Just finishing off a leaflet with some prayer suggestions for our beach worship this Sunday afternoon at Charmouth. If you're from the Yeovil area and see this in time, you're welcome to join us! Here's an extract from the leaflet, to give a flavour of it. Everyone will get this as they arrive, and then has the rest of the day (and any subsequent visits to the seaside!) to use it as they want to. There are other prayer exercises based on Sand, Stones and Air.

With Jesus on the Beach

Find a few minutes during the afternoon, and pick one of the exercises below to do. Feel free to express yourself in sand, stone and water, and let God express himself to you through them.

At tea time, there’ll be a chance to share with others anything God has said. If you want to ‘redeem’ what you find on the beach to make something for our tea time worship, please do!

At around 4.30-5pm, we’ll eat together, share bread and wine to remember Jesus, and beyond that there’s no plan! Our worship will be what we bring to it, in words, shapes, silences, and ourselves.

Sea

1. Tides, waves, undercurrents.
Beach warning signs say beware of rising tides, large waves, and unseen undercurrents.
In your life, including your spiritual life, what are the rising tides, big waves, and undercurrents? What is Jesus saying to you about these things?

2. Sea tides
Let the love tide swelling
Surround me and my dwelling
Let the power of the mighty sea
Flow in, Lord, and strengthen me.
Tide of Christ covering my shore
That I may live for evermore.

3. Waves
There is always another wave of grace coming from God. “From his fullness we have all received grace upon grace.” (John 1:16)

4. Swimming
Get in the sea and begin swimming breaststroke. (you can do this standing too!) As you push away imagine giving things to God. Decide on some appropriate words to repeat in your mind. As you bring your arms and legs back towards you imagine gathering God towards you and use words linked to asking and finding.

Float in the sea and meditate on God’s love lifting you up and supporting you.

5. Scriptures
“If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the farthest side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” (Psalm 139: 9-10)

“Who is this, that even the wind and the waves obey him?” (Matthew 8:27)

“If you have faith, you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea’, and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” (Mt 21:21). If you have a problem, go and find a landslip or some signs of the sea eroding the land, and meditate on these words of Jesus.

“Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea – the Lord on high is mighty.” (Psalm 93: 4)