This morning we met in bright sunshine – but it was COLD! We had planned for that! Everyone had a sheet witht eh ThirdSpace version of the Canticle of the Sun and walked around the park, using it, visiting the river and trees etc. Then we continued to walk and to pray what came to us using the concept of being stirred up. The sheet read as follows:

Stir up Sunday – the last Sunday before advent

Stir up Sunday is so-called as a result of the opening words of a collect (prayer) in the Church of England on the last Sunday before Advent. It reads:

‘STIR up, we beseech thee, O Lord, the wills of thy faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may of thee be plenteously rewarded; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.’

MY STIR UP PRAYER

STIR up in World leaders …

STIR up in leaders of this country…

STIR up Your Church to…

STIR up in my community…

STIR up ThirdSpace to…

STIR up in me…

After that everyone retreated to Holly House, where in the warmth of the sun beating into the sitting room we wrote up our prayers on the sheets. Around the table then, we voiced our prayers for the world and so on. These prayers will be compiled and put into the resources page so that we have a ThirdSpace version for future Stir up Sundays. Instead of reading out loud our personal prayers, we prayed these silently whilst stirring a Christamas pudding – the bowl being passed round the table to enable this. The pudding will be one used at our Christmas meal together next month.

Bread and wine followed, with folks mentioned that we are carrying, to be ncluded as we ate and drank.

Finally, names of ThirdSpace members were allocated for each person to pray and be prayed for over the coming Advent season.

Thereafter, warm croissants and bacon baps with coffees were accompanied by sharing of stories and the like. Not a bad way of doing church!