidden ministry. It takes place discreetly and confidentially and is rarely advertised. Nevertheless there are more people now looking for spiritual direction than ever before and a need for those who feel called to this ministry to discern whether or not it is for their vocation. If you are like me, that may take some time.
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New retreat houses in the Diocese
Set in the beautiful grounds of Malling Abbey, St Benedict’s
Centre offers individuals and groups room to study, rest, relax and revive. On the ground floor of the Guest House (left) there is a comfortable meeting room, equipped with WiFi, plasma screen and flip chart for groups of up to 45. Adjacent is a seating area with tables where freely available filter coffee and a selection of teas can be enjoyed (below).
On the first floor there are ten study rooms, some spacious enough to accommodate small groups. Each is equipped with the essentials for a day of study: chair, desk, good lighting and windows overlooking the Abbey gardens.
Each room also has a comfy reclining chair with blanket should you need to catch up on a bit of rest or allow the fruits of your efforts the chance to filter into your subconscious. And, of course, you are free to wander through the beautiful Guest House grounds.
Wander over the stream towards the
tower and you come to the Western Range.
The ground floor provides further room for groups to meet and study: two light and airy large meeting rooms (capacity 25-30) and a smaller seminar room for 8 or fewer. All are equipped with plasma screens, WiFi and flipcharts.
A well equipped galley kitchen provides hot water for teas and large flasks of fresh filter coffee. Disabled access and facilities are available on the ground floor in both buildings. Biscuits, as well as ‘on tap’ beverages are available at no extra charge and it’s only a short walk to local shops, cafés or restaurants should you want something more substantial.
There is a seating area within the Western Range especially for refreshments; if the weather is kind you might like to picnic in the Guest House grounds; benches and seating areas are dotted around.
St Benedict’s Centre welcomes businesses, charities and community groups as well as churches. Further details are available from Tracey Jones: 01732 252651 [email protected].
St Benedict’s Centre Opens
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There has been a lot of work done on the house and in the
garden in the last 6 months and we are now ready to welcome visitors. There was an official opening of Attic Retreats on the 4 October and we have had our first retreatants!
The vision for 65 Maidstone Road is to support and nourish the Church and its workers, through offering a space for people to seek God and reflect on their experiences.
The ground floor, with two meeting rooms, a chapel, and a garden, is available for smaller day groups. The first floor will be used for the members of the emerging community.
As mentioned above a lot of work has been done in the garden. It is slowly becoming a prayerful space with different palaces to sit and reflect. We have even been blessed with a summer/prayer house in the garden. After a lot of work in attic we are now ready to received visitors!
We have decided to call the retreat space at the top of the house Attic Retreats. Attic Retreats has two bedrooms, a prayer room, a bathroom and a small kitchenette for people to do their own self-catering.
We are particularly thinking of all those who in different ways are serving the Church and need to come away and rest for a while and listen to God. The community members will be available to offer spiritual accompaniment to those who would like some guidance
during their stay and, for those who are interested in making the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises, they will be offered in all their different forms. The attic will give the people who come to stay a peaceful and calming environment in the midst of the busy town of Chatham.
Only 7 min walk from Chatham station and with good parking facilities, it is easy to access.
Set in 120 acres of tranquil grounds on the border of Kent
and Sussex, Burrswood Health and Wellbeing is a Christian charity transforming lives through whole person care. We support individuals, families and carers to recognise the importance of all aspects of their lives, body, mind and spirit.
Burrswood was founded in 1948 by the 20th century healing visionary, Dorothy Kerin (1889 – 1963), regarded by many as a modern-day Christian saint. In 1912 Dorothy Kerin was a 22-year-old who had been confined to bed for five years with tubercular meningitis, peritonitis and diabetes, when a miraculous cure restored her to full health overnight. Her healing earned her national attention and press headlines of ‘Miracle Girl’.
Dorothy Kerin’s personal experience of the living Christ turning her life around - literally taking her from death to healthy life in a moment – led her to establish a place where others could come to find the same healing from God which she had herself received. Dorothy believed her commission was to ”Heal the sick,
comfort the sorrowing and give faith the faithless”. This remains Burswood’s focus and primary purpose today in a way that is contemporary, creative and accessible to many more.
We believe in a truly holistic approach and so we provide services and activities that relate to all aspects of a person’s life, body, mind and spirit. Burrswood is recognised as a safe space, where people sense the presence of God and find recovery, reconciliation, and restoration.
