Easter Saturday. That in-between time. Liminal. Now and not yet. Emotionally, psychologically and spiritually, it’s perhaps where most of us live, most of the time. Somewhere between despair and hope, sorrow and joy, the doldrums and the high seas.
Yet still we go on and, for those of us with faith, still we continue to try to orient ourselves towards the God of love we trust has given us life and, as a result, to the people and planet in our care.
Cornel West talks about the idea of the ‘long Saturday’ – reflecting a blues sensibility borne of confronting death and despair without the transformation of Easter Sunday’s resurrection being fully available.
And it is in this ‘long Saturday’ that we must build resilience and practise hope; resisting escapist forms of spirituality and devotion.
Because worship mustn’t deafen us to the cries of people and planet. God might feel absent, but we must go on. This is how faith is made flesh. It is not an abstraction. It needs to show up. At bedsides, on protest marches, in classrooms, in hand-holding, in singing, in solidarity.
It’s how God might be made present again. And how the resurrection life of Easter Sunday might be brought forward into our present from its future horizon.
Here, then, is a whistle-stop tour of what to expect to find as part of our worship and spirituality programming at the festival this summer …
The bigger ‘names’*
*Not that our worship programming is about that, of course.
Carrie Grant and the Space Community – with Lament
We’re delighted to welcome Carrie Grant back to Greenbelt. Now an ordained minister, Carrie (together with her husband David) has been on a wild and wonderful Christian faith journey which has seen her deconstruct almost everything only to find herself pastoring a wildly inclusive church community in her own home. Lament is a practice she has developed together with the Space community as a response to the overwhelming times we find ourselves living in – in which we will be invited to experience silence as protest. Drawing on what post-genocide Congolese theologian Emmanuel Katangole describes lament as being: a place where we can “dwell in the ruins” and ask “what happened here?”
Andy Squyres – writer, songwriter, poet, priest
Born and raised in California but at home in Charlotte North Carolina since 1999, Andy Squyres is exactly what his website tagline describes him as being: a writer, a songwriter, a poet and a priest. Coming to Greenbelt for the first time, Andy will play two sets – one in the Canopy and then one in the Shelter, where he’ll mine all of his vocations to share his raw, honest and yet beautifully tender devotional songs as an act of artistry and of worship.
Martin Shaw – Liturgies of the Wild
Making a welcome return to Greenbelt, Martin Shaw joins us to share from his latest book, Liturgies of the Wild. In it, Martin explores how myth and story are what grow us into real human beings, as he champions the need for a renewed appreciation of myth in our troubling times. Following his conversion to Christ (‘the True Myth’) at the age of 50 by way of a thirty-year journey and a 101-night vigil in a Dartmoor forest, Martin invites us to rediscover the ancient stories that shape the human soul — and to encounter Christ, who he regards as the ultimate, transforming story providing a road to wholeness, maturity and connection.
Francesco – a play to celebrate the 800th-year anniversary of St Francis’ death, in The Forum
In partnership with our Franciscan friends who make camp each year with us at the festival, we are delighted to stage two performances of Francesco at Greenbelt – a song cycle about the extraordinary life of St Francis of Assisi. Written and composed by Italian musician Daniel Xappi and directed by lifelong Greenbelter Justin Butcher, the show also features the RSC & National Theatre actress and singer Caroline Faber (also known for her television roles in Merlin, Joan, Prime Target, Malory Towers, Call the Midwife, Grantchester and Berlin Station). Francis’ story offers a timely invitation to humility and care for creation in these troubling times.
Wilderthorn and Sekrit
Brothers Dan and Jon Bilbrough have become firm Greenbelt favourites at Boughton House, bringing their deep musicality to bear in making generous spaces that invite us into wonder and worship. Once again, Dan, as Sekrit will lead an early morning sound bath session and then Jon, accompanied by Dan, will invite us into his otherworldly improvised devotion as Wilderthorn for an IMMERSE evening session.
