Contemporary Service – Quartz at St Johns Dumfries

8/10/23 6 pm in St Johns Dumfries

As well as in the Crichton estate on the 4rd Sunday of the month, you will also find a lot of Quartz members in St Johns building on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of the month.

Like all other services there will be a readings from the bible, prayers, reflection of the readings, and music. There is also an effort to provide the opportunity to respond to the theme of the evening through the creative arts.

This has involved many art forms over the years. Some of the results are on this website. Tonight Alison and Mark leading. The theme is Worshipping through Nature.

We are a part of creation, but how often do you stop to take time to become aware of that? Arranged flowers, parkland, rivers or the growing living things that we find even in urban environments are often places to find peace and connect. Do you have a favourite “Sit Spot?” where you can practice #SensingSpirituality as a discipline like “Quiet times” with the bible.

St Francis describes the Sun and Moon as brother and sister. He was aware of worshipping with the natural environment, and imagines parts of it worshipping along side him. The echo of the Canticle of the sun can be found in many songs, and perhaps was inspired by singing psalm 48

As well as worshiping in and alongside nature though, have you ever worshipped with the natural environment? Perhaps you are familiar with stories of bible verses being given to people as they pray and the words help them. Or perhaps you have sat in front of a picture and through it you have become aware of or explored your relationship with God. The text of picture are not God, but through them we can enter into worship with God. These are skills which take time to learn. Not because they are exclusive, but simply because most things take time to learn and if you spend time learning how to do something you usually get better at it.

So can the flight of a flock of birds that enters your mind while in prayer, or the experience of green grass on a sunny day become a part of your worship vocabulary?

We will have some of the cards we use at Forest Church available. These are described as “Doorways“. Thoughts and activities to help people become aware of being present in creation, worshipping with it, and in particular through the natural environment.

For those who can’t get to St Johns on Sunday evening, here is the play list we will be using as we reflect on the witness of St Francis of Assisi