More information about Sanctuary Days
Here are some of the questions we’re often asked about Sanctuary Days…
What will the content be?
This will always be agreed through conversation with the ReSource Minister involved, and clergy or others from the church(es) issuing the invitation. Sometimes, a church already has a theme or Biblical passage in mind as the foundation for the day. Often, it is through conversation, about the church context and needs, that a theme emerges.
How is the day structured?
This is very much up to you. A typical day begins with opening worship in a familiar style, followed by a couple of morning sessions. The morning might end with the option to pray in a range of ways, including silent prayer, prayer in small groups, and the offer of personal prayer ministry. After lunch, there could be a variety of options before gathering together for a final session and a closing act of worship. You can see some recent Sanctuary Day programmes here.
Some practicalities…
Cost: Most churches offer a Sanctuary Day free of charge, unless there is a payment for food or refreshments – this is agreed locally. ReSource works on an ‘expenses plus donation’ basis, so after the event, you will be sent an invoice to pay the travel expenses of the ReSource Minister, and be invited to make a donation to the work of ReSource. Some churches agree this amount at a PCC or equivalent meeting in advance; some hold a collection on the day.
Catering: it is worth thinking about this as you begin to devise the event. Often churches invite people to bring their own lunch, or bring and share. Where lunch is provided, we have seen a whole variety of approaches from a set charge and tickets issued in advance, to donations on the day.
Publicity: churches handle this themselves, and we can provide information about ReSource and logos/pictures as helpful.
What about follow-up?
This happens in a variety of ways. Some churches choose to run one of our core courses, or seek ongoing support from the Alongside Scheme. There are a number of churches where we have returned annually to run a Sanctuary Day for a few years, enabling the church to journey deeper in its spiritual life, and apply those insights to its mission. We are always delighted when church members choose to engage with ReSource’s ministry in an ongoing way, perhaps as an Intercessor or through becoming a Companion in the Alongside Scheme. Our Church Partnerships Officer, Kathy Smith is always delighted to talk about continuing the journey with ReSource.
Will you respect our tradition? And how ‘charismatic’ are you?
We always seek to work ‘with the grain’ rather than against it, recognising that God is already at work in the churches we serve. Our hope and prayer is always that, with the Spirit’s help, we can go deeper together. Some of the areas we might explore would include your usual approaches to prayer, and whether there are different approaches you wish to explore on the day; whether a service of Holy Communion or a time of prayer with laying on of hands and anointing would be helpful; or whether you hope for a less structured time ‘open to the Spirit’. A key hope for us is that we will understand your starting point, and also where you hope to develop your walk with God and your engagement with the Spirit as a result of the day.
What about music?
We recognise that music can be a source of tension in churches! So it is good from the outset to consider whether you wish to involve any existing musicians within the church(es), or use recorded hymns/songs provided by ReSource. Sometimes a church will invite a local musician or worship leader known to them to lead sung worship on the day. We will always ask about what is ‘normal’ for the congregation(s) involved with the day, and indeed if there are new approaches that could be experimented with as part of the time together. A Sanctuary Day can be a good opportunity to try something new, where the ‘home team’ is keen for this.
