The current regulations for gatherings are for gatherings of no more than ten people, and this includes children.
While the UCA has recommended that we not re-enter worship in the building for the time being there are still a number of ways people can engage outdoors while also abiding to the rules of social distancing.
Here are a couple ideas.
a) Individual, family or couple.
Take a walk through your neighbourhood several times in the week. The practice of Lectio Vicinitas (Neighbourhood Reading) is a great option for people to engage in prayer and worship as they walk.
Perhaps you’d like to read a psalm, or a story from the bible and talk about it, or ponder it as you walk. You could stop at every corner, say a one word, or one line prayer for your neighbourhood and continue walking.
Maybe you’d like to subscribe to a podcast and walk while you listen to an episode and ponder how it connects with, challenges or enhances your faith.
b) As a Group
If you’d like to start a pilgrimage group I’d like to encourage you to do so, but you would need to be sure that you’re adhering to the guidelines of gatherings of no more than ten people including children.
Invite a couple of friends to join you on a walk, ask them to bring a prayer, poem, story or psalm with them to share as you walk. Walk for a while, stop when you can, step off the path and share the psalm, a prayer, a story. Pray for each other and continue walking. If you want to share bread and cup with each other on your journey go for it, if there’s a song on your heart sing it as you walk.
If you’re a family then consider inviting another family, or a couple other adults to join you on a walk, again, walk, pray, read.
If you’re a cyclist, or a motorcyclist consider inviting another couple of people to join you, ride for a while and again, read, pray, share… perhaps you could each listen to a podcast on the road and discuss it when you stop.
One of the great things about this is that you do not have to do it on a Sunday, perhaps you’d like to go for a walk/ride on a Monday morning, or Wednesday evening.
*If you would be interested in walking with someone else but don’t know who to invite, or would like to be invited please let Darren know and we’ll try and match you up with someone. If you’re starting a walking group please let us know so we can try and help resource you and also perhaps link there to you.
c) A Labyrinth
There are a number of labyrinths in and around Canberra that people can access.
Perhaps, if there is interest we could create one in our back yard over the coming months?
Perhaps you could draw/create one on your street? In your local park?