Spiritual health and wellbeing is at the heart of what we do, building on our existing healing services, prayer, and pastoral support, we also provide residential courses, refreshment for ministry, and support for carers, as well as a host of other wellbeing activities.
Through therapeutic health and wellbeing our aim is to further promote resilience, independence and an improved quality of life for our patients. Areas of focus include reablement care for those needing short term bed, based care before returning home: respite care: as well as palliative care for those who may wish to spend time in a supported environment while
their condition is stable.
We are also offering assisted stays for those who would like to take a break but require a little additional support such as specialist equipment, hospital bed, hoists or personal care.
We also offer independent stay for guests who are accessing our chaplaincy led wellbeing events or outpatient services such as hydrotherapy, counselling, and physiotherapy. We are also extending our range of outpatient services to support people with chronic conditions.
As an organisation founded on Christian principles with a desire to keep the love of Christ at the heart of all we do, Burrswood has a distinctive ethos. We are welcoming to all. Our Christian faith perspective is offered but never imposed upon those who come to seek our support and guidance.
“Endless kindness and care, which most certainly played an enormous part in my healing and recovery process.”
For more information please visit www.burrswood.org.uk
Burrswood Health and Wellbeing
Attic Retreats, 65 Maidstone Road, Chatham
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By the Rev Canon Susanne Carlsson
Prayer lies at the heart of the Church and our lives. In the
words of Thomas Green, it is an “opening of the heart and mind to God…a personal encounter with God in love”.
Prayer is being present to ‘Presence’. And if we persist in prayer, this sense of God’s presence in the whole of our life will grow. We can then begin to live and indeed celebrate “Your kingdom…here on earth as in heaven.”
Every person has his or her unique way of praying: there are no rights and wrongs. But to those who are still searching for a (new) way that suits them, or in those moments when inspiration has run dry and God’s voice and presence seem to have faded, the Diocese has put together a prayer pack which will hopefully offer some guidance; a gentle nudge in the right direction.
The leaflets currently available are:
• Bringing your concerns into prayer • Centering prayer• God in my day – Review• Listening to God in silence and
stillness• Multi-sensory prayer – using images
and symbols• Multi-sensory prayer – using your
own creativity• Praying with music• Praying with the Bible – Lectio
Divina• Praying with the Bible – using your
imagination• Praying with the five senses• Review of prayer
To get more information about the pack: how it works and how to arrange for it to take place in your church community please contact: Susanne Carlsson, Diocesan Adviser for Spirituality on 07795 167603 or by email [email protected], [email protected]
Godly Play Room
The Prayer Pack
By the Rev Canon Katrina Barnes
I was first introduced to Godly Play by a colleague about
12 years ago and although I appreciated it might be a useful tool, did not explore further. However, 5 years ago we discovered ‘The Christmas Journey’ an interactive tool that links Christmas with Easter for year 2 children. The beginning and ending of the Christmas Journey uses adaptations of some Godly Play stories. As we observed the reaction of staff and students to this hands-on narrative method, we began to see its innate value as a means of helping children and adults make connections and meaning between these stories and their own imaginative experience. We saw what a valuable tool Godly Play is for using with children who have no Church background.
After the 3-day core training we began to introduce some Godly Play stories in a variety of settings with children and adults. Godly Play nurtures the spiritual development of people of all ages and abilities, including those with dyslexia or dementia, as well as in hospitals and nursing homes. We were fortunate in that we had a room at St Augustine’s Church that was previously used as a crèche but had become a dumping ground for unwanted armchairs; it was uninviting, cold and unused, however it was just about the right size for a Godly Play Room.
We gathered as much information about developing a room from Godly Play advocates and then with the PCC’s agreement (and a small part of a legacy from a church member) we began to transform the space. The room was completely redecorated, new radiators were added…it became a warm and inviting space dedicated to Godly Play with bright soft cushions for the children to sit on, an area for craft materials, a book corner, and good quality Godly Play materials - all of this speaks of valuing and
respecting children’s spirituality. It enables people of all ages and abilities to discover faith by making the language of belief more familiar and allowing accessibility to patterns of liturgy and worship.
Very few churches will be in a position of being able to equip an entire Godly Play Room instantly from scratch and we are still a work in progress, with more shelving to purchase and equipment to make or buy.
In an ideal world we would all have a dedicated Godly Play room permanently set out with Godly Play materials – the reality is that many do not and have to do Godly Play in places that are used for other things; for some it may be no more than a cupboard space and for others it is a matter of loading crates and boxes and storing everything at home.
