July 2026 Steering Service
Every three months we have a steering service, where anyone and everyone can discuss what we want Foundation to be, what matters to us, and how we want to do things. Here’s a summary of the discussion.
Values
Our creative value came up a lot, we like doing creative activities and trying new things - it was noted that it would be good for all creative mediums to be represented more equally
Contemplation is really important, and we want to further deepen that
Inclusivity is fundamental to how we do things and everyone being welcome as they are
Many people mentioned care for nature and the earth, and how that’s kind of ‘missing’ in our values, but comes into all of them. We are socially and environmentally engaged.
We liked that our values shape the pattern of our services
Social engagement update
Last time we agreed to share individual social engagement activities we’re doing in the WhatsApp group, which we have been doing a bit of and can keep doing.
We are also planning a clothes swap during a service later in the year to raise money for Indira’s legal fees, and a service bringing in an external speaker to talk about adoption next month.
I’ve not wanted to be too pushy asking people to talk about what they’re doing or interested in, but I might start trying to do this more!
Future services
Specific examples included: Looking at what God’s kingdom would be like, holy actualisation, long periods of silence, exploring interpretations of scripture or songs in depth, more people sharing their story
Really like following the wheel of the year so keeping up with those services, and the table service where we eat together
Music! We had a big discussion about how we would love more live music, and how we’re currently limited by resource as I have not one musical bone in my body! I’d love if there are Foundationers who can play instruments or sing to get more involved in doing music for us sometimes. Someone who couldn’t make it also messaged to say they’ve been really enjoying singing in church.
Someone mentioned enjoying being taught the music of the chant before we do it so we can sing with confidence
This also got us onto a conversation about wanting more times in our services to actually feel the presence of God and be ‘worshipping’. So we then had a discussion about what that looks like for us and how we might bring that in more.
Ways to have more ‘worship’/presence of God in our services
Reading a verse before silence, the silence being more purposeful (”waiting on God”), and then talking to the person next to you about what came up for you
Simple rituals! We really emphasised that rituals and sensory experiences help us feel connected to God, especially those with elemental, sacramental or embodied elements (incense, oil, fire, water, etc)
That said, we noted our ‘beautiful variety’, and how it’s great that we do different things and try new ways. So if we do bring in more rituals, it’s good for us to not always do exactly the same thing
The Eucharist (bread and wine) came up as being super important to us and something to keep doing
Including more opportunities for prayer, either with candles or writing prayers on post-it notes etc
Actions
Find a way to connect more to music and have more live music at Foundation. I’ll try to include more singing and music in our services, and organise some visiting musicians. But if any of you are musical and have anything to contribute please let me know!
Include more sensory and ritual elements to our services, as well as longer periods of more contemplative silence, and ways we can include prayer more in our services and generally as a community
Ask more people to share their faith story (“how you got here”) as part of a services again - if you would be willing to do this, please tell me!
Keep being creative, trying new, fresh ways of doing things, following the sabbats, and being a caring, creative and inclusive community.