Overview
Forest Church is a way of gathering as church that engages with God’s wider creation and expects God’s voice to be heard as we spend time among God’s non-human creatures. A Forest is not essential: Forest Church is a term used for engagement with God through nature in any kind of outdoor space from beach to meadow; moorland to woodland; churchyard to wilderness; and everything in between.
Part retreat and part training, this is space offered in a way that can be engaged with simply as retreat, but which will also enable participants to be equipped with practices that they can take home. There will be opportunities for conversation for those who are considering starting a Forest Church or who are seeking to deepen their practice and understanding.
Who is this for?
This is for anyone who finds their personal spirituality inclines towards meeting God in and through nature. Some participants will be interested in learning practices to take home into their own Forest Church, others will simply come on retreat.
Practicalities
We will be outdoors for a significant proportion of the retreat so please pack clothing and footwear suitable for the weather, as well as suncream and a water bottle.
Provisional Programme
All worship will be outdoors in Forest Church style, in all weather including light rain or drizzle, though we have a plan B for heavy rain or high winds. Joining the Cuddesdon community worship in the Chapel is noted on the programme as optional.
Wednesday 16 June
11:45 College Community Eucharist (optional)
13:00 Lunch
14:30 Opening reflection and arriving in the space
15:45 Tea
16:30 Evening Prayer and nature connection
18:00 Supper
19:00 Nature, climate and worshipping outdoors
21:00 Night prayers (optional)
Thursday 17 June
07.30 BCP Eucharist (optional)
08:15 Breakfast
09:00 Morning Prayer and seasonal reflection
10:45 Coffee
11:00 Rachel Summers session 1
12:30 Lunch
14:00 Rachel Summers session 2
15:45 Tea
16:30 Evening Prayer and ‘sit spot’
18:00 Supper
19.00 Conversation about starting a Forest Church (optional)
21:00 Night prayers (optional)
Friday 17 June
07:30 Eucharist in chapel (optional)
08:15 Breakfast
09.00 Check out of rooms
09:30 Morning Prayer and nature connection
11.00 Coffee
11:45 Forest Church Eucharist
12:30 Lunch and depart
Retreat leaders
Cate Williams has been a Forest Church facilitator for over ten years. She is currently a co-facilitator of Glevum Forest Church in Gloucester which is an intergenerational community with nature connection at the core. She has wide experience in the breadth of Forest Church having included Forest Church in her PhD research, aspects of which became the Forest Church Grove booklet. Cate represents ‘green pioneering’ in the Fresh Expressions leadership community.
Cate is currently a freelance theological educator, with a portfolio that includes teaching for Cuddesdon: Gloucester and Hereford as an Associate Tutor, and ‘Potting Shed’ training with the Hazelnut Community Network. Past experience includes fourteen years in parish ministry, and ten years as Diocesan staff for the Diocese of Gloucester, with responsibilities ranging across mission and pioneering, and social and environmental responsibility. The offering of training in Forest Church has been an ongoing priority, through short training events, retreats and online webinars.
Cate will be joined for part of the retreat by Rachel Summers, who is an ordained pioneer currently licenced to Chelmsford Cathedral and focussing on work with children and families. As well as being an experienced Forest Church facilitator, she is a Forest School leader and trainer, and the author of the Forest Church resource books, Wild Lent, Wild Advent and Wild Worship.