St Margaret's Church - Taizé Meetings

Taizé Meetings

by Anita Topp

The Lady Chapel, St Margaret's Church, Huttons Ambo

Taizé meetings are held in St Margaret's Church in the Lady Chapel and last for 30 to 40 minutes, allowing time for quiet meditation and reflection and to sing chants – all are welcome, particularly if you just wish to come and listen.

The next Taizé meetings are on Tuesday, 27^th November at 7.30 p.m. and Tuesday, 18^th December at 7.30 p.m.

What is Taizé ?

In August 1940 Brother Roger, a Swiss Protestant, settled alone in Taizé, a small hamlet in Burgundy, France.  It was wartime and he wanted above all to help people going through difficulties.  He began by offering hospitality to refugees, especially Jews.  He intended eventually to create a community that would be a “parable of communion”.  After two years, his first brothers joined him.  Today the community numbers more than one hundred brothers, Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, from twenty-five different countries.  Small groups of brothers also live among the poor in Asia, Africa and Latin America.  Since the end of the 1950’s tens of thousands of young people from every continent, and adults too, come to Taizé, usually to stay for a week, living simply and gathering with the brothers three times a day for Common Prayer in the huge Church of Reconciliation.

Singing is one of the essential elements of worship.  When people come together to pray, meditative singing can help everyone to participate and to stay together in waiting on God.  Using just a few words, they express a fundamental reality than can quickly be grasped by the mind.  As the words are sung over many times, this reality can gradually sink into one’s whole being.

You can read more about Taizé  on the Taizé Community Website.

Anita Topp