In•spire 2024
FEBRUARY 18th • May 5th • September 15th • November 10th
Time: 3-5pm
You are welcomed into a Sanctuary of Heartfelt Belonging
The In•spire Service has served as a pillar of Westminster Woods for generations. In•spire invites guests of all backgrounds to ground themselves through a quiet and contemplative musical service that provides an opportunity for prayer and reflection. Following the service, Westminster Woods offers its grounds for exploration; you are invited to walk around amongst the coastal redwoods, sit by the creek, or be guided in a Labyrinth Walk.
While this is a free, family-friendly event, it is also a fundraiser for Westminster Woods Summer Programs. We welcome donations!
About the Service
As participants enter the Homestead, they are given a bulletin and invited to take a seat around our center altar. They will find the room beautifully decorated and lit with candles - a sacred space where we are able to connect with each other, Creator, Christ and Spirit. The hour-long service is made up of songs from various backgrounds - taize, worship, and popular music - and half-way through a space is made for participants to pray aloud. The service accommodates people of any age, race, gender, and spiritual background and grounds us in connecting with Self, Others, Nature and God.
An Example In•spire Set
I am Light - Indie Ari
Your Love is All Around - All Sons and Daughters
Vapor - Gungor
Hear my Words (Prayers of the People)
Mary - Patty Griffin
God our Mother - The Liturgists
What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
Benediction - Josh Garrels
Music
The In•spire Services will be lead by our talented Music Team with contributions from Justin Daniel, Ashanti Johnson, Morgan Kinunen, and Charlotte Trotter.
Listen Justin Daniel’s original EP “What’s Lost” on spotify and watch a Sweet Harmony Session recording of his original song “Little Bird.”
Listen to Ashanti Johnson’s song “LOVIN” from YR Media’s At The Moment Mixtape.
These incredible musicians will guide In•spire Service participants through a musical service that includes taize, worship, and popular music. Learn more about the Taize musical style below.
The History of Taize
Taizé worship music has a rich history that traces its origins to the small village of Taizé in Burgundy, France. The movement was founded in the early 1940s by Brother Roger Schütz, a Swiss Protestant who sought to create a place of reconciliation and peace in the aftermath of World War II. The distinctive musical style associated with Taizé worship is made up of simple, repetitive chants and songs. These chants, often based in scripture, are characterized by their meditative and contemplative nature, making them accessible to people of various Christian denominations and backgrounds. Over the years, Taizé worship music has spread around the world, fostering a sense of community and spirituality among participants, and continuing Brother Roger's vision of encouraging peace and harmony through music and prayer. Since its introduction to Westminster Woods, Inspire has drawn heavily from the taize style, and its popularity amongst our community speaks to it as a unifying practice.