Community Life

What Happens on Sunday Mornings at Cityside?

We are committed to maximum participation and to the development of the creativity, gifts and relationships among the community that is Cityside church, so our services generally involve a number of different people leading us in different ways. We are also committed to creating spaces where we can respond to God in a variety of ways, engaging our body and our senses as well as our minds and hearts in our worship.

We have a curating team, that invites and guides the participation of Citysiders in providing various elements of the service. Service curators often work to a theme, and chooses service elements that work together to unfold this theme. Elements may include readings, responsive prayer, silence, response/activity stations, song or chant, discussion, confession, intercession, sermon, body prayer etc. On the first Sunday of the month we celebrate communion as a whole community (including children). On the third Sunday of the month we have practice not having 'song-led worship’ as a discipline to keep us from falling into a default form.

Each person leading a particular segment of worship can do so in whatever form, style, medium, level of creativity that s/he wishes to. This means services vary considerably in style and content (and length) from week to week.
People are free to participate or not in any part of the service.

Contemplative Silence: Centering Prayer

This service is held evey 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month in our chapel. It involves half an hour of active, practical silence, focusing on the 'Centering Prayer' meditation of Thomas Merton, Thomas Keating and The Cloud of Unknowing. One of the oldest forms of Christian contemplation in the West.

We start at 9.00 on the dot. Please arrive ahead of time. Finishes at 9:30.