GRACELET - A FEW THOUGHTS
[These guidelines are written for the person planning/leading gracelet. They are posted here so they are accessible...]
Introduction
The monthly Grace worship service tends to be big, be planned by a team, and have plenty of creative effort put into it and it takes a while to set up and take down. Gracelet began because it felt like we wanted to have more than one worship service a month. But equally given the size of the community wanted to have something that didn't require the same level of effort to set up and run or we would all be exhausted! So it was agreed one person would lead a simple, prayer focused service. It's been a good space for experimentation, and for different people to lead who might not have the experience of confidence to lead a Grace. For a season it was in people’s homes but it is currently at St Mary’s.
So...
Gracelet is a monthly worship service as part of the life of Grace.
It is a quiet, reflective service which always has a space for prayer.
It is led by one or two people.
It is not meant to be BIG and require lots of effort to set up or take down, though it can still be creative!
It is currently at St Mary's in the back room of the church.
It is not meant to be a teaching session or a lecture, though it may have some wisdom/reflection as part of it.
It is meant to be worshipful.
It is not meant to be an intellectual discussion or debate, though there might be space for conversation within it.
It is meant to be prayerful.
It is not meant to be long.
GUIDELINES FOR PLANNING
A suggested structure
This is one suggestion for structuring Gracelet. It isn't a rigid framework - simply an idea for a pattern/frame. You are welcome to use something totally different but keep the worship and prayer as part of the focus of the evening. It's actually pretty much the pattern for Anglican worship!
• Chill - a space to centre in God's presence and quiet down.
• Wisdom - something to reflect on in relation to the Christian faith, such
as a scripture reading or reflection
• Response/Fuel – an opportunity to respond to the theme, or share
communion
• Prayer – an opportunity to pray for each other
• Blessing - sending people out with a sense of God's presence as we go.
Each of these sections is expanded on further below with suggestions of what others have done before.
Some practical things to think about…
• It should all last between 45 minutes and an hour though no one is clock watching. That feels about right.
• If there are words to be prayed do you want to print them out on pieces of paper or project them? That needs to be prepared.
• Do you need audio? If so there is usually a CD player in the room from CYFA or ask Jonny or Mike or Steve or someone to bring some speakers (Maybe we should buy some 'creatures' that live in the cupboard?).
• Do you want background music when people arrive? Choose some or ask someone else to and bring their ipod.
• Do you need projection? There is a projector in the cupboard. But allow time to set it up or ask someone else to set it up. Jonny also has a projector at home.
• Do you need other items - pens, paper, candles, matches, fruit, bread, wine...?
• Setting up - get there for 7:30pm to allow you time to set the room how you would like it and to turn on the radiator. Notices are in the cupboard to put on the door of the church and the back door. Put a notice on the web site with the theme if you know it to remind people to come. Send a reminder to the e-mail planning group if you like and encourage people to get there on time.
Enjoy it.
More details on the suggested structure
Chill - a space to centre in God's presence and quiet down. This could probably be 5-10 minutes.
This could include...
sentences of welcome or scripture
a call and response liturgy
an opening prayer
songs
praise
a piece of quiet music or a track with or without a movie
a prayer exercise - e.g. breathing prayer, light a candle, silence
Wisdom - something to reflect on in relation to the Christian faith. This could be around 20 minutes
This could include...
scripture reading
a reflection on that scripture reading
some questions to discuss in relation to the reading
another piece of wisdom, idea, thought in relation to discipleship
a short movie or image sequence on that theme
an interactive exercise that explores a theme
a contemplative exercise such as lectio divina or the examen (ask if you don't know what they are)
In terms of ideas - you could use the season of the church year, the lectionary readings for that week (set readings in the C of E - google to find thenm), or picking up something in relation to the previous Grace, or something that you have been reading or thinking about that seems pertinent or inspiring that you want to share.
Fuel/Response. This could be around 10 minutes
(This section can be missed out.)
Sometimes in relation to a theme there is a ritual or response you could creatively think about. For example if there is a reading on the fruit of the spirit. Have space for silence or music and invite people to take some fruit? You could have the words scrolling on a movie and music playing. Or you could invite people to write their own responses on a piece of paper to take away etc..
Sometimes at Gracelet (and this is generally a popular option in my experience) we have communion (what I am referring to as fuel!).
We are an Anglican community so need to have somebody ordained to preside. Currently Dean is our ordained member so is able to preside so ask Dean if you'd like communion as part of gracelet. If that isn't an option we can explore other options/people - just plan ahead to give enough time.
We have permission/license to create liturgies and prayers in relation to communion. There are some Grace have used already in the Alternative Worship book, Grace Pocket liturgy book and in the online archive. And plenty of others around. Again people can help you find something if you are not sure where to look.
Prayer. This could be around 10-15 minutes
Give space for prayer.
This could be in a manner of ways such as
going round asking for suggestions for prayer
then either invite people to pray out loud,
make a note of them and have some silence and then name all the things together
invite people to light candles or something similar to offer a prayer (tie a ribbon on a branch)
use a creative exercise such as rebeccas different coloured m and ms for different prayers, or sue's different tastes for different prayers,
use a contemplative prayer exercise - the Jesus prayer or prayer beads or body prayer
you may want to introduce a particular focus for prayer - e.g. a country or issue of concern
Blessing. This could be around 5 minutes
It should have the move of sending people out with a sense of God's presence as we go.
It might include...
A prayer of blessing
A prayer said together
A movie to watch
A call and response liturgy
A sending out
A moment's silence
A parting gift to take away (a seed or piece of fruit or....)