Methodist Church Launches Online Spirituality Resources

The Methodist Church has launched a new website focusing on allowing followers to join a "pilgrimage of discovery, freeing the mind from clutter, calming the spirit and strengthening awareness of and openness to God".

The new site has been designed as a labyrinth and invites visitors on a spiritual journey of encounter and challenge.

"A labyrinth is an ancient spiritual resource and a metaphor for the spiritual journey into death and out again into life," states the Methodist Church.

Working with David Webster, the Methodist Church's Website Manager, the Pastoral Care and Spirituality Team have developed the site to be available to people across and beyond Methodism.

The website, entitled 'Lost in Wonder' has ten interactive "stations" that can be visited in any order, each with images, a Bible text, a prayer and a guiding voice leading the guest into the theme of that place.

Some of the stations reflect on the priorities of the Methodist Church - worship, learning and caring, service and evangelism - while others consider different aspects and expressions of spirituality.

The Rev Michaela Youngson, Methodist Secretary for Pastoral Care and Spirituality said: "A labyrinth is an ancient way to journey deeper into God's presence and then to travel out again into God's world. This is a place of change and challenge as well as rest and contemplation. We hope that people will find in it a freedom that helps them to connect with others who want to learn about God's love."

The resource site also looks to act as a platform to allow fellow visitors to interact with one another. The Methodist Church tells: "One station, exploring the theme of God's presence and action in the world, gives the visitor the opportunity to draw a picture of their own experience of God's presence. This is then added to an online gallery so that people can enjoy and be inspired by the artwork of other guests. Those who wish to respond to what they have experienced within the Labyrinth will find suggestions, links and resources at the end of their journey."

The website can be visited at www.lostinwonder.org.uk