This fall, as part of Grace Episcopal Church, Medford's Experiments in Sunday Night Worship we did several, what we named, Worshipful Walks. The walk is a short hike, stopping on the path along the way for prayers, reading from scripture, meditation and finally the Holy Eucharist celebrated at a pre-chosen beautiful setting.
The service is designed to help connect with the experience of God in nature, and help to inspire for the care of creation and the environment.
We did walks in several different green spaces around Medford, a walk through the Fells to Wright's Tower, along the Mystic Lakes and in the Brooks Estates.
Medford Transcript
Inside Medford
Here is a sample bulletin from one of our walks:
Grace
Episcopal Church Medford
Experiments
in Evening Worship
Worshipful
Walks- Brooks Estate
Sept. 29, 2013
5:00 PM
All Are Welcome
Words
of Welcome
Opening
Prayer-
The Collect
O God, you declare your almighty power
chiefly in showing mercy: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running
to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure;
through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy
Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Station
1: Song &Scripture
Song- “Seek Ye First”
Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And his righteousness
And all these things shall be added unto you
Allelu, Alleluia (repeat)
The Holy Scripture: Nehemiah 9:6-7
And Ezra said: “You are the Lord, you
alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the
earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. To all of them
you give life, and the host of heaven worships you. You are the Lord, the God
who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the
name Abraham.
Lectio Divina (LD)- You are invited to
speak a word, phrase, or thought that catches your attention.
Walk in silence to 2nd station
Station 2: Nehemiah 9:6-7
LD: Share in pairs where this passage has
meaning for you and/or where it invites you today. Later, you will be given a
chance to share with the larger group.
Seek ye first the kingdom of God
And his righteousness
And all these things shall be added unto you
Allelu, Alleluia (repeat)
Walk to 3rd station
Station 3: Prayers of the People
An excerpt from“A Future Not Our Own”-
a prayer by Oscar Romero (read together):
This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted, knowing that
they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further
development.
We provide yeast that produces far beyond our
capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense
of liberation in realizing that.
We may never see the end results, but that is
the difference between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders;
Ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
Walk to Loop Trail
Song at the fort: “Sanctuary”
Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure
and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving
I’ll be a living sanctuary for you
Walk to 4th station
Station 4: Poem & Guided
Reflection
Walk in silence to 5th
station
Station 5: Eucharist
Songs: Come Thou Fount of Every
Blessing
Lord, You Have Come to the Lakeshore
Dismissal
