This creative meditation on the theme of exile is designed to be used with a congregation during a church service, but it could work equally well in a youth group or small group setting.
It has been linked with a Christmas reading (Jesus, Mary and Joseph’s flight to Egypt - Matthew 2:13-15) but could be used throughout the year linked to another biblical reading about exile.
It takes the form of a script to be read to the congregation/group. Ideally an “actor” or someone who reads well should read the Palestinian Keys extract to really bring it to life.
The congregation will need a set of keys each – hopefully most people should have them in their bags/pockets but it’s worth having some spare to give to anyone who does not.
Music: Two music tracks: Our House, by Madness (from the album Total Madness) and Exile, by Show of Hands (from the album Roots, the best of Show of Hands) are included in the meditation. They are both available to download on iTunes or could be substituted for other songs/left out altogether if desired. The lyrics are included at the end of the script to put together a power point of the songs if wanted.
The script includes the worship song If I rise on the Wings of the Dawn (by Jamie Haith, based on Psalm 139) for the congregation/group to sing at the end of the meditation.
Chloe Axford lives in Devon with her husband Nick and their very new baby girl. They are volunteer worship leaders at their church and run an alternative worship stream in the evening service called Creative Space. Chloe spent two years working in creative arts ministry at a church in London and now works as a journalist (when not dreaming up imaginative uses for tea lights, post-it notes and stones).
