Taken, Blessed, Broken, Shared

Many of you reading this will be aware of our weekly Reflective Eucharist held each Tuesday, 9.45am - 10.00am.

Yesterday's worship contained a contribution by Jacky Stride, a Whirlow volunteer and regular contributor to Quiet Days etc. Jacky read her own composition as Rev Di Williams broke the bread and poured the wine - a beautiful and moving Eucharistic Prayer:

Preface – Gospel of Thomas: Logion 108

Whoever drinks what flows from my mouth Will come to be as I am

And I also will come to be as they are So that what is hidden will become manifest.

Taken, blessed, broken, shared

Bread, taken with faltering hands

and held with unworthy gratitude;

offered again and again

in an endless stream of love.

Bread, blessed by ancient words

of promise never broken.

Made holy by your eternal presence

freely given in all realms of existence.

Bread, crumbled between the

fingers of the Father, for me.

Broken again by my inability

to love as you have bidden me.

Bread, shared in corporate recognition

of a common hunger,

a unity which cannot be corrupted

or spoiled by a world of duality and fear.

Bread, enfolded into my body,

your “thou” coursing through

the essence of my “I”.

You in me and I in you.

Wine, drinking in your mystery

sip by glorious sip,

revealing the God within each one.

Taken, blessed, broken, shared.

Jacky Stride   February 2016

Holy Week Reflections at Whirlow

We pray that your Lent is proving to be a time of spiritual refreshment and preparation for Holy Week and the Easter celebrations. There have been reflective services in Holy Week at Whirlow for many years and this year is no exception. Stations of the Cross (Seiger Koder) will be set up all week and the The Chapel will be open on Holy Monday and Holy Tuesday for individual reflection, 7-8.30pm. On Holy Wednesday, Jane Johnston will lead reflections from Isaiah 53 - 'By his stripes we are healed'. Our Chaplain Joy Adams will lead 'From the Table to the Garden - a Maundy Journey' on Maundy Thursday. Both begin at 7pm.

The Good Friday service will be framed around Seiger Koder's Stations of the Cross, again starting at 7pm.. Then on Holy Saturday we meet at 8pm to hear the Story of Salvation led by Di Williams and Jeremy Timm, both of Contemplative Fire. At 10pm we'll share in soup and fellowship before beginning an Easter Vigil at 11pm, which will go through to 5am to a reflection on Darkness Yielding led by Joy again.

We finish with celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ with communion and renewal of baptismal vows on Easter Morning, followed by croissantsand coffee.

You are welcome to join us at any of the above events, no need to book although it would be helpful for us to know if you wish to join us for soup on Holy Saturday or croissants and coffee on Easter Sunday, phone 0114 235 3704 or sign up at Whirlow.

We pray you meet the resurrected Christ in a fresh and inspiring way this Easter.

Exploring Traditions series

The first of our Exploring Traditions series begin on 1st March with Exploring New Monasticism

This first evening will be led by members of Contemplative Fire North, some of whom are regulars at Whirlow. Contemplative Fire was founded by Philip Roderick, our previous chaplain, and CF North use the Chapel of the Holy Spirit on a regular basis. So there are many reasons to look forward to this event.

Each evening we shall explore a different Christian tradition by hearing from those from that tradition. There will also be an opportunity to reflect and experience prayer in that particular tradition/spirituality.

Other events in the series are as follows:

April 6th: Exploring the Benedictine Tradition led by members  of the Community of the Resurrection, Mirfield

May 16th : Exploring The Wesleyan Tradition led by Joy Adams, Methodist Minister & Chaplain to Whirlow Spirituality Centre at the Chapel of the Holy Spirit

June 13th : Exploring Quakerism led by Linda Hoy, Sheffield Central Quaker Meeting

July 6th : Exploring Orthodoxy led by Father Edwin Hunt, parish Priest of the Parish of St Cuthbert; Sheffield, Scunthorpe & Chesterfield

Happy New Year from the team at Whirlow

As we look back over 2015, we are so grateful to God for the way the Whirlow spirituality programme has not only been maintained since the closure of the Conference Centre in 2014, but has also grown - in numbers attending, and depth of spirituality offered and enjoyed. We look forward to welcoming you in 2016.

