the prayer path labyrinth

this month we will open the family life center from 3 pm to 9 pm on saturday, september 30 for the prayer path.

the prayer path comes originally from st paul's cathedral in london and has since been used all over the world and is a regular installation at various churches across the u.k.

since this is so well organized by the folks at proost and group publishing, there's not a lot of planning involved. a few of us will set up the labyrinth on thursday, september 28 at 6 pm and we'd love to have you there to help.

taize at the well

this month we will ease back into gatherings at the well with a prayer service in the tradition of taize.

this service will be held the last saturday of this month, aug 26 at 6 PM, in the grace family life center.

we will also have a few prayer stations.

i think our theme for the service should be peace. thoughts?

july

we have decided to take off for the month of july.

we will return to well gathering on saturday, august 26.

but we'll give you an alternative for this month.

we would like to invite you to the centerfest on sunday, july 30 from 2-9 pm. centerfest will the first annual Christian music festival from the center coffeehouse (another monthly ministry of grace).

for more information go to www.myspace.com/centerfest.

reflections on may

thanks to everyone who made our genesis 1 & 2 journey, "worshipping the creator", a success.

pictures are coming.

and so is a brand spanking new website. construction is underway for the well gathering website at www.thewellgathering.com.

our next brainstorming meeting is wednesday, june 7. more info to come on that as well.

bulletin insert for this sunday

"worshipping the creator" stations

0. void (gen 1:2) – eric
1. light (gen 1:3-5) - michael
2. sky (gen 1:6-8) – jennie
3. land and plants (gen 1:9-13) – betsy
4. sun, moon, and stars (gen 1:14-19) –
5. creatures that swim and fly (gen 1:20-23) – daphne
6. animals, men, and women (gen 1:24-31) -

new poster

click here for the new poster. there are two to a sheet.

article on "worshipping the creator"

here's a cool article written to youth directors about the "worshippping the creator" experience.

pictures of another "worshipping the creator"

see pictures of "worshipping the creator" set up at grace in st. mary's church - london, england - here and here.

talk points for the meeting

here are some of the talk-points we'll go over on wednesday night...

1. advertise "worshipping the creator" as an “experience” rather than worship service/gathering.
2. this is a hugely personal experience. the participants put on headphones and personal CD players and experience this with separate CD tracks that are all about 6 minutes long.
3. we learned from the stations of the cross (specifically the “Jesus meets the women” fingerprints station) that it might be better if we didn’t have a definitive start time. instead it might be beneficial to advertise worshipping the creator as being “open from” (5 until 9, 4 to 10, whatever works).
4. each station would be set up by a separate person who would have free reign on it (can use anything we have and anything else they want to bring in) and would need to set it up on thursday, friday or saturday morning. We will number the tables from 1 to 7 so they know where to put their particular station stuff in the family life center.
   
   the person who is responsible for the station would also tear it down (by 2 on Sunday?).
5. work in shifts on the evening of the “experience”.

other talk points:

7. growing the “brainstorming” team
8. developing a community of artists
9. advertising (post cards, www.thewellgathering.com, full page insert in bulletin)

brainstorming meeting this wednesday night @ 8

we will meet at 8 pm this wednesday night at the main building to brainstorm the well for this month and months beyond.

postcards!

www.clubflyers.com

maundy thursday and what's to come

thanks to everyone who helped make the maundy thursday gathering such a success. pictures are coming soon.

our next gathering is may 27 and we will use the proost/group worship experience worshipping the creator. click the link to check it out.

more info is coming.

pictures from the stations of the cross

see pictures from the stations of the cross we held at the well in march by clicking here.

holy thursday basic service layout

• someone at door to greet
  
• participants will sit at round tables with communion elements as centerpieces
• tables are arranged in a large circle (or oval)
  
  
• in the middle of the tables is a carpet with
  1. large ornate pitcher (need to find one)
  2. basin filled with water
  3. dirty white towel or fabric
• the sermon and music are delivered from this area
  
  
• start with announcements
• song: "come to the well" is sung
  
• during song, hands are washed at 2 station(s)
• show "washing of the feet" video
  
• liturgy or song
  
• song or liturgy
  
• scripture
  
• message
• silence
  
• communion at tables
  
• stations (and music)
  
  
  the stations:
  
  

1. washing of hands stations - 2 long tables - toward the beginning of the service, participants will wash the hands of each other.
   
   
2. passover/seder station - 1 long or round table - contains elements of seder meal and explanations. red paint (on paper) above door behind station.
   
   
3. art station - 2 long tables connected at corner of two walls - at one participants are asked to creat last supper images. famous and not so famous last supper images will be hung above the station.
   
