Safe spaces for Emotions

As one who does not preach, but hang on, what have I seen when others preach I thought!

- the whole service needs to revolve around people feeling safe in their environment the minutes one walks in the door.

- The intentional use of Sermon's with questions/statements using "you" and "I". Hence, people think about their own situations and emotions.

- Leaving space for quiet reflection after the sermon or corporate prayer time. The Anglican Liturgy has a silence kept for praying for our own needs at the end of a prayer time. (Often not long enough).

- Use of a poem or a picture or song, specifically chosen.

- Use of prayer teams during communion or after the service. This can spill over into weekly housegroups as people talk freely about the sermon.

Stop Press!!

But all of this could not go on without the help of the Holy Spirit. I got a taste of this last night in our evening service. Our SOMA mission Team talked about their trip to Fiji. Very moving, but I felt I had to dance during the worship at the end. The whole mood of the service changed, everyone became thoughtful, prayerful, as if though God had captured people's emotions inside.