It is worth mentioning that several diocesan offices, including our own, have some Godly Play sets available to borrow or share, so you don’t have to buy everything yourself.
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By the Rev Canon Brian Senior
People who know me well … or at all, really … know that I
like good coffee. (Ground, strong, a mere dash of low-fat milk, no sugar, just in case you happen to be making it.) I drink too much, possibly. Many friends graciously indulge me with the best they have to offer, for which I am really grateful. A decent cup of coffee is more than just the taste … it is the sense of welcome and care that goes with the effort of making something I will really enjoy. People in churches I have known have done their best with what’s on offer – usually shovelling in an extra spoonful to make it, at least, look the part … but to be honest I find the instant stuff about as appealing as a mug of dishwater … though, in desperation, even that is sometimes better than no coffee at all.
As a frequent traveller to the Holy Land, something you cannot fail to notice is the generous hospitality of the Palestinian people. It is an integral part of their culture. They love to entertain, and they give you their best. There is no bowl with a notice saying ‘Donations’. Offers of payment are habitually refused.
This kind of hospitality is also found at the heart of the Gospel. Here we encounter God who is fundamentally a giver … giving of himself in love and generosity, and giving of his bounty in providing for our needs. In sharing bread and wine we remember the ultimate gift of his own Son for our redemption.
Scripture urges us to practice hospitality both to ‘the Lord’s people’ (Romans 12:13) and to strangers, even reminding us that “by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” (Hebrews 13:2) Living as
we do in the coffee culture of the 21st century, it seems to me that the least we can do in church is to offer a decent cup of coffee.
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Our church buildings and what we do in themBy the Rev Matthew Rushton*
A church is the people, not the building.’ I’m not sure that’s
true. The church is the body of Christ, the communion of saints throughout all ages and in all places, but it is expressed most obviously in local congregations by what they do when they meet together, which tends to be in particular buildings. So although a ‘church’ is not a building, the building can be the most striking expression of witness to Christ in that particular place – the building narrates the pilgrimage of that worshipping community as it has developed over time.
A parish priest once told me that when she first arrived she found a thurible in the vestry. She asked each of the churchwardens if and when incense was used. One churchwarden told her that incense was rarely used; the other said it was used all the time. They couldn’t both be right! Although this says a great deal about the different perspectives
people might have about what they think they do in church, it says something more about the role of the worshipping environment in discerning the story of a particularly Christian community. Because, of course, if she had wanted to know whether incense was used regularly in worship, all she had to do was to go into the church and breathe in... She would have known immediately.
The building, its atmosphere and architecture, how it feels and how it looks, can tell us so much about the worshipping community that inhabits it. Liturgy shapes buildings, but buildings can also shape our liturgy, as we discern who we are, where we have come from, what we do and why we do it. And that doesn’t just apply to ancient buildings like Rochester Cathedral – a modern church building might speak more directly about the discipleship and convictions that inspired it, particularly if those around when it was built are still alive to ask. But otherwise, we just have to breathe in…
That doesn’t mean we can never change. We should (sometimes must) develop, renew and refresh the spaces used for prayer and praise. But not so that our
present preoccupations work against the faithful witness of previous generations, compromising the discipleship of future Christians. A woodcarver may have to cut and shape against the grain of the block, but they need to know where the grain is and understand how it works to do that effectively, or the wood will split and be useless. And so we need to understand the narrative apparent in our buildings.
I am looking forward to getting to know Rochester Cathedral, one of the most ancient and resonant Christian sacred spaces in our land. And, as Precentor, I will have a particular interest in that relationship between the building, the liturgy and the ongoing story of the people who have worshipped there over 1400 years.
Whether your church is old or new, I would invite you to go inside and breathe in… What is the Spirit saying to (and through) the churches?
*The Rev Matthew Rushton is Canon Precentor-designate of Rochester Cathedral. He is currently Precentor and Minor Canon of Canterbury Cathedral.
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Remembrance labyrinthBy Stephanie TibberEarlier this year, my son Jonathan and I were asked by a close friend to devise a labyrinth for her church, St Peter-in-the-Forest in Walthamstow. Their branch of Mothers’ Union were keen for us to do this for their November meeting and a theme of ‘Remembrance’ was suggested. Accordingly, we had a meeting at the church with our friend, asked lots of questions and took some photographs to help us with the design.