   
4. peter's denial
   
   
5. judas station - we will incorporate items from sanctuary's stations of the cross service - station number 2. participants will receive coin at station.
   

the photo that lit the spark

this picture was taken at first birmingham umc in michigan. it was one of the results when i searched "maundy thursday" in google images. after talking to some of the staff at the church and reviewing their order of worship for that night, i realized that we could do something like this for our holy thursday service at grace. that night was the beginning of the well. the rest is history in the making...

maundy thursday planning

join us this wednesday at 8 pm as we plan maundy thursday/holy thursday (april 13).

the theme of the gathering is the last supper. last year we began this whole alt.worship thing at grace on maundy thursday. this year we'll do something new and different.

leave us your ideas here.

pictures

i'm way behind on posting pictures...they'll be up this week.

stations of the cross - revised table listings

at each station:
1. artwork
2. description
3. prayer
4. reflection instructions
5. candles or other lights

STATIONS:

1. JESUS IS CONDEMNED TO DIE - long table
   
   Participants are invited to remember the times they have washed their hands of Christ.
   
   Supplies:
   
   • Images of Pontius Pilate washing his hands
   • 2 large bowls, preferably stone/ceramic (old)
     one is filled with "blood", one is filled with water.
     
   • Pitchers of fresh water
   • Karo Syrup & red food coloring
     
   • Wet wipes
   • Paper towels
     
   • Large trash can
   
   
   
2. JESUS CARRIES HIS CROSS - round table
   
   Participants take a hand cross and will later "offload" it at station 11
   
   Supplies:
   
   • Hand crosses cut from cardboard boxes
     
   
   
   
3. JESUS FALLS FOR THE FIRST TIME
   
   Supplies:
   
   • Easel with painting of first fall
   • Large cookie sheet with sand. hand and knee prints and a few drops of blood
   
   
   
4. JESUS MEETS HIS MOTHER
   
   Participants view items and images that conjure up images of Christ's childhood as Jesus remembers his life with this woman, his mother.
   
   Supplies:
   
   • Empty manger with swaddling cloths
   • Virgin Mary candle (available in some Kroger Hispanic sections)
   • Items that conjure images of a small boy and mother
     
   
   
   
5. SIMON HELPS JESUS CARRY HIS CROSS
   
   Participants add a rock to an already heavy backpack to represent a sin in their lives. Preferably they continue to walk with the backpack until station 11.
   
   Supplies:
   
   • Rocks & bricks of different sizes, shapes and texture
   • Backpacks/knapsacks
     
     
   
   
6. VERONICA WIPES THE FACE OF JESUS
   
   Participants help create a community icon of Christ's face
   
   Supplies:
   
   • Cloth with blood/sweat
   • Torn pieces of construction paper or magazines depending on which direction we decide to go
   • Large thick posterboard for mosaic
     
   
   
   
   
7. JESUS FALLS THE SECOND TIME
   
   Supplies:
   
   • Easel with painting of second fall
   • Large cookie sheet with sand, larger prints and a little more blood
   
   
   
8. JESUS MEETS THE WOMEN OF JERUSALEM - round table
   
   Participants ink their fingers and leave prints in the book as they view images of women from their lives
   
   Supplies:
   
   • Scrapbook with pictures of women from the church as well as famous women from the world
   • Washable kid ink pads
   • Wet wipes
   • Paper towels
   • Large trash can
     
   
   
   
   
9. JESUS FALLS THE THIRD TIME
   
   Supplies:
   • Easel with painting of second fall
   • Large cookie sheet with sand, more pebbles, larger prints and a little more blood



10. JESUS IS STRIPPED
    
    Supplies:
    Mural of artwork depicting the stripping of Christ
    
    
    
11. JESUS IS NAILED TO THE CROSS
    
    Participants nail the hand crosses they've been carrying since station 2 to a large cross. Backpacks from station 5 are left beside the cross as well.
    
    Supplies:
    
    • Large black cross
    • Carpet or large area rug
    • Hammers (preferably of different sizes)
      
    • Bowls of nails
      
    
    
    
    
12. JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS - round table - covered in purple cloth
    
    Participants are invited to write a confession on a post-it note and stick it to the cross. they are told to take a candy as a sign of God's forgiveness.
    
