Resources: Study weekends

On this page:

• Silent Communion Service
• Rangoli
• Rural Community

Silent Communion Service

(as devised by Revd Stephen Thornton)

During the STETS 'Youth and Children' Weekend, Stephen Thornton conducts a 'Silent Communion Service', which usually makes a profound impact on those present. For those of you who have participated in this service and wish to reproduce it yourselves, here is a reminder of its key ingredients. We have intentionally not described it in detail, so that it retains its impact for those participating for the first time. Contact Stephen for details of when he will next be presiding at Silent Communion.

Recorded Music

Stephen used:

• Grieg 'Peer Gynt' Morning Mood
• Pachelbel Canon
• Saint-Saens 'Carnival of the Animals' The Swan
• Faure 'Pavanne' Op 60
• Rodrigo 'Concierto de Aranjuez' Adagio
• J. S. Bach 'Suite No 3' Air
• Mahler Symphony No 5 Adagietto
• Elgar Cello Concerto Adagio: Moderato
• Albinoni 'Adagio'
• Dvorak Symphony No. 9 Largo
• Offenbach 'The Tales of Hoffman' Bacarolle

Cast in Order of Appearance :

Box, full of following:

• paper windmill
• bubble-blowing
• liquid balloon (empty) and
• pen pieces of paper approx 15 x 10 cm
• two garlands Bible
• Loaf of bread and white tablecloth
• crown of thorns and cross (about 20 cm high or less)
• bottle of red wine (unopened)
• bottle opener - preferably the sort with two handles that rise up as the corkscrew is screwed in, and which are then used to pull the cork
• picture or model of a church
• empty photograph frame
• globe nightlight
• candles (at least one for everyone, preferably three)
• candles for holding (at least one for everyone) and candleholders - circle of card with serrated hole in middle for candle is best

Rangoli

Rangoli is the traditional art of decorating the courtyards and walls of Indian houses, places of worship and other places during the celebration of festivals. Rangoli is a generic name, from the Hindi language. There are different names for the art in different languages in different parts of India. For example, in the Tamil language it is called Kolam.

The art was drawn by rice flour in ancient days but now people use a special stone powder, although sometimes they continue to use rice flour. It is simple art drawn by women of different age groups. Usually women learn this art from their mother or grandmother.

Theological colleges in India are promoting indigenization within Christian worship. Christian worship in contemporary India was introduced by Westerners and reflects western Christian worship and often leaves no space for Indian culture. The processes of indigenization are bringing back the richness of Indian culture within worship in the form of song, music, instruments, dance and art.

As part of this indigenization process Rangoli is also brought into Christian worship. The picture is drawn either in the middle or front of the place of worship and is based on the theme of the particular service. The picture, which you have here, is made out of coloured salt because I couldn't get the similar stone powder here. The salt was coloured by different colour inks. Ink is sprinkled into the salt slowly (not poured) and dried it for a day at least then mix it gently to spread evenly. The outline is drawn in white salt before you fill with coloured salt. There is also a simple way of drawing Rangoli using a set of dots which may be helpful to you.

Rural Community Weekend 2005

• 'Key trends currently affecting rural communities' (Word doc)
  Stuart Burgess, Chair of the Countryside Agency and the Government's Rural Advocate

 

 

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