April’s Garden Gathering, with the theme of Rose Resurrection and the topic From the Tomb of Shame to the Touch of Love, invites you into the mystery of renewal—how we can rise from the shadows of shame into the embrace of love. As we come together, we will reflect on the journey of Mary Magdalene, who was freed from seven demons and transformed by Christ’s love. Through deep dialogue, journey journaling, heartfelt hugs, and worthy worship, we will explore how shame entombs us and how love resurrects us. This gathering is about stepping out of the tomb and into the light, releasing the burdens we were never meant to carry, and encountering the love that sets us free.
About:
Location: Christian Michelsens Gate 47, H0301, 0568 OSLO
Date: Wednesday, 2nd of April 2025
Time: 18:00-21:00
Spring Theme: Rose Resurrection
“Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ She turned and said to him in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher)." — John 20:15-16
April Topic: From the Tomb of Shame to the Touch of Love
Rising from the weight of shame into the healing embrace of Christ’s love.
The Garden Gatherings are part of The Garden membership that gives access to gatherings, guides, community, coaching, and chat. We have new themes every quarterly season. You are invited to bloom beyond yourself into a personal and collective communion with the sacred (God) through contemplation, connection, and contribution. Together, we turn our stories from graves into gardens.
Read all about The Garden: bloombeyond.com/garden
Contributors:
Martine Sorthe (27) is the founder of Bloom Beyond (bloombeyond.com) and facilitates The Garden Gatherings. She is a creator by heart — a NOW BLOOM certified Christian Life Coach and a Clinical Psychology Student at the University of Oslo with interest in the overlap between psychology, theology, and art.
Join:
Join The Garden for monthly membership: bloombeyond.com/garden
Max 20 spots for this gathering.
RSVP your spot in The Garden Chat (join The Garden to get access).
Overview:
18:00-18:30 — Greeting and Intro
Focus: Holding Hands, Connection
Activities: Martine Madeleine will welcome everyone to the Rose Resurrection Garden Gathering, introducing the theme and the evening’s topic, From the Tomb of Shame to the Touch of Love. Participants will begin by sharing their names and offering a word or phrase that reflects their understanding of love and its role in healing from shame. We’ll explore how Christ’s resurrection from death and Mary Magdalene’s transformative encounter with Jesus can serve as powerful metaphors for our own journey of healing, freedom, and love. Together, we’ll create a foundation for our practices—Deep Dialogue, Journey Journaling, Heartfelt Hugs, and Worthy Worship—designed to encourage a loving connection with God, ourselves, and one another.
Purpose: This time is intended to unbind us from shame, open our hearts to the transformative power of love, prepare us to receive the love that heals, and guide us into deeper connection with ourselves, each other, and the Spirit.
Contributor: Martine Madeleine Sorthe
18:30-19:00 — Unbinding the Grave Clothes
Focus: Deep Dialogue, Connection
Activities: Participants will gather in pairs or small groups to engage in a guided conversation exploring the weight of shame and the freedom of love. Drawing from the story of Mary Magdalene’s deliverance from seven demons, they will reflect on the ways shame binds us—like grave clothes keeping us from fully living. Through intentional dialogue, they will be invited to share (as they feel led) about moments in their own lives where shame has held them back and how love, grace, or community has helped loosen its grip. A set of reflective prompts will be provided, such as:
What “grave clothes” of shame have you carried?
How has love—God’s love, self-love, or the love of others—helped you begin to unbind them?
Where do you sense God calling you into greater freedom?
As a symbolic gesture, each participant will receive a small linen cloth, representing the grave clothes Jesus told the disciples to remove from Lazarus. At the end of the dialogue, they will be invited to either keep the cloth as a reminder of their healing journey or leave it behind as a sign of release.
Purpose: To create a sacred space where participants can bring their experiences of shame into the light of love, offering and receiving compassion as they journey toward resurrection life.
Contributor: Martine Madeleine Sorthe
19:30-20:00 — Stepping Out of the Shadows
Focus: Journey Journaling, Contemplation
Activities: Participants will find a quiet space in their heart to engage in reflective journaling. Guided by prompts, they will explore the ways shame has shaped their lives—where it has silenced, hidden, or held them back. They will be invited to write about the “tombs” they have remained in, the false identities shame has given them, and the moments they have longed for resurrection. After this deep reflection, they will shift their focus to love—writing about the ways they have experienced redemption, grace, and restoration. A final prompt will invite them to listen for the voice of Christ, much like Mary Magdalene in the garden, hearing Him call them into newness of life. Those who feel led may share a word or phrase from their writing in a brief group reflection.
Purpose: To guide participants in bringing hidden shame into the light, reflecting on Christ’s redemptive love, and stepping toward a renewed sense of worth and belonging.
Contributor: Maria Luisa Hugues
20:00-20:30 — The Embrace of Love
Focus: Heartfelt Hugs, Connection
Activities: In this activity, participants will be invited to engage in the simple yet profound practice of heartfelt hugs. They will be guided to offer a hug to a partner, embracing the opportunity to share warmth, support, and love. As they hold each other, they will be encouraged to reflect on the grace that has transformed their lives and brought them from places of shame into the freedom of God’s love. Participants will be invited to pray silently as they embrace, asking for healing, renewal, and the deep touch of God’s love for themselves and their partner. After the embrace, there will be a chance to reflect together in pairs or as a group, sharing any insights or feelings that arose during the practice.
Purpose: To foster a physical and emotional connection between participants through the act of hugging, symbolizing the healing embrace of grace that draws us closer to God and one another in love and acceptance.
Contributor: Berit Indset
20:30-21:00 — Anointing With Adoration
Focus: Worthy Worship, Contribution
Activities: In this sacred practice, participants will be invited to engage in anointing one another with a simple, symbolic gesture of adoration. Using anointing oil or water, participants will gently apply the oil to the hands or forehead of another, saying a prayer or offering a blessing of worth and dignity. The anointing will be a symbol of God’s loving touch, His forgiveness, and the restoration of our true identity as beloved children of God. As each person receives the anointing, they will be encouraged to reflect on the deep love of Christ that has the power to heal and transform the deepest wounds of shame. In this intimate act, participants will honor each other’s inherent worth, offering worship through acts of kindness, reverence, and shared prayer.
Purpose: To cultivate a space of sacred worship, allowing participants to honor each other with love, affirm their worth, and respond to God’s love with adoration. The anointing serves as a powerful reminder of the healing, redemptive power of Christ’s touch in our lives.
Contributor: Emma P. Pedersen
20:30-21:00 — Outro and Farewell
Time: 20:30-21:00
Focus: Holding Hands, Connection
Activities: As we close our time together, we will gather in a circle of holding hands, symbolizing our shared journey and the love that binds us. In this space of unity, we will take a deep breath together, allowing the presence of God to settle within us. Participants will be invited to speak a single word or short phrase that captures what they are carrying forward—whether it is freedom, love, release, renewal, or simply “Jesus.” We will then enter a moment of stillness, attuning our hearts to the Spirit’s quiet whisper. Martine will offer a closing prayer, entrusting each person into God’s care, blessing them to walk forward in the light of resurrection. As we release hands, we do so knowing that love continues to hold us, even as we part ways.
Purpose: To close in a spirit of deep connection and blessing, sending each participant forth with a tangible sense of belonging, renewal, and the unwavering embrace of God’s love.
Contributor: Martine Madeleine Sorthe