Outdoor Worship 2024

WORSHIP IN THE GARDEN: meeting with God in creation
Starting in January, Worcester Cathedral will be launching a new, monthly service of worship. What makes it a little unusual is that it will not take place inside the cathedral. Instead, we will be outside, come rain or shine. The vision is to develop a service that focuses on worship of the Creator in creation, with creation, and aware of ourselves as a part of creation. So we will be paying attention to, and respond to, what is happening around us in the garden as the seasons change. The hope is to develop a pattern of creation-attuned worship that brings into focus those many aspects of the Bible and Christian tradition that celebrate the natural rhythms of the world, and the goodness of fields and rives, trees and plants, and all creatures, great and small. 
Our service will have a traditional liturgical shape—with prayers and Bible readings, for instance—but will pay special attention to the theme of creation as it connects to all aspects of Christian spirituality. A little more unusually we will give regular space to silence and to hands-on engaging with the space around us (e.g., doing some gardening).  
Worship in the Garden will not be for everyone, but if you find that you connect with God when outdoors it might be right up your street. Everyone is welcome.
We will meet at 3pm on the first Sunday of each month in the garden behind 15b (off College Green, entering through the doorway outside the Edgar Tower Gate). Our first meeting will take place on 7 January. If you want to know more or are interested in coming along, please email Revd Dr Robin Parry on revdrobin@gmail.com 
 
SACRED GARDEN: engaging with God in creation through creativity
Sacred Garden is a new monthly event that Worcester Cathedral is launching for people who feel God’s presence when they’re out in nature. Our goal is to create and cultivate a time and space in which people can engage with the Creator in creation through using their creativity. Each month there will be a particular theme and then the opportunity to explore it in a range of ways. There will always be four different ‘stations’ with guided activities that people can choose from. Those will be:
A silent contemplation zone (which people can stay in for as long or short a time as they wish)
An art activity
A kinesthetic/making activity (e.g., wood chopping and whittling) 
A gardening activity of a seasonally relevant kind 
We aim to foster a welcoming and hospitable space for people to explore their own eco-spirituality in a Christian context. People of all faiths and none are most welcome. 
We will meet from 10am to 12pm on the third Saturday of each month in the garden behind 15b (off College Green, entering through the doorway outside the Edgar Tower Gate). Our first meeting will take place on 20 January. PLEASE NOTE: There will be a peal of bells taking place throughout the first gathering. If you are sensitive to loud noise you may prefer to wait until our February event.

If you want to know more or are interested in coming along, please email Revd Dr Robin Parry on revdrobin@gmail.com