Altarscapes

A traditional Gothic church can be very intimidating and a little cold.  Vast, vaulted ceilings, all that stone, stained glass windows and polished wood everywhere.  Small items on the altar are often lost and the visual needs of church goers is limited. 

 

For a service to promote the upcoming art mission program, Wesley UMC, set up art pieces by local church members and friends.  The altar showed cans of paint with shining colorful cloth pouring "paint" across the wood and onto the floor.  A paint sheet of canvas sat on a tabletop easel amid jars of paint brushes.  The question of the sermon that day was : "What Are You Painting?"

 

The highly visual elements were joined by a communal painting created at its close by members of the congregation attending that day.  Strips of paper with verses and inspiring quotes were glued to the painting to create the rays of the sun. It was set in the Transept Chapel to enhance prayer and meditation for those stopping in that area.

Wesley UMC (OKC) - 2015, Congregational Painting Created 1/18/2015
Transept Chapel

 

"Paint and Pray" Pilot Project Launched

In 2014, Wesley made application for funding from the "New People, New Places" initiative from the Oklahoma Conference.  So enthused by the possibilities their plan to offer a "Paint and Pray" offered, they organized a "pilot project" that began the first of February.  It is totally without funding, and no word of the status of the grant, but that did not stop people at Wesley!  Donations, fund-raising and other helps created the first classes.  Each session has an art lesson on a specific skill: backgrounds, landscapes, trees, light, color blending, etc. The goal is to create a series of smaller works and then later in the ending sessions (late March) produce a final project and show it in a display event at the church.  Each session also has a devotional time with Bible reading, prayer for the needs of people in the group, and introduction to this thing called faith.  The full program is set to launch in June and will be opened to the community and will seek to be an open doorway between those who are not currently in a church, are searching, or have questions.  Using art as the primary means of communications both instructors and students will take a journey of faith exploration  and see how that impacts their art.

Wesley UMC (OKC) - Attendees enjoy a painting lessons from visiting instructor (2015)

Building an Attitude of Gratitude

For the new year, Wesley UMC in Oklahoma City created a "Thank You Jar" for people to write down things they were thankful for: new job, health, being loved, having friends, etc.  Small slips of paper are available, fittingly enough, in a historic small wooden offering plate for people to use. It will remain up through Easter as an intentional effort to turn minds to the spiritual aspects of life. To help people rediscover the power of the attitude in accomplishing things, in being truly happy, and getting along with others. 

Wesley UMC/OKC - Transept Chapel


 

Movement in Worship

One of the most ancient of human expressions in worship - and one found throughout scripture - is that of human movement, i.e. dance.

Prohibitions against dance are largely a produce of the Victorian era of western civilization and the Wesleyan and Holiness movements of the 19th and 20th centuries.

The Bible tells people to pick their instruments and get on their feet and dance! The exodus from Egypt was accompanied by spontaneous songs, dancing and music as they celebrated their freedom and God's grace.

So often, the modern church has sat rigidly restrained fulfilling an artificial idea of "respect", of "dignified behavior", or  even what "holiness" even meant.

People - if they are passionate about what they are doing - show it! Go to any sporting event or musical concert and see how people respond.  They move, they sing along, they shout agreements or support and they show through facial and body actions they are involved with the event on a deep and personal level.  Now, go to most churches....

The sound of crickets as we fail to engage the passion of the people for worship, for what God is doing in their lives and around them in others.  We maintain our dignity.....we maintain our artificial understanding of what it means to respect the House of God or to live a Christian life.


One of the easiest ways to add movement into a worship service is through ribbons or small banners that are suitable to making sweeping and dramatic movements.  it is unfortunate that most images of dance or movement show women; as  if such a thing were solely something that should be done or of interest to women.  Add movement with any age group, any gender and with any type of music.

Add it to the procession, as an accompanying piece to movements within the worship or as a special featured element.

The rules of successful use of movement are simple: Be willing, Be practiced, and Be excited.

Worship - The Visual Aspect

As a new coming on board worship chair in 2015, I wanted some inspiration for adding more visual and movement elements to worship at my church.  I created a board on Pinterest to provide some ideas and inspiration. It is a large Gothic styled sanctuary and calls for more dramatic - and larger - displays so they are not lost in the vast height of the space.

 

On the journey to find inspiration I discovered how many congregations call this element adding additional visual symbols "stagecraft".  In more liturgical or classical churches this is "worship" based, at the "altar" or the "pulpit" but more contemporary groups 'stage' the front in the manner of theater or a late night television program.

 

For those individuals, there is less emphasis on corporate worship and more on personal "experience."  A different view and there are good things to be said about each and some negatives as well. 

 

The basic purpose of worship, the task of connecting with unchurched people in a modern culture, and a human tendency to improve, impress, and inspire are often in conflict as groups and people come from different vantage points.

 

How respectful is a "stage"?   How intimidating is an "altar"?  Why do our symbols say and how are they really understood?  For churches who cannot have a clean stage on which they may craft visuals to enhance the thematic sermons or liturgical seasons, special innovation and creativity may be required.

 

 

Image of a church using cloth as an element of design

Large elements are often needed for large and tall spaces to bring added visual impact

Avoid the temptation to think of only using a single table or a single area of space

Some random Images

New Prayer Chapel Created

Wesley United Methodist Church of Oklahoma City has begun transforming a little used transept into a new prayer center as The Transept Chapel.  Here will be smaller pews, kneeling benches, and space for small weddings, private prayer, small group or come and go communion, and instruction.

 

Handouts giving guidance on prayers, on praying at home and on the self-examination questions of the historic Wesleyan small groups are found as well.