Moving into the neighbourhood: embodiment, sacrament and ritual in urban mission

This article aims to explore the significance of embodiment, sacrament and ritual in urban pioneer ministry. Stemming from early experiences working within this context and from a particular experience of using installation art to help engage those outside the Church with its rituals and stories, I argue for the importance of the embodied experience within a particular place as a means of engagement. The literature surveyed makes the case for a broad understanding of the sacramental in which all material things have sacramental potential. The differing influences of theology and social anthropology upon the literature offer distinct perspectives on the drawing of boundaries in relation to sacrament and ritual, and on how meaning is made from experience in the light of prior knowledge and understanding of the Christian tradition.