Diocese of Carlisle

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Growing in Mission Growing Younger

Outdoor Church

An autumn path through Roudsea Wood in South Cumbria

Outdoor church tends to be naturally all-age, and it works well for people who are not used to time-honoured church. It can be as simple as a short gathering in a churchyard, or a regular walk and worship in the woods.

These books and websites were gathered by Lol Wood, the Growing Younger Enabler for Children and Families. Each one links to a page where you can find out more or get a copy.

Books

  • Cover of Forest Church: A Field Guide to a Spiritual Connection with Nature

    Forest Church: A Field Guide to a Spiritual Connection with Nature

    Bruce Stanley

    The original book for anyone wanting to explore Forest Church.

    Find out more

  • Cover of Church of the Wild: How Nature Invites Us into the Sacred

    Church of the Wild: How Nature Invites Us into the Sacred

    Victoria Loorz

    Lol's favourite on this list for understanding the faith side of outdoor ministry. Easy to read.

    Find out more

  • Cover of Field Guide to Church of the Wild

    Field Guide to Church of the Wild

    Victoria Loorz and Valerie Luna Serrels

    Stories from people who gather outside for church, and ideas you can take and make your own.

    Find out more

  • Forest Church: Earthed Perspectives on the Gospel

    Cate Williams (Grove Books, 2019)

    A short booklet with practical ideas.

    Find out more

  • Cover of The Celtic Wheel of the Year

    The Celtic Wheel of the Year

    Tess Ward

    Uses the Celtic calendar to explore faith, with reflections and prayers. Written mainly for adults.

    Find out more

  • Cover of Wild Worship: Discovering God Through Creation

    Wild Worship: Discovering God Through Creation

    Rachel Summers

    Practical ideas for exploring God in the wild, easily used with all ages.

    Find out more

  • Cover of Wild Advent: Discovering God Through Creation

    Wild Advent

    Rachel Summers

    Follows Wild Worship, with practical ideas for exploring God in the wild during Advent.

    Find out more

  • Cover of Wild Lent: Discovering God Through Creation

    Wild Lent

    Rachel Summers

    Follows Wild Worship, with practical ideas for exploring God in the wild during Lent.

    Find out more

  • Cover of Messy Adventures

    Messy Adventures

    Lucy Moore (Messy Church)

    Twelve practical outdoor sessions in the usual Messy all-age style.

    Find out more

  • Cover of Outdoor Church: 20 Sessions to Take Church Outside the Building

    Outdoor Church

    Sally Welch

    Twenty sessions for outdoor church.

    Find out more

  • Worship in the Woods

    Sam and Sara Hargreaves

    Ten all-age outdoor sessions, each with a liturgy element. There is a sample of the pages on the publisher's page.

    See sample pages  |  Find the book

St Margaret's Church at Low Wray, near Windermere, among autumn trees
Many Cumbrian churches already sit in the landscape. A churchyard, a lakeshore or a woodland path can all become a place to worship.

Websites

More about children and families work across the diocese, including Refresh, Messy Church and the Children & Family Network:

Children and Families

Growing Younger Enabler for Children and Families

Lol Wood

Lol Wood
Lol supports Children and families work across the diocese.
Lol is funded by The Cumbrian Way until 2030.

T: 07345 575711
E: lol.wood@carlislediocese.org.uk

Book covers are shown to help you recognise each title and belong to their publishers. Photos (Creative Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0): Path through Roudsea Wood by Stephen Craven; Church of St Margaret's, Low Wray by Chris Heaton.