‘celtic christianity : urban life’ [14.07.02]
this was a ’stations’ service - a time and space for people to explore stations at their leisure. the aim was to explore christian faith from a celtic perspective - connectedness with creation and creator - within the urban environment.

view the welcome sheet [pdf 4k]

and it was like this:

the entrance to the worship area was a doorway in which hung two strips of cloth. a celtic hymn was projected onto these from behind (with OHP). to enter the worship area you hand to walk through the sheets.

this was our starting point - traditional celtic christianity. it was surprisngly moving to read the prayer and then walk into the church.

once inside the worship area there was a table with the welcome sheets on. these explain the concept of the service and what to do.

the prayer:

Come I this day to the Father
Come I this day to the Son
Come I this day to the Holy Spirit powerful
Come I this day with God
Come I this day with Christ
Come I with the Spirit of kindly balm

God and Spirit and Jesus
From the crown of my head
To the soles of my feet
Come I with my reputation
Come I with my testimony
I come to you Jesu
Jesus shelter me.

the stations were laid out at the points of a cross, marked on the floor by sheets of tissue paper.

move your cursor over the photograph to see the stations labelled.

where the two axis cross, was the god station. this was a central point to visit between the other four stations, a chance to re-focus on god. in the centre of the station was a prayer, smaller print-outs of the prayer on clear acetate could be carried with you as you visited the stations. a lighted candle also stood beside the station.

from this point resources for the other stations could be collected.

the people station used coffee to explore ideas of how our consumer lives impact on the rest of the world community.

coffee beans could be collected from the god station, then ground and used to make an espresso. next to the espresso machine was a ‘family tree’ beginning with you and your cup of coffee - this documented all the people involved in bringing you that cup of coffee. you were invited to add at least five people to the tree.

the nature station featured a bowl of water, a pile of sand, plants and grass in pots and a lside image taken in south africa by one of the host team.

this station was to explore themes of our distance from nature, our abuse/ignorance of nature, and provide an opportunity to re-connect with creation

you were invited to collect a candle and light it at the god station, then float it on the water. you could also leave a handprint in the sand.

the work station was a desk, chair, paper and pen and asked you to calculate the hours you had worked that week, the money you had earned and then evaluate the worth of your work.

the media station questioned how we receive and perceive news. articles torn from newspapers and printed from the internet formed a backdrop to tv news footage - all documenting the same news story.

an accompanying sheet [pdf. 6k] questioned the nature of ‘truth’ in society and offered a ritual before leaving the station.

the chill out area was on a raised stage area largely enclosed by curtains. inside were lots of candles and cushions, a projected image of a celtic cross and the music drifitng through from the main area (which was one of the afro-celt sound system CDs)

the chill out area also contained pens and paper so if you wished you could write your own contemporary celtic prayer.

this is one of the prayers written that evening:

god of creation, creator of sand
on the beach
in the concrete of the office block

god of creation, creator of water
filling oceans
splashing in the town centre fountain

god of creation, creator of sky
of blue, of clouds
reflected in the high-rise windows

god of creation, creator of sun
warming the land
heating the paving slabs

god of creation, of all that is
be with me
be in me
in the city
the shopping centre
the office

i’ll be in you
everywhere
always

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