January: Our first gathering

A small group of us met, all a bit nervous about who would come and what we would be undertaking. I started by sharing my vision that this would be a group of people where we could:

•Find our voice
•Support and take an interest in each other's work
•Pray for and speak prophetically to each other
•Try something new
•Expect to change lives through the words we write and others read
•Grow in gifting and anointing
•Consider our audience and the different opportunities publish and share writing
•Welcome others to the group

We had a prompt sheet to find out where and what and how we write and to explore possible types and genres of writing we are interested in pursuing. We talked through what we had each recorded and as we reflected this gave a sense of some of the longer term projects that individuals could begin.

Next we played a word game intended to oil our vocabulary, and get our brains to work and with much hilarity began to see the unique take that we have on word associations.

Finally we were given two tasks to carry us through the next month. One was to make a start on our personal project and the other was to write a short cameo description of a stranger who we sit an observe in a public place for five minutes, so if you feel the gaze of observant eyes when you are packing your shopping or queing up to buy a stamp, be warned-you may be the subject of a piece of prose.

We closed our two hours together by writing and then reading a prayer for a member of the group, and in that short time together we already felt that we had connected and mutually encouraged each other to stretch and grow and expand our horizons.

This group is already growing as word gets out so if you think it may be for you then come along and give it a go. See you soon. Jacqui