God Outside Church Walls

Imagine the absurd notion that the Divine could be experience outside the church walls (Wink!). If you think that is possible, then follow through this activity. If you think that the Divine have made it dwelling solely between the brick and mortar walls of the religious sanctuary, well… why not try this activity, just for curiosity.

Equipment needed:

A map of your neighborhood, town or city (I’ll refer to Google Maps as an easy way online to acquire such map)
Something to write with (color pencils, crayons, pens or markers)
Items for a simple contemplative/meditative space (candles, instrumental music, a comfortable chair, Book of Common Prayer, Bible, etc...)

Activity:

• On the internet browser of your preference search for Google Maps (https://maps.google.com/) or Mapquest (http://www.mapquest.com) or any other online map service.
• Enter your zipcode or the name of your city/town. In my case, I entered Shoreline, WA and then zoomed until I could see the blocks that constitute my neighborhood. 
• Print a copy the map. Here is a link with simple instructions of how to print a Google map - https://support.google.com/maps/answer/144343?hl=en
• Set up a simple contemplation/meditation station. 
• In a meditative attitude, look at the map of your neighborhood/town/city. Imagine yourself walking around, looking at the people, contemplating whatever of nature is present in the area, examining the building.
• Mark in your map your favorite places. Write down a word of phrase that describe what makes it your favorite. If you are interested in doing this in your computer, follow this link with instructions on how to customize a Google map and add drop pin to it. http://www.ehow.com/how_6521984_drop-pin-google-maps.html
• Think of your neighbors. Who are they? Make a mark on those neighbors you know. Write a note about them. Say a prayer for them.
• Keep looking at the map, bring to your memory those areas where brokenness and pain are present in your neighborhood/town/city. Mark them in your map. Say a prayer for those places. Still looking at your map, bring to memory those place where joy, goodness, healing, justice are present. Mark them in your map as well. Say a prayer of gratitude for those places.
• Continue your meditation. Look around the map for those areas that you do not know much about. Why the unknown? Too far from you? a dangerous place? not your scene? Mark or make a note of why you do not know much about it. 
• We are coming to the end of the activity. 
• Take a few minutes to ponder over the whole map. Is it possible to experience the Divine outside the church walls? Where is God present in neighborhood/town/city? 
• Make a mark in your map of a place you want to visit with the intention of being sensitive to God’s present in that place.
• Close in prayer for your neighborhood/town/city. You can use the following Prayer for Cities found in page 825 in the Book of Common Prayer-

Heavenly Father, in your Word you have given us a vision of that holy City to which the nations of the world bring their glory: Behold and visit, we pray, the cities of the earth. Renew the ties of mutual regard which form our civic life. Send us honest and able leaders. Enable us to eliminate poverty, prejudice, and oppression, that peace may prevail with righteousness, and justice with order, and that men and women from different cultures and with differing talents may find with one another the fulfillment of their humanity; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

• If you are doing this in a group, take some time for mutual sharing.
• Keep this map in a place where you can see it often as a way of a reminder of the Divine in your neighborhood/town/city.