The Feminist Theology Network
Founded in 2023 by feminist theologian Karen O’Donnell, the Feminist Theology Network is an international group of folks interested in feminist and womanist theologies. Its members include priests, scholars, activists, teachers, and a whole lot more, of all genders. They meet together to listen to, to read together and to explore new theologies. We are excited to welcome them to Greenbelt to lead a shared session in The Shelter.
Charlotte Church – singing circle
While she’s with us on our festival Sunday, Charlotte will lead a singing circle in the Shelter venue, building on the practices she leads as part of her Dreaming retreats in Wales through which she aims to help people find the ‘song of their soul’.
Worship for all
We like to think we offer a real breadth and depth of worship experiences at Greenbelt. We do that because we know that one size definitely doesn’t fit all when it comes to our communal experience of encountering the Divine. Here’s a summary of the various opportunities for worship at this year’s festival:
Taize
A regular feature at the Shelter each year, the Taizé service provides an oasis of stillness and contrast using simple congregational chants accompanied by classical instruments interspersed with readings, prayers and silence.
Catholic Mass – with the students from Pilgrim Cross
Expect lots of music and maybe even dancing as Pilgrim Cross brings Christians together in worship and community, recognising that there is so much more that unites us than divides us.
Quaker Meeting for Worship – with the Quakers in Britain
Quakers believe that in each of us there is something wonderful: they call it ‘that of God in us.’ In worship, they invite us to meet God in stillness, in ourselves, and in each other.
The Goth/Alternative Eucharist
An immersive, sensory feast that is inclusive of all-comers as voices from the alternative margins and deconstructed faith meet mainstream church tradition.
The OUT@Greenbelt LGBTQi Eucharist
A very special service of Holy Communion for LGBTQIA+ people and our friends, where you don’t need to hide from yourself, each other or God. Everyone is welcome.
The Big Sing with the Iona Community
An annual vocal extravaganza for all who believe they can sing/can’t sing/won’t sing. Featuring fresh material from the world church (and new stuff from the Wild Goose Resource Group).
The main festival communion service
Gather together with thousands in the Glade Arena to break bread and share wine as we share in a simple, corporate act of Christian remembrance at the heart of the festival weekend.
The Quiet Communion – led by Miranda Threlfall-Holmes
Or, if that all feels too much, choose a quieter gathering designed for those who struggle with sensory overload and large crowds for our ‘Quiet Communion’ in the Shelter.
As well as all this, there will be more – including our partners at Embrace the Middle East hosting a service incorporating elements of the three Abrahamic faiths as an act of unity and solidarity. And the Northumbria Community will lead prayer in the Celtic tradition and host a night-time drumming prayer circle. Plus more to be announced.
Try this at home
Some of our Shelter programming this year will be labelled as ‘Try This At Home’ (TTAH). When you see that label it means that those sessions will have a bit more of a focus on not just providing a meaningful experience in the moment, but also helping you think about how you might facilitate something similar when you get back from the festival. Whether you are interested in monastic chanting, planning to set up a forest church, or are looking for great ideas for a creative all age activity, look out for the TTAH label. Facilitators at the TTAH sessions will also be able to point you towards resources that you can access to further develop your ideas.
Harmonising the Soul – Gregorian Chant with Fr Lee Taylor
Welcoming and genuinely accessible, Fr Lee Taylor introduces us to the depth and ‘otherness’ of the Gregorian chant tradition. Discover the spaciousness, simplicity and other-wordliness of the tradition
The Goth/Alternative all-age daytime service
A challenging, authentic open-source expression of prayer, exploration, worship and questioning that meets people where they are – all ages and stages – and is not afraid to keep company with the hard questions and struggles of life.
So you want to start a Forest Church?
The leaders of our outdoor Grove services over the weekend come together to share wisdom and learning from their various experiences of establishing and maintaining a wide variety of Forest Church-style gatherings in their different necks of the woods.
Elsewhere and outdoors
Contemplative Fire
Guided outdoor morning reflection each day.
The Franciscans
Offering daily offices and hospitality across the weekend in the campsite.
The Grove
Forest church-style outdoor circle gatherings for all ages – daytime and night-time.
