Go Worship! Go Out! Go Wonder!

05 February 2026

Here’s a photo from Llanfair Uniting Church, Penrhys, Rhondda Valley which I took during a visit there in December. A bit too chilly for worshipping God outdoors on that wintry day, but as I gazed across the valley, it reminded me of this passage from Isaiah - “Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it.” (Isaiah 42:5, NRSVA).

I wonder what views you have from your church? It may be of a bustling high street, a quiet country lane or the wide-open countryside. Whatever the view, whether urban or rural, built up or sparsely populated, you can probably still see the sky and some kind of land – the passage from Scripture reminds us that it is God who created the ‘heavens’ making them expansive and ‘the earth’ beneath our feet with all that is produced from it. When you are next in your church building, why not take a moment alone, or with other folk you are gathered with, to look up at the heavens and look down at the earth, giving thanks to God for His mighty awesome work of Creation?

Then take a few breaths – in and out - feel the air around you and ponder on the tender work of God – for we are His people, and in gratitude to God for creating you, deepen and lengthen your breaths.

As many of you may recall, during 2024–25, I worked with a team of people from across our churches and nations to develop a resource to support people to connect to God through nature. This is called Go Worship! Go Out! Go Wonder!

As the days warm up and get longer, how might your church seek new ways to deepen your relationship with our Creator God?

You can request free copies of booklet from the office in Nottingham or download it here.

If you are thinking of trying something new, you can apply for a Starter Grant from the CF to support your endeavours.

Perhaps you would like to invite me to support your church in facilitating a service outdoors? If so, please do get in touch – I would love to hear from you!

If you are already active in hosting worship outdoors, it would be lovely to chat to you about it and see some photos of your gatherings. Drop me a line!

Jesus and his followers and folk throughout the Old Testament spent most of their time outdoors and they would have been much more intimately connected to the seasons, weather patterns and fresh air on their faces and dust and mud on their feet! So, why don’t we follow in their faithful footsteps and spend time with God outdoors...

“Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made” - (Romans 1:20, NRSVA).

Sara (Go Worship! facilitator)
Contact Linda in the Office for more information.