When we devise a themed labyrinth, Jonathan and I always begin with a sheet of A3 paper and a mind map. We fill it with everything that comes into our heads and then filter it down into something that fits the brief. We were surprised to discover how many theological associations there were with the word remembrance and it was pleasing to have so many ideas to work with.
Our aim in devising a labyrinth is to follow the generally accepted concept that the inward journey of a labyrinth is about laying aside the world in order to draw closer to God before spending time at the centre of the labyrinth, resting in the Lord’s presence. The return journey gradually reintroduces us to the world, refreshed and reshaped by the experience.
Thus our remembrance labyrinth began with calming activities designed to relax and refocus our visitors’ thoughts. This was followed by a station about forgiveness, making reference to Peter’s denial of Jesus – “and then Peter remembered ...”. A labyrinth pathway had been marked out on the floor of the church, created with masking tape decorated with paper poppies. People were encouraged to pick up a small wooden cross to hold as they followed the path all the way to the centre, which
was near the altar. Chairs had been put in place so that people could sit comfortably at the centre of the labyrinth. There was a display of bread and wine alongside the account of the Last Supper – “do this in remembrance of me ...”. Before leaving the centre, people were able to exchange their wooden cross for a cord of five beads. These five beads would represent people or situations that they would like to bring to the Lord in prayer as they began their return journey along the labyrinth path.
On arriving back at the entrance (now exit) of the labyrinth, there was a station about prayer and intercession, where people were able to place their cord of beads into a sculpture of outstretched hands. The next station afforded an opportunity to light a candle in remembrance of loved ones who had died and this was followed by a station of thanksgiving, where people were encouraged to think of a
happy memory and record it on the back of a special bookmark which they could take home with them. The final station was reflections, where people were able to look back at their labyrinth journey and to write down their reflections in the book provided, if they wished to do so.
Jonathan and I feel deeply privileged to have been chosen by the Lord for this work and we are humbled by the way that, after we’ve moved the furniture around and laid out various laminates and props, the Holy Spirit always inhabits the space in the most blessed and wonderful way. None of the people who attended the Remembrance labyrinth in November had any previous knowledge of what a labyrinth is, but from the comments in the book of reflections and the words that they spoke to us afterwards, we know that they were deeply touched by their experience. They want to do it again, and that’s great!
By Barbara WallaceIt is a path that is known to have existed for over 4000 years. It is a path that has resonated with people in various countries, cultures, faiths and beliefs throughout the world. It is a beautiful path that, in various ways, supports the reflective seeker on life’s path. This ancient spiritual pathway is known to have been embraced by Christians since the fourth century, as a support for prayer and contemplation.
There is something in the twists and turns of the labyrinth path that touches the twists and turns in our lives. Its winding path seems to help us unwind, slow down and be mindful of our thoughts and promptings of our hearts. No wonder then, that in our time of speed and fast living, the labyrinth has once again resurfaced as a path to inspire, console, calm and awaken us. Labyrinths today can be found in cathedrals, churches, schools, universities, hospices, retreat centres, prisons, playgrounds, gardens and coastlines. Portable labyrinths are often laid out on floors and temporary labyrinths are regularly made with rope, stones or marked out on a beach. Wherever they are offered people come
and walk - grateful for the ‘quiet time’ and opportunity to just ‘be’... Following the labyrinth path offers the restless mind an opportunity to be inwardly observant, to pay attention to feelings, to explore challenges and to be open to new thoughts and ideas.
A labyrinth is different from a maze. A maze is full of dead-ends and tricks. A labyrinth has only one path that always leads to the centre… if you stay on the path you cannot get lost.
Walking prayerfully is very much part of the Christian tradition. There are no rules about the right way to walk a labyrinth… you just walk at your own speed, stop to think and pray when you want to and stay as long as you like. People who walk labyrinths often talk about the path as a place where you can relax and be thoughtful on the way in, rest and receive the peace and love of God at the centre and then return uplifted, blessed and renewed.
Walking a labyrinth can enable the walker to have some ‘quiet time’ with the Lord in the busy rush of everyday life. Time to think, to pray, explore
thoughts and just ‘be’ with God.
A finger labyrinth is a beautiful way to experience the labyrinth when it is not possible to walk a full-sized labyrinth… just trace the path with your finger….
Labyrinth resources, including free downloads, news about retreats and links to other labyrinth websites can be found on the Pilgrim Paths website www.pilgrimpaths.co.uk
For news and ideas follow Pilgrim Paths on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pilgrimpaths/
The Labyrinth is an ancient path