    
    Supplies:
    
    • Sponge on stick
    • Bowl of vinegar
    • Crown of thorns
    • Large nails (railroad ties)
      
    • Robe
    • Post-it notes
    • Pens and pencils
    • Bowl with hard candy
      
    
    
    
13. JESUS IS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS
    
    Supplies:
    
    • Empty blood stained cross
    • Printed artwork of this event
      
    
    
    
14. JESUS IS LAID IN THE TOMB
    
    Supplies:
    
    • Large white canopy with walls
      
    • Overhead projector projecting tomb on outer wall
      
    • Green carpet (preferably golf-grass or a carpet like they use in tents at burials)
      
    • Coffin
    • Flowers
      
    • Candles (preferred scent is hydrangea, lily, other flowers to remind participants of "funeral home smell"
      
    • Images of Christ in tomb
    • Dark fabric hung on walls
    • Small table with juice and bread

stations of the cross

the other sites we looked at last night at the meeting.

http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/stations.html

http://vintagechurch.org/gallery/specialEvents.php

stations of the cross

the march 25 well gathering will center around the stations of the cross. we'll plan it (officially) on wednesday, march 8 at 8 pm at the flc.

smallfire has some great ideas to get us thinking. here they are by church:

grace

sanctuary

cityside

cityside 02

click the links and check em out.

february's well gathering take 1

thanks to everyone who came out and helped make february's gathering a success.

we'll do it again tomorrow night, sunday february 26 for the youth after the youth dinner. we'll start around 6:30 and you're welcome to join us if you missed it tonight.

we'll discuss this gathering and plan the march 25 gathering on wednesday, march 8 at 8 pm. we normally plan the well on the first wednesday of each month but due to ash wednesday will instead plan it on the 8th. join us at the flc to help us plan.

notes from the february planning session

• our theme for the month of february (feb 25) will be love.
  what is love? (baby don't hurt me.) what's love got to do with it?
  
  
• we'll discuss (through stations and message) the way the world views love and the very different way that Christ views love.
  
  
• our worship space will be, essentially, that of a high school valentine's dance. red, white, pink...balloons, expired valentine junk.
  
  
• jennie and betsy will tag-team it on the message. may involve small groups.
  
  
• scriptures could include 1 corinthians 13 and selections from song of solomon.
  
  
• could include clips from movies such as say anything and jerry maguire.
  
  
• stations will include "the dream date station", "hearts magnetic prayers", what else?
  
  
• we will not heavily advertise the theme this month as we strive to bring awareness to the regularity of the well - the last saturday of each month.

*please also note the updated calendar for the year below this post.

well gatherings for 2006

January 21 – finding God in the land of narnia

February 25 - love

March 25 – lent (stations of the cross?)

April 13 – maundy thursday (at the flc)


May 27 - worshipping the creator *

June 24 –

July 29 - taize prayer gathering

August 26 - the rat race

September 30 – prayer path labyrinth (more pics here) *

October 28 -

November 18 (second to last saturday) – thanksgiving - come home *

December ??? – advent / christmas

*Indicates a pre-made worship gathering (we can alter) using products from group publishing/proost. click the link to learn more and view pictures.

planning session this wednesday

we will plan the february 25 well gathering this wednesday at 8 pm at the family life center.

starting this month we will meet on the first wednesday of each month to plan the next well and briefly discuss the previous one.

we’d love to have you there this Wednesday to help us brainstorm.

theme ideas for february

"Jesus - unsafe for the whole family" (how Christ challenges us to live outside our comfort zones, etc.)

“forgiveness” (forgiving ourselves/forgiving others)

“what a christian looks like” / “what the church looks Like” (You can substitute “doesn’t look like” if you prefer)

leave a comment with more ideas

"aslan is on the move!"

our well gathering this month centers around the theme of "finding GOD in the land of narnia."

we'll meet on saturday, january 21 and worship together as we eat turkish delight, drink tea, and learn about the parallels between the gospels and c.s. lewis' chronicles of narnia.

if you haven't yet seen the new film, go see the it and come excited!

if you have any ideas for this gathering including the worship space, songs, prayer stations, or anything else be sure to leave a comment here.

recipe for turkish delight

1. 5 tablespoons of corn starch
2. 1/2 cup of cold water
3. 1/2 cup of hot water
4. 2 cups of sugar
5. 1/2 cup of orange juice
6. 1 teaspoon rosewater (or lemon juice)
7. 2 cups of pistachios (or other nuts if you like)
8. A bag of powdered sugar
9. Flavoring (lemon, orange, strawberry)
10. Step-by-Step Instructions:
11. Butter a large shallow pan
12. Mix the cornstarch with cold water, and set it aside.
13. Bring the hot water, sugar and orange juice to a boil in medium size saucepan
14. Add the cornstarch
15. Simmer for 15 minutes
16. Stir often
17. Remove from heat
18. Add rosewater/lemon juice and flavoring (whatever you choose)
19. Stir in nuts
20. Pour into buttered pan
21. When cooled and thickened, (be patient) cut into 1-inch cubes with a knife dipped in hot water
22. Roll in powdered sugar