Our Lenten Focus

I can't say that we "decorated the sanctuary" for Lent. Somehow that seems a bit odd.  I prefer to say that we have set the scene, created a focus for Lenten Reflection.  Decorating seems somehow "festive" though in days gone by, Memorial Day was called, "Decoration Day" and flowers were put on the graves to decorate them.    But I digress.  I had been collecting items for our Lenten display for about a month. Foraging through clearance tables at craft stores and discount bargain stores.  I have a tendency to buy things after the holiday has passed and then put them away. For example.  Black for Lent can easily be found after Halloween.  Each week when Michaels' put their 40 to 50 percent off one item coupon on line, I was there at the store, buying something for my display. Vases, vines, etc.  The sheets that made the mountain itself were a clearance item at the local department store.  Keep your eyes open, and you mind creative.

The mountain itself was two chairs turned upside down with a small table between the two chairs.  I put a large body pillow on top of the table to soften the corner and covered the whole thing with a blanket again to soften the sharp corners of the chairs.  The mountain itself was a set of king size sheets.  That was the beginning of the mountain.

I added in vases made of crockery or made to look like crockery along with small stones, bare branches and broken pieces of pottery.  Each item in the display had meaning it wasn't created just to be pretty:
The mountain itself - the mount of Olives, the mountain we need to climb to reach God
The vases are the vessels that at this point are empty waiting to be filled by Christ's sacrifice
The stones are our sins, spilling out of the vessels, as we pour ourselves out and allow Christ's love to fill us.
The greenery are the hope of things to come
The vine - well that is the vine and the branches
The bare branches reaching toward the sky are us, reaching up to God. stripped bare.
There are some wooden containers in the display which reminded me of wells; the woman at the well, our thirst for God.

I included a bulletin insert with the explanation; you could write whatever you felt was appropriate.
The display will change during Lent.  In a couple of weeks I am going to add a "road" leading across the stage and upto the cross.  Then I will invite people to bring crosses which we will lay along the road.  Our own crosses we bear.
On April Communion Sunday I have several communion cups that I am going to lay along the road along with different types of bread.  it should be an interesting service.
Holy Thursday I will take something away. I have a rooster (!) and a spear and soldiers helmet to add to the display (ebay) 
Then Easter Morning I will have a string of lights behind the display indicating sunrise and we can place our Easter lilies along our road.
Ascension Sunday I have the large Pulpit chair to place in front of everything indicating jesus is on his throne
and then to Pentecost.  Still thinking about that week.
This display stays up for almost ten weeks.

The banners on either side of the display come from www.livinggracecatalog.com and are $20 a piece. The stands to put them on are about $9 each.  I love that I don't have to hang them. I can move them around to where I want them.

GONNA BUILD A MOUNTAIN

Since my last post near four years have passed.  I was kind of stuck as to what this blog was for and what my perspective was.  During a couple of meetings this past week, I got to talking about how I plan worship and how I prepare our sanctuary for worship. it was suggested that I share some of these ideas and take photos of what I do.

What I do is for small churches on a limited budget. I have to be creative and innovative.  I set up the sanctuary not for the sake of just making it look "cool" or having people wonder what new thing I have done this week.  I try to make a point with what I am doing.

My next project is the mountain that I am building.  Well more like a small hill to go below the cross. (see photo below)

 I will share the process in doing so as I go along. Right now I am collecting all kinds of things.

Crockery, cracked or otherwise. things like vases, and big bowls
Bare branches (I bought some at Michaels  16.99 and with my 1/2 off coupon on 8.50)
A foam  pad for a double bed 
queen size bedsheets in kahki colors  (check to job lot stores and discount bins)
three or four folding chairs - I think the church has them
some medium size stones (think about the size of my fist or a bit larger)
And I will add other stuff I am sure as time goes on.

 

My Sanctuary

 

The mountain is going up on the stage below the cross and will stay there through Easter. The sanctuary chairs are back in rows right now, but will move for Palm Sunday and Holy Thursday.  I will keep you updated on my progess and posts photos of the installation.

 

there are several other things I do for the season

 

In the back of the church I will have an easel and on the easel will be a map of Jerusalem area with all the spots of importance for Holy week marked on it. (The laminated poster was about $8-9) I mount it on a piece of foam board.  It surprises me how many folks stop and study it.

There will be two other areas I will set for the season
1. The communion table
2  the table in our Narthex

As I do them I will post photos. 

I know this is a bare bones start but I will keep writing about worship in the small church and the different things that I do. Maybe there is something here that resonates with you or something you can "riff" on and use for your worship.  by "riff" I mean you see some small thing in what I do that leads you creatively to new and exciting places.  I also have a pineterest board called "worship ideas" that you may find handy.

Bibliography of Books on Worship in the Small Church.

These are books that I have used over the years in my worship planning  in small church ministry. 

Bibliography

Baker, Johnny and Doug Gay,  Alternative Worship: Resources from and for the Emerging Church. Baker Books, 2003.

Bausch, Michael G.  Silver Screen: Sacred Story. Using Multimedia in Worship. The Alban Institute 2002

Berglund, Brad.  Reinventing Sunday: Breakthrough Ideas for Transforming Worship. Judson Press: 2001

Berglund, Brad. Reinventing Worship: Prayers, Readings and Special Services. Judson Press: 2006

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together. Harper San Francisco: 1954.

Bradshaw, Paul, Early Christian Worship: A basic Introduction to Ideas and Practice. Liturgial Press, 1996

Bush, Peter and Christine O’Reilly. Where 20 or 30 are Gathered. Leading Worship in the Small Church. The Alban Institute: 2006

Byars, Ronald P. Christian Worship: Glorifying and Enjoying God. Geneva Press: 2000

Duck, Ruth. Worship for the Whole People of God. Vital Worship for the 21st Century. Westminster John Knox Press: 2013.

Epperly, Bruce and Daryl Hollinger. From a Mustard Seed: Enlivening Worship and Music in the Small Church. Rowman and Littlefield. 2010

Kinball, Dan. Emerging Worship: Creative Worship Gatherings for New Generations: Zondervan2004

Malefyt, Norma and Howard Vanderwell, Designing Worship Together: Model and Strategies for Worship Planning.  The Alban Institute: 2005

Mazar, Peter.  To Crown the Year: Decorating the Church through the seasons. Liturgical Training Publications, 2007.

Miller, Kim.  Redesigning Worship: Creating Powerful God Experiences. Abingdon Press: 2009

Piatt, Christian and Amy Piatt.  My Space to Sacred Space: God for a New Generation: Chalice Press: 2007

Prewitt,  Ellen Morris:  Making Crosses; A Creative Connection to God. Paraclete Press: 2009

Ray, David.  Wonderful Worship in Smaller Churches. Pilgrim Press: 2000

Rognlien, Bob.  Experiential Worship. Navpress. 2005

Schultze, Quentin J. High-Tech Worship? Using Presentational Technologies Wisely. Baker Books: 2004.

Tirabassi, Maren C and Maria L. Editors:  Before the Amen: Creative Resources for Worship. Pilgrim Press: 2007.

Wallace, Robin Knowles.  Worshiping in the Small Membership Church. Abingdon Press: 2008

Whittemore, Carroll E.,  Symbols of the Church. Abingdon Press. 1987.