Encountering God at the wonderful Werribee Mansion
- deansimpson7
- 15 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Each month on Salvos Online, Rosy, the Territorial Secretary for Spiritual Life Development, shares her thoughts and reflections on the spiritual issues that shape our lives as Christians, exploring how our faith intersects with our everyday experiences and how we can deepen our relationship with God. Today, she reflects on the third instalment of the prayer walk series called God Encounters.
I want to share about the most recent instalment of our prayer walk experiences called God Encounters.
This one was called God’s Savannah and was held at Werribee Mansion in Victoria.
This was the third in the series, with each encounter intentionally held in a different natural setting. At the end of this article, we have included a simple guide and free photos, in the hope that you might feel encouraged to lead a God Encounters prayer walk, or something similar, in your own context.
Major Steve Haworth and I host all of the prayer walks in Victoria. Together, we bring spiritual reflection and photography into a shared space of encounter. Steve’s photography and the photo gift offered to each participant provide a focal point for listening to and encountering God.
Steve visits each site in advance and photographs the location. These images are then printed and prepared for use on the day. My role sits within Spiritual Life, and I love crafting words and creating spaces where people can encounter God in a place of safety and equal footing with one another.
When people gather, the experience begins with a shared time of devotion and prayer. Each participant is randomly given a photograph, and we spend time reflecting together, listening, and discerning what God might be saying through the image.
We also use the Year of Prayer card series from Spiritual Life Development, inviting people to consider whether and how the scripture speaks to their image. As my husband Scott, who attended, put it: if the words are not in your brain yet, that is an invitation. An open seat awaits in the next part of the reflection.
This time is gentle, spacious and deeply communal.
Following this, participants are given free time to walk through the environment with a devotional booklet that helps focus attention on listening and tuning in to what God might be saying. The day concludes with another time for sharing, during which people are invited to speak about what God has stirred in them. Participants are also invited to choose one of the photographs to take home. This final sharing time is often intimate and powerful.
A different group every time
One of the unique aspects of God Encounters is that each gathering brings together an entirely different mix of people. The first encounter was held in the Redwoods Forest in Warburton and was called God’s Cathedral (read that story here).
The second took place at the Dandenong Ranges Botanic Gardens and was called God’s Garden.
One of my favourite moments from God’s Savannah was hearing from one of our youngest participants. She shared an insight about a water tower intended to store water but eroded by the very thing it was designed to contain. This was the photograph she had been given at the start of the day. It was incredibly moving and led me to reflect on what parts of my own life or spiritual life were meant to hold living water but may have been eroded by time or neglect.
Across the group, people shared openly and thrived in the space intentionally set aside for them. Many were in ministry or active community roles, and several reflected on how difficult it can be to find time to stop, soak in the Word of God, and simply be with other Christians in a new environment. Yet that space is so vital.
I had never visited Werribee Mansion before and was struck by how free and open it is to wander through and enjoy. As much as I would love to be outdoors more often, it is often only at these prayer walks that I actually do. God is gracious. In those moments, I am able to marvel at what God is doing through our people and through the world around us.
How to host a God Encounter in your own context
Steve and I hope that anyone reading this would feel empowered to lead something similar in their own area. This does not need to be complicated or highly produced. At its heart, a God Encounter is simply about creating space to listen to God together.
Here is the basic shape of how we host these prayer walks:
· Choose a natural location that is accessible and safe. This could be a garden, coastal walk, bushland, or local park. Free and familiar spaces work beautifully.
· If possible, visit the site in advance and take photographs that capture details, textures, and moments. These do not need to be professional, only reflective. (We have provided a link below to all Steve’s photos from the God’s Savannah walk for you to freely use).
· Begin with a short time of welcome and prayer.
· Randomly give each person a photograph and invite them to sit quietly with it. Encourage simple questions such as, “God, what are you drawing my attention to?” or “What might you be saying through this image?” You may also use the A Year of Prayer cards or a short scripture to anchor this time. Invite sharing if people are comfortable.
· Offer space for people to walk freely in the environment with a short devotional or reflection guide. The aim is not to fill the time but to slow it down.
· Gather everyone back together and invite sharing without pressure. Allow participants to choose a second photograph to take home as a tangible reminder, and invite them to share what stood out.
Steven has a folder with every photograph from the Werribee Mansion visit, which you are welcome to use as prompts for your own prayer walk (or email Steve directly if the link doesn’t work for you).
Here is the Canva design we used for the devotional booklet, which you are free to edit for your context any way you like.
What’s next
If you are in Victoria, our next God Encounter will be God’s Waterway, with details to be confirmed and a potential date of 28 March. Keep an eye on the Victorian divisional calendar. I will also create a Facebook page to share information, and a PowerPoint has already been sent via the divisional newsletter to support invitations.
As I move to Sydney later this year, expect some God Encounters in NSW/ACT.
I would wholeheartedly recommend this space as a time of reconnection and growth.
The prayer and devotion are gentle and accessible, and people often find themselves sharing more deeply than they expected.
If you have a camera or smartphone, you can also take photos in your own environment and have a similar experience.
Steven and I are more than happy to help. Please feel free to email us at:
