Our article this month comes from comes from Sr Lol Wood who is based in and around Kirkby Lonsdale.
We hope this inspires you as it did us.
Foresty
My name is Lol Wood and I am the Family Project Leader for the Churches in Lunesdale.
Foresty began as we had discerned that in Kirkby Lonsdale people loved being outdoors and I remember a conversation I had with a local parent who said their kids 'loved being outside but it is tough with no garden'. Often families have moved here to be nearer the Lakes and the Yorkshire Dales but many of the houses in Kirkby Lonsdale don't have a garden or if they do they aren't always that big: not big enough for games. We are lucky to have Glebe field behind the Rectory and a beautiful Churchyard which we are encouraged to use for any of the projects we do. We have the space and we had heard the desire for more outdoor activities for families. Perhaps, we thought, this could be a way of exploring a new form of church community?
Increasingly we had found that the word 'Church' was problematic for many of the parents in our area. For a variety of reasons, it can and does put them off. I know some people advocate using the word 'Church' in every fresh expression of pioneering ministry as it points people to what they can expect: some message about God will be in the mix. Yet we knew it would put people off who might otherwise come - people who liked the concept of exploring God but weren't so sure about being part of an institution. Also, we believed it was possible to be Church without calling it 'Church' so together we landed on the name 'Foresty'.
Foresty meets bi-monthly on the 3rd Sunday in the afternoon (after rugby, as requested by our families). Our Foresty sessions begin with a short welcome and an explanation of what our topic is and a rough sketch of what we will be doing. We have learnt to do a run through of the whole programme quickly because some who attend prefer to know what will happen next. After our welcome we usually have a scavenger hunt where they collect either pictures related to nature or objects from nature in wicker baskets. We encourage everyone to get involved but we have a rule not to pick anything that is growing. Part of our ethos is respect for the natural world.
As we regroup we share our thoughts on what we have found. After our scavenger hunt we move to our story - this is Bible based and tends to be a mix of storytelling and interaction. We know that everyone can offer insights into God and the mystery of this earth and place we call home. There are no experts at Foresty; we all learn together. After our story we usually have an activity - this might be planting something, doing some land art, baking bread etc. We always aim to link the story and the ethos of spotting God in nature into our activity. Finally, we move around a firepit where we make our own smores and we all enjoy immensely the satisfaction of melting our marshmallows over the fire. As we eat we chat and then we gradually move to singing some songs - these are worship songs learnt in the local school and are led by two pre-teens who attend - often they know these worship songs and their actions better than anyone else. Then we end with a prayer or blessing. This is usually interactive, and we may incorporate BSL as part of our prayer.
Foresty lasts an hour and a half and is my personal favourite form of church. Feedback we have had includes comments such as 'this feels most like Church to us as we learn together', 'it is so welcoming', 'it is special'. It is hard to put into words how Foresty is and what I believe happens when we meet but it feels sacred and at times a 'thin place'. Friendships are made and conversation happens easily, particularly around our firepit.
I don't know exactly why Foresty attracts such a diverse group of people but I think the outdoor element makes it easier for many. There is no threshold to cross. The space does not obviously belong to an institution, there are no places you cannot sit because so and so sits there every week. It is there for everyone. We do have some people who attend time-honoured Church and Foresty, but I would say two-thirds or more don't.
This Easter we are sharing our first Foresty Communion with liturgy written and shaped by our teens and pre-teens. Foresty will continue to evolve and be shaped by the community that attends. The team and I feel lucky to be part of this congregation and have learnt about God through and with them more than there is time to write about! If you would like more information about Foresty do email me: