No.

Purpose

Activity

Equipment

1.

slowing down, becoming aware of God

Begin by choosing a stone.

Take time to sit quietly with the stone in your hands; let the warmth of your hands slowly warm it.

As you sit, know that God is present.

Know his love for you; let his love warm your heart.

Let his love melt the hard, cold places in your life...

When you are ready to move on, take your stone with you.

stones, beanbags, pews, rug

2.

becoming aware of self

Look through the maps and see if you can find one which somehow represents the 'scenery', the terrain or the geography of your life at the moment.

You may find that a whole page represents where you're at - or you may want to identify a particular spot.

Make the page your own by marking it in any way you like...

Take time to offer your map and yourself to God just as you are...

Is there something God wants to say to you?

tables flat on pews, pages from road atlas, marker pens, tape, model village bricks, Bible

3.

turning from sin

Let the foil represent things in your life you want to be free of, things you want to leave behind and move on from.

Maybe you need to know God's forgiveness?

Tear off a piece of foil and let it represent the wrong you are turning from.

Crumple it up as a sign of your repentance, and push it into a can.

If you become aware of more wrong-doing, wrong-speaking or wrong-thinking, take some more foil...

When you are ready, sink the can in the dustbin and shut the lid.

roll of foil, aluminium drinks cans, dustbin with water, lid, towel

forgiveness

Before you move on, you may like to dip your fingers in the font and sign your forehead with a cross, as a sign of God's forgiveness.

4.

receiving forgiveness, celebration, giving thanks

Look at yourself in the mirror and imagine how GOD sees you: he loves you, he created you, he loves you, he redeemed you, he loves you, he forgives you, he loves you, he delights in you...

Dare to see yourself as he sees you... and rejoice!

You may like to respond in thanksgiving and praise to God, writing on small cards and offering your worship in a little bag tied with ribbon.

Take the gift bag with you as you move on.

mirror (with verses and streamers stuck round the outside),
little cards,
pens, bags, ribbons

5.

giving to God, receiving from him, just being with God, waiting

Light a candle in the manger.

This is the place to offer yourself and your life to God.

Bring your gift bag to the manger, and the stone you have been carrying; give them to God.

Take some bread and some juice.

Give time to God here. Just BE in his loving, holy presence.

Be open to him... Respond to him...

kneelers, manger with cross and bread and wine, hanky, candles, lighter, Bible

The bread and grape juice are not consecrated.

Please wipe the cup afterwards.

As you move on, take the candle with you on a saucer.

saucers

6.

praying for family, friends, etc.

This is the place to offer those you love to God.

If there are one or two people you are especially concerned about, put a bead for each of them on the wire tree and hold them before God in prayer.

If you would like to pray for more of the people in your life, take time to choose a button for each of them and arrange the buttons on a card; pray for each of them as you glue the buttons down.

Leave your candle here, or at the next place.

card table with wire tree, beads; large table with cards, buttons, glue

7.

praying for the village

Here you can pray for the needs of the community, both in Twyford and Ruscombe and further afield.

Cut out anything which you would like to include in prayer, and stick it onto the big sheet of paper.

Add your own words if you wish.

Pray for your concerns, and for issues others have identified.

tables flat on pews, big piece of lining paper, newspapers, local leaflets, scissors, glue, marker pens

8.

praying for the world

Here you can pray for the whole of God's world.

Use a needle and thread to mark any part of the world which is special to you.

Sew on a dove of peace if you would like to.

As you stand or sit or kneel, take hold of the edge of the map and ask God to fill his world with his Spirit of peace and justice.

world map on blue sheet, needles, thread, scissors, white felt doves, cassette player/tapes

9.

looking forward

Looking forward to the coming of God's kingdom in the world and in your life, take an acorn to reflect on.

When you are ready, plant the acorn and water it, trusting yourself and all your concerns to God and his purposes.

tub with soil, dibber, acorns, watering can, floor covering

10.

going out to work in God's world,
to watch for his coming

Finally, take a calendar and reflect before God on the year ahead.

It might be the year of your death, or the year Jesus returns.

If you are aware of unfinished business between you and God, or between you and others, now is the time to address it...

When you are ready, turn the hourglass over.

While the sand runs out, commit all your time to God and prepare to go out and live with him and for him all your days.

Take the calendar with you as you go.

mini 2003 calendars,
giant egg timer, ticking clock,
Bible

We hope your time in the Advent Labyrinth has been good.

If you would like others to pray with you about a particular need, you may like to come to the Healing Service to be held in this church on Sunday …