We would love you to join us for the next Creative Service. If you think you would be interested keep an eye out on the website for dates and details, or even better drop us an email to [email protected] and we will add you to our email list so you can receive info about our creative services, retreats and exhibitions straight to your inbox. (Maximum mailing – one a month)

Thank you to everyone who helped put on and came along to the creative service last night. The beautiful music, smell of aromatherapy oils and candlelight helped create a special space for us all to relax and enjoy spending time with God. The service began with prayers by Ray Simpson of the Northumberland Community and story telling from a book by Trevor Dennis called ‘Imagining God’. The chapter we read was called  ‘Child’s Play’, and began with a wonderful image of God teaching Adam and Eve  how to skim stones and having great fun together on the riverbank. The theme of the creative, playful nature of God and how he calls us to delight in his creation ran through the service.

The Prayer Stations: We had twenty minutes to reflect on the story and any of the prayer stations we felt were helpful to us. These included…

1) A slide show of images rejoicing in creativity, including artwork by Matisse, Chagall and Georgia O’Keeffe and photographs exploring the incredible diversity of colour and form found in nature.

A series of images reflecting on the Francis of Assisi’s Canticle of Creation.

An intercession table which invited us to use the ‘Praying in Colour’ technique to focus on those we wanted to bring before God.

A scent station where we could breathe deeply and enjoy the aromas of lavender, peppermint, rosemary, geranium and ginger, writing or drawing our responses if we wanted to.

and a place to spend time with the images of Rien Poortvliet, from his book ‘He Was One of Us’, focusing particularly on his drawing of the little children visiting Jesus and the delight He took in them.

Once we had gathered together once more we shared a little of our experiences and thoughts and sung accompanied by Jill on the flute. The service closed with a prayer inspired by St. Teresa of Avila and a beautiful Celtic blessing sung to us by Megan.

We each took something different home from the evening and personally it was a sense of being deeply cared for and nurtured by God which after a rather stressful week was just what I needed.

Our Creative services provide a space for you to relax and enjoy drawing closer to God, giving him space and time to speak to us. If you like the sound of this service we would love you to join us next time and you will be warmly welcomed.