What Happens on Sunday Mornings at Cityside?
Service Time : 10:30am
8 Mt Eden Road, Newton, Auckland, New Zealand
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 have a theme-based communion service on the first Sunday of the month, and then our worship follows a basic order of service on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Sundays of the month. Each element of the service is facilitated by different people each week, on a rostered basis. The order of service includes an opening prayer, biblical and contemporary readings, confession, songs and/or meditative worship, community prayers, sermon, and morning tea. Where a month has five Sundays, the fifth service will involve some alternative form of gathering - either a free-form service, or an activity outside the building. This will be advertised in advance.
Each person leading a particular segment of worship can do so in whatever form, style, medium, level of creativity that s/he wishes to. Variety is encouraged. 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. Anyone (this includes children) can join the roster for any element of the service. If you would like to lead any aspect of our worship - regularly or occaisonally or 'one-off' - please see Brenda. Further explanations and helpful materials are available.
1st and 3rd Sundays of the month: 9.30am, for half an hour
Contemplative Silence: Centering Prayer
This service is held 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 9.30 on the dot. Please arrive ahead of time.
2nd and 4th Sundays of the month: 9am, for half an hour
Quiet Communion
Also in the chapel, our quiet communion services are liturgical, and involve spaces for reflection and meditation, as well as prayer for others and ourselves.
What happens at night at Cityside?
First Wednesday of the Month - 8pm
Centering Prayer Service in the main worship space. Includes two centering prayer sessions, meditative walking, Lectio Divina, and occasional chanting.
Last Sunday of the Month - 7.30pm (not current, but may re-emerge)
Spirit Song - an hour for the heart: songs, chants and silence. We invite God's Spirit to dwell with us. Participants are invited to explore gifts of the Spirit and to share Spirit led and inspired prayer.
Sonar - an occasional event
Live sound manipulation and music making. Projected visuals. Prayer stations.
Watch this space for next date, or email us if you want to be kept informed.
In association with St Lukes Remuera.
Sonar related essays
The lost dimension in religion - Paul Tillich // The depth of existence - Paul Tillich // The big here and the long now - by Brian Eno