Kennings - for fun, for reflection, for getting to know ourselves and God more deeply

So here are some of our Kennings from this morning's session here at the British Army's Church House in Lübbecke where the CAECG were having one of their twice yearly Council meetings.
The idea for writing kennings came from Janet Lees and you can read a rather more focused method than the one I used today on the Vision4Life website here.
Today had a much broader brief to try and write kennings particularly about God and Jesus but also to write kennings about any other biblical story that came to mind. i did this just as a way to free up people's minds and open them up to the idea, so folk didn't get too hung up about not being able to think of a kenning about God.
On the morning I arrived I also sat down and wrote around 50 kennings on small cards, most about God and Jesus but there are also some characters from the Hebrew scriptures you may recognise (not all of them have found their way back to me so there's just some here). My kennings are at the end in italics and we used those twice, reading them aloud around the group in two sessions before we dared to write our own and read them out to everyone. This was a really fun session and I was so happy it worked well for people.
Later talking with a former colleague and fellow linguist we realised that this process actually turns the original reason for kennings being used on its head. In old Norse poetry kennings evolved as a way of trying to show respect for a person or thing, describing it differently to get appropriate distance, to make something more noble, less attainable. However, what this method tries to do is use the writing of kennings to gain new insights and intimacy - intimacy with God and Jesus, insights into the stories and understanding of what is going on within us at our time of remembering - how we are interpreting the story. The etymological root of kenning is from the verb to know, so these easy little phrases are about new ways of knowing as well.
A very powerful simple little tool and such fun too - great for tweeting!

God wrestler
Blessing stealer
name changer
soul lover
whole maker
shame atoner
hope holder
pallet lowerer
Bible preacher
lone giver
peace bringer
soul healer
sleep giver
silence holder
truth teller
people lover
path leader
live giver
wounds healer
mosaic maker
wave wader
hand holder
tension holder
relationship healer
life delighter
city destroyer
sin forgiver
sick lover
gospel proclaimer
demon conqueror
faith shower
sin taker
heart warmer
darkness teaser
parable puzzler
hem toucher
world maker
love giver
sin forgiver
world lover
promise maker
son sender
dead raiser
life giver
manna dropper
humble raiser
pride pricker
Dawkins lover
marmite sender
crowd feeder
praise provoker
eternal forgiver
faithful helper
patient listener
constant lover
eye opener
Unity maker
Rule breaker
Free setter
Freedom giver
One maker
Blessing bestower
all things new maker
constant encourager
open-armed includer
ever-present challenger
Incarnated new-life giver
Road accompanier,
sun lighter
idea giver
heart opener
joy giver
neighbour lover
purse opener
warmth giver
light giver
support giver
Demon driver
word sender
God bearer
Crowd feeder
dream interpreter
wine multiplier
life giver
peace bringer
faith giver
grace giver
peace giver
sorrow taker
worship receiver
dream giver
darkness bearer
soul befriender
comfort giver
hate disperser
life changer
wisdom teacher
balloon burster
Angry preacher
sad weeper
meaning reaper
feisty teacher
soldier saver
beloved brother
peace maker
picture painter
dream treasurer
life adviser
water vinifier

thirst quencher
storm calmer
stone dropper
bread breaker
God lover
sheep finder
flock waterer
darkness divider
seed setter
law giver
animal pairer
dove releaser
breath breather
story teller
footware remover
plate filler
fish mulplier
death defier
water walker
fish barbecuer
child lover
way giver
love maker
cup giver
man lover
foot washer
Zaccheus befriender
manna finder
temple cleanser
woman lover
whip wielder
family leaver
parent deserter
temple preacher
olive-branch receiver
blood stopper
hem toucher
lamp lighter
apple eater?
earth former
water seeker
wood worker
cross bearer
fruit stealer
brother killer
serpent talker
kingly philanderer
tear crier
oil provider
tomb quitter
tomb opener
sea parter
whale whiler
desperate sufferer
ark builder
wave strider
jonathan lover
beatitude talker
bush burner
wind calmer
desert wanderer
satan rejecter
cave shelterer
tambourine dancer