Would you like to spend some time in peaceful quiet, surrounded by glowing candles and soft music, where the only voice you hear is the voice of God within? This restful and meditative form of worship, called Taize, can be found at two of the churches in our BP Network.

The Taize service of song, prayer, meditation, silence and rest originated in Taize, France. When First Baptist Church Gainesville offered their first Taize service in November, their members responded so positively that they have incorporated a monthly Taize service into their schedule through May.

"We had a contemplative prayer group that met during the season of Lent last year," explained Elizabeth Burnett, Associate Pastor of Discipleship at FBC Gainesville. "The group had a real desire to continue something similar beyond Lent, so we visited a Taize service at an Episcopal church in Atlanta. They loved the simplicity of the service, and wanted to bring it back to our church."

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"Before our first Taize service, we made it very clear that this form of worship may not be for everyone," said Burnett. "This is not our typical First Baptist worship service. But, the group that attended the first service in November just had one question - ‘When can we do this again?'"

Highland Hills Baptist Church in Macon is also adding a monthly Taize service to their worship experiences. On the third Tuesday of each month, the Highland Hills family and community will gather in their chapel for this quiet and contemplative form of worship. During these moments of silence, participants will have the opportunity to come to the quiet, rest awhile with God, and give attention to the voice of God within.

If you would like to hear more about the Taize worship experience, you can contact Elizabeth Burnett at FBC Gainesville or Jim Dant at Highland Hills Baptist Church in Macon.