Place of Worship

1. 1 Place of Worship What do we mean by ‘place?’ In our hearts? In our lives? Planet earth? In the Universe? On a map? A particular building? A particular room? A cupboard, shelf or corner of a room?

2. 2 What do we mean by WORSHIP?The word Worship comes from the same root as the wordWorth.What is worth most to you?What things do you value most in your life?How do you show that you value them?How do you protect or care for them?

3. 3 The physical world is something we accept without any question.You can touch and see the physical world. But is that all there is? • We all have a physical body. • When you look in the mirror in the morning you may say, ‘Oh I look so great!’ • But what you are looking at is not really you. • It’s only the reflection of the outer surface of your body. • Many people say who we really are is Spirit or Soul. • What do you think?

4. The Spiritual Life Many people sense that there is more to life than meets the eye.Behind, beyond or within the physical world there is Something Else. This is a bit like ‘The Force’ of Star Wars films – or the sense of Holinessin religion. The Spiritual Life is not something visible, you can’t touch it, but you can sense it and ‘feel’ it in a subtle inner way. People use words like Peace, Light, Joy, Love, Beauty and Oneness to talk about spirituality. 4

5. Think of your own experiences of Peace, Light, Joy, Love, Beauty and Oneness • Where would you go if you wanted to feel very peaceful? • Light can be used as a symbol for clear vision and understanding. What would help you to find that kind of ‘inner’ Light? • What is ordinary happiness and how is it different from a feeling of spiritual joy that springs from deep inside your heart? • What is the difference between Love and Oneness? 6

6. Nature’s Beautyand the senses of Wonder and Awe • When you look at a sunset or sunrise you often identify with the vastness and beauty. That can give a sense ofWonder.Your mind is silent and you just ‘fly on the wings of your soul.’ • If you get caught in a bad storm or see photographs of an earthquake or hurricane you can feel small and insignificant. The forces of nature are so terrifying. Your heart is shaken and you may find words of prayer form spontaneously in your mind, ‘Dear God, Help me!. This is an experience of Awe. • When have you felt these emotions?

7. Religion and Worship • Religion is the sense of connection we all have with everything else that exists. • Religion is a subject like Life, Truth and Reality – that includes everyone. • Secular people don’t think about religion very often but they do deal with life, truth and reality all the time. • People who are aspiringand consciously trying to know the Truth, may belong to and practise a Religion, and as part of their religion they practise worship. This helps them to have a sense of connection with God and develop a growing personal relationship with God. • Many religious people say that worship is the most important thing in their lives. 7

8. Religious Places of Worship • When people live close to nature they may go to a special mountain-top or bathe in a special river to worship or feel close to God. • But over the millennia people who practise a religion have found it important to meet together for worship in a special place close to where they live. This is usually a building. • Why a building? • What do you already know about Religious Buildings and Places of Worship? 8

9. Homework Turn what you have learned and thought about in today’s lesson into a mind-map. Don’t forget to use pictures and symbols as well as words. You can also write along the lines that connect things to explain why they are linked together. 9

10. Now research Places of WorshipHow many different religions can you discover?What similarities are there in their places of worship?What differences are there?Can you find different designs of places of worship within one religion?There are over 20,000 different denominations in Christianity!