Church without Walls

The new name of Amais Ministries - Encountering God in Southwest Scotland "When you search for me you will find me"

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Church without Walls is the new name for Amais - a Christian ministry, based in Southwest Scotland, seeking to develop creative means of helping people who might not venture into conventional churches to encounter God in new and perhaps unexpected ways.

Amais (pronounced a-mish) - To encounter. To set the intention.

Wigtown Creative Worship began in Advent 2023, and meets monthly to explore prayer and worship together, drawing heavily on the Taize tradition of meditative chants, but also drawing from other traditions and our own creativity to still our minds and open our hearts to God.

Church without Walls will offer occasional worship events, usually outdoors in nature, where we can be open to the spiritual dimension through words, music, silence and connection with nature and one another.

In the Footsteps of the Saints will focus on the notion of pilgrimage to open up our awareness to the world around us, and to connect with God in contemplation of creation, through visiting some of the ancient sites in our region associated with St Ninian and other celtic saints, and also the martyrs of the Covenanter movement.

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YouTube channel now live!

Our first ever video is about to go 'live' on YouTube, giving an overview of the background, vision and ethos of 'Church without Walls'

@churchwithoutwall.dg8

Church without Walls

Church without Walls is a Christian ministry, based in Southwest Scotland, seeking to develop creative means of helping people who might not

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Coming soon

I had the strange experience of being interviewed yesterday by Gabriel from Hillfort Ministries about Church without Walls and related matters for his 'Gabriel's Gospel Grace' YouTube channel. Once the video is edited and live, I will share the link - and he has kindly offered to share some material which I can use in our own social media. Exciting stuff!

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In the Footsteps of the Saints

The Machars of Galloway have a long association with  St Ninian (whose shrine in Whithorn was once the prime pilgrimage site in Scotland) and other early Christian saints. Throughout the Summer we are offering a programme of short pilgrimage-style events at various sites around the area. These will involve a walk  of around half an hour in the beautiful Galloway countryside, pausing along the way to connect with our surroundings and the spiritual dimension beyond, and will each conclude with a short act of prayer and reflection at a particular holy site. Where possible these will link in with the weekly Ninian Moments acts of prayer inWhithorn and Wigtown.

Some events will be dependent on the tide to allow access to parts of the route  so it is not possible to give exact times in advance - see website. 

All events are open to locals and visitors alike and are free of charge (donations welcome).  Please dress for the weather. Stout shoes are advisable. You participate at your own risk.

First Tuesday of the Month

St Ninian and the church in Whithorn

Meet at Rispain Camp (between Whithorn and Glasserton) at 10.45am

Third Tuesday of the Month

Various locations, including Physgill Glen & Ninian’s Cave,  St Medan’s Church & Well, Isle of Whithorn & St Ninian’s Chapel

(Please see our website for details)

Mondays 8 July,  26 August, 30 September

The Wigtown Martyrs

Meet at Wigtown Market Cross at 10.45am

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A Litany to Honor Women (via Shane Clairborne)

We walk in the company of the women who have gone before,

Mothers of the faith both named and unnamed,

Testifying with ferocity and faith to the Spirit of Wisdom and Healing.

They are the judges, the prophets, the martyrs, the warriors, poets, lovers and Saints

Who are near to us in the shadow of awareness, in the crevices of memory, in the landscape of our dreams.*

We walk in the company of Deborah,

who judged the Israelites with authority and strength.

We walk in the company of Esther,

who used her position as Queen to ensure the welfare of her people.

We walk in the company of you whose names have been lost and silenced,

who kept and cradled the wisdom of the ages.

We walk in the company of the woman with the flow of blood,

who audaciously sought her healing and release.

We walk in the company of Mary Magdalene,

who wept at the empty tomb until the risen Christ appeared.

We walk in the company of Phoebe,

who led an early church in the empire of Rome.

We walk in the company of Perpetua of Carthage,

whose witness in the third century led to her martyrdom.

