Origin: Cityside Quiet Service 21/09/03. Curated by Campbell Hooper- Johnson, Andrew Rockell and Stu McGregor.
Theme:
Depth – encountering God in the depth of our normal experience.
Mood:
Reflective, ambient, meditative
Setup:
Stations placed round the room, in set order. Musicians also positioned at different places in the space. Curtains dividing the space in half (also act as screen for data projection). Main stations on tall plinths, way-stations on smaller boxes with cushions for sitting/kneeling.
Gear:
Music: live original ambient.
Visual projection: sea loop
Stations: Whiteboard at entry with handouts. At each station, an instruction notice, plus, on small slips of paper in baskets, copies of the verse text for that station.
Entry: Footbasin, towels, verses.
Station 1: Vases/Jugs/deep bowls (or just one large urn). Stones with different names of God written on them. Sand.
Station 2: Bread. Shredded paper. Basket or bowl.
Station 3: Grapes. Flowers. Basket or bowl.
Station 4: Marker pen. Deep urn (maybe filled with water)
Way-stations 1, 2 and 3: Sandtray, candles, cushions.
Exit: Basket of lollies (confectionary).
Running order:
Live music, and visuals run for duration of service. Punters start at the entrance and travel through the stations in order, taking as long as they want at each one. It’s good if there is a graduated start time, so that there is no backlog at the first station.
Music info:
An original piece of music in an elctronica/ambient style was played for 45 minutes. Instrumentation included piano, keyboard, effects units, water filled glasses, oven tray, trumpet, upright bass, drums.
(Handout)
Sonar
Cityside Quiet Service
21 September, 2003
“But no-one can experience depth without stopping and becoming aware of himself. Only if he has moments in which he does not care about what comes next can he experience the meaning of this moment here and now and ask himself the meaning of his life. As long as the preliminary, transitory concerns are not silenced, no matter how interesting and valuable and important they may be, the voice of ultimate concern cannot be heard…
The revival of religious interest would be a creative power in our culture if it would develop into a movement of search for the lost dimension of depth…”
- Paul Tillich, ‘The Lost Dimension in Religion,’ The Essential Tillich.
What would happen if we could perceive our everyday activity not as a distraction from God but as the means of encountering God?
What if God were at the depths and intensities of our experiences and actions?
What if this were not idolatry, but a genuine means of worship?
Biblical language tends in the direction of up good, down bad, but God is also in the depths:
‘If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol you are there.’
Psalm 139.8 (NRSV)
This quiet service opens spaces for reflection on how we might re-engage with depth through key areas of our lives.
Campbell Hooper Johnson, Andrew Rockell & Stu McGregor…with Daniel Munn, Dave Cullen & Brenda Stone.
Entry: ‘Have you entered into the depths of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep?’ Job 38.16 (NRSV)
Station 1: ‘Out of the depths I cry to you.’ Psalm 130.1 (NRSV)
Way-station i) — Work: ‘Blessed are you who look into the depths.’ The Prayer of Azariah/The Song of the Three Jews 1.32 (NRSV)
Station 2 (Communion A): ‘Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain. But if it dies it bears much fruit.’ John 12.24 (NRSV)
Way-station ii) – Family:
‘The Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.’ 1 Corinthians 2.10 (NRSV)
Station 3 (Communion B):
‘You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.’ Micah 7.19 (NRSV)
Way-station iii) – Self:
‘He searches out the abyss and the human heart; he understands their innermost secrets.’ Sirach 42.18 (NRSV)
Station 4: ‘Deep calls to deep.’ Psalm 42.7 (NRSV)
Exit: ‘Keep hold of the deep truths of the faith’ 1 Timothy 3.19 (NIV)
Station Instructions
Entry
‘Have you entered into the depths of the sea, or walked in the recesses of the deep?’
Job 38.16 (NRSV)
Wash your feet in the basin. Dry them with the paper towels.
Station 1
‘Out of the depths I cry to you.’
Psalm 130.1 (NRSV)
Dip your hand through the sand to collect a stone. On each stone is written a name of God. Carry the stone with you as you go.
Way-station i) – Work
‘Blessed are you who look into the depths.’
The Prayer of Azariah/The Song of the Three Jews 1.32 (NRSV)
Pause and reflect. How would your work look under the aspect of depth?
What actions would you take in that light? Light a candle as a symbol of your prayer or intention.
Station 2 (Communion A)
‘Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain. But if it dies it bears much fruit.’
John 12.24 (NRSV)
Reach through the paper to take and eat a piece of bread.
Way-station ii) – Family
‘The Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.’
1 Corinthians 2.10 (NRSV)
Pause and reflect. How would your family life look under the aspect of depth? What actions would you take in that light? Light a candle as a symbol of your prayer or intention.
Station 3 (Communion B)
‘You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.’ Micah 7.19 (NRSV)
Reach through the flowers to take and eat a grape.
Way-station iii) – Self
‘He searches out the abyss and the human heart; he understands their innermost secrets.’
Sirach 42.18 (NRSV)
Pause and reflect. How would you see yourself under the aspect of depth? What actions would you take in that light? Light a candle as a symbol of your prayer or intention.
Station 4
‘Deep calls to deep.’
Psalm 42.7 (NRSV)
Take your stone from Station 1. Write your own name on it. Place the stone into the depths of the urn.
Exit
‘Keep hold of the deep truths of the faith.’
1 Timothy 3.19 (NIV)
Have a lolly. (confectionary)