We trust you have enjoyed a happy and peaceful Christmas - as we move into the New Year and possibly make New Year Resolutions, perhaps one of them may be to set specific time aside to 'be' with God in 2016.

The January events planned at Whirlow are designed just for that purpose:

January 3rd 7pm Reflective Covenant Service with Communion, in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit

January 9th
Day of Retreat, 9.30am - 5pm (£15) details here

January 14th
Praying with The Jesus Prayer, 8pm - 9.30pm (£5) details here
 

January 19th
Simple Quiet Day, 9.45am - 3.45pm (£12) details here 

 
Keep an eye on the website  as our 2016 programme takes shape.

With our prayers and best wishes for the New Year
The Whirlow Spirituality Centre team

Come, Now is the time to Worship

Jackie Thackray has painted 3 wonderful depictions of the Magi and allowed us to display them at Whirlow. This is show she describes them: 

The 3 paintings together are called 'Extravagant Worship '.The series are based on Matthew 2:11.   ‘On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshipped him. ‘

 The first is called 'Come' and is an open invitation to anybody and everybody. 

The second one is called 'Now is the time' - All their seeking and journeying has ended and the magi are pausing on the threshold of the house which marks the end of the journey and the beginning of worship, to look into the eyes of God before bowing down to worship. 

 The third is called ' Worship' - bowing down and stepping into the presence of God to worship him. 

 They reflect the worship song 'Now is the time to worship' by Philips, Craig and Dean

Advent Quiet Day - Benedictus: Blessed be God

The first of our Advent Quiet Days led by Graham Pigott has just ended. It was obviously appreciated by those attending:
'Just want I needed'
'A safe place in which to come close to God. The right balance between thought provoking input and time to respond'
'A very illuminating day - gently led and which enthused us.'
'A peaceful venue and a great day, well led ...'

Please note the 2nd Advent Quiet Day on Saturday 5th December is fully booked, but why not look on the website for other Quiet Days in 2016.

In quiet and in trust shall be your strength... Isaiah 30:15

As I write this, our second Day of Retreat is under way, timed to coincide with Ascension Day and the beginning of Diocesan 10 Days of Prayer.
These Days of Retreat (including Simple Quiet Days) are proving very popular, it is recommended that booking is made early and online  to ensure a place.

These times of quiet are also spiritually refreshing and inspiring, here is a poem written on a previous day based on Ezekiel 47, by Judith Jessop, a Methodist Minister on Parson Cross and leader of a planned event in July - Spirituality on the Edge

River of Life - flowing of God's love
Be part of it - shaped and refreshed
Roots drawing from it through the earthiness of Parson Cross

To be healthy - flourishing and green
A supple tree - sign of God's presence
Providing leafy shade for rest and healing in Parson Cross

Sharing love - hospitable welcome
Nourishing fruit - taste and see ...
Invitation to sit on the riverbank at Parson Cross

And encounter the Source of life

A Busy Week

Group busy mind mapping

This has been a busy week at Whirlow. All Saints, Ecclesall held their PCC in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit on Monday evening, Rev Sheila Walters led our Reflective Eucharist on Tuesday morning, Mind Mapping Your Spiritual Journey on Thursday  and an Introductory session on The Wisdom of the Enneagram, on Friday morning. 

Here are some of the comments from the feedback on the Mind Mapping event:

Brilliant very useful. Given me loads of ideas'

'Found it helpful, encouraging and good to have "space outside of ministry" to be creative and explore IT mind mapping tools'

'Excellent opportunity to think through both my spiritual journey and my current situation.'

'I enjoyed the day and appreciated Richard's lovely humour!'

There is another opportunity to experience  this event on August 6th, book here Mind Mapping Your Spiritual Journey.

More details about other Enneagram events will be on the website soon.

Amazingly the background noise of machinery and men demolishing the Conference Centre. did not distract much at all, it serves as a reminder that God is doing a new thing