We walk in the company of Saint Christina the Astonishing,

who resisted death with persistence and wonder.

We walk in the company of Julian of Norwich,

who wed imagination and theology proclaiming "all shall be well."

We walk in the company of Sojourner Truth,

who stood against oppression, righteously declaring "ain't I a woman!" in 1852.

We walk in the company of the Argentine Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo,

who turned their grief to strength, standing together to remember "the disappeared" children of war

with a holy indignation.

We walk in the company of Alice Walker,

who named the lavender hue of womanish strength.

We walk in the company of you Mothers of the faith,

who teach us to resist evil with boldness, to lead with wisdom, and to heal.

Amen.

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Mother and Child by Indigenous artist (Cree) Lana Whiskeyjack from Canada

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Ascension

We saw his light break through the cloud of glory Whilst we were rooted still in time and place As earth became a part of Heaven’s story And heaven opened to his human face. We saw him go and yet we were not parted He took us with him to the heart of things The heart that broke for all the broken-hearted Is whole and Heaven-centred now, and sings, Sings in the strength that rises out of weakness, Sings through the clouds that veil him from our sight, Whilst we our selves become his clouds of witness And sing the waning darkness into light, His light in us, and ours in him concealed, Which all creation waits to see revealed .

Malcolm Guite

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Upcoming creative worship gatherings in Wigtown, SW Scotland.

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8th May - Feast Day of Julian of Norwich, 14th century anchoress and mystic.

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A Beltane Blessing for May Day

Oh God, bless our flocks and bearing kine;

Hate nor scath let not come near us,

Drive from us the ways of the wicked.

The strength of the Triune be our shield in distress,

The strength of Christ, His peace and His Pasch,

The strength of the Spirit, Physician of health,

And of every other saint who succeeded them

And who earned the repose of the kingdom of God.

Every holiness, blessing and power,

Be yielded to us every time and every hour,

In name of the Holy Threefold above,

Father, Son, and Spirit everlasting.

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Get with the programme!

'The first Christians did not provide any programme, any theory, but wherever they went the seed of the Kingdom germinated, the flame started to burn, their whole being was a living torch of praise for the risen Christ; He and He alone was the sole happiness of their life, and the Church had no other aim than to make present in the world and in history the Joy of the Risen Christ, in whom all things have their beginning and their end. 

Without proclaiming this Joy, Christianity is incomprehensible!' 

(Alexander Schmemann)

[voiceforjesus]

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"It is not our faith that creates God, and it is not our doubts that can cast Him into nothingness."

Br Roger of Taize

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Our first Church without Walls event!

Celebrating Pentecost in the open air in Wigtown; a time of quiet reflection in the Market Place... a walk through the town to the Martyr's Memorial for an act of worship looking out over Wigtown Bay to the Galloway Hills.

We encourage everyone to wear something red, or brightly coloured.

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 Hosanna Song [Triumphal Entry tragedy]

A gut-wrenching song for the Lenten season.

Written by Paul Zach, Kate Bluett, and Jon Guerra.

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With one breath, “Hosanna” we cry With the next one we say, “Crucify!” With one voice we praise your name With the same voice we condemn you to shame Hosanna, Hosanna Hosanna to the Lord With palm leaves we welcome your reign With twisted thorns we crown you with pain You wash our feet to show us your love We wash our hands of your innocent blood Hosanna, Hosanna Hosanna to the Lord Hosanna, Hosanna Hosanna to the Lord We claim you when you come in power But we leave you in your terrible hour We hail you for victory won But we mock you as you say, “It is done.”

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Paul Zach is planning to record and release 4 EPs of new songs this year - join in at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/paulzachmusic/4-albums-in-2023

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Our next Creative Worship workshop coming up in Wigtown on 26th April.

These sessions draw from various traditions and from our own creativity, but always have an emphasis on contemplative prayer. They are open to folk from any background, and are free to attend. Typically each meeting lasts around 45 minutes, with an opportunity to stay and chat at the end if you so wish.