Trying Something New
The idea of trying something new is at best a little scary in a church setting. Churches are built on traditions and stories of Jesus who is 2000 years old. There are a lot of traditions to deal with when attending a church.
At Word of Peace we are Lutheran, and that means we have traditions. We are in the midwest, so that means lots of Scandinavians. And that also means resistance to change and new things. But I am a person that likes to try new things. I love to eat at the latest restaurant as well as frequent favorites. I like to listen to new music and decide AFTER I hear it whether or not I like it. I like to create, and in worship, I like to experience God in a way that will pull me slightly out of my comfort zone and challenge me to think about faith in new and different ways.
I do understand that not everyone is like that. My worry is that people are so resistant to change in our churches they are even afraid to attempt something new or different. I think they are afraid. Afraid, they might just like it.
Our Lenten Chalkboard has been a new thing for us this Lenten season. We built it specifically for our Lenten worship services and there were a large number of people that looked at me with a "you want to do what?" expression that was rather priceless.
I assured them that we were not going to force people to come up but rather invite and encourage if they feel comfortable. The results have been surprising!
To be honest I was worried during the first Lenten Worship service how the board would be received. Would only the confirmation kids in the congregation come up? Would people write appropriate responses on the board? What if no one understood what to do?
We are now three weeks into Lent and the people who originally were worried about the board are some of the first to come up and write on it. Confirmation kids do come up in droves, but they are shoulder to hip with adults waiting for a piece of chalk.
The most surprising aspect of the chalkboard has been the phrases and words written. I spend a good portion of Wednesday night and Thursday just looking and reading how people completed the sentences started for them. The best part...people are baring their souls in an somewhat anonymous public forum about their sins and how they experience God. I am pulled into a time of prayer just looking at the board.
Never would have I thought this would be the result of trying something new. Never would I have believed that the people most concerned would be most ministered to. I could have only hoped this would be the reception. And now the door has open a small crack. A seed of trust for doing something new has been planted and we are on our way to experiencing God in new and wonderful ways together as a congregation.
Here are some key things to consider when implementing something new into a worship service.
1. How much of the service is going to be new? Will it be a complete overhaul or changing a small number of things?
My recommendation is to start with small changes. The main part of our Lenten service (the Holden Evening Prayer) is the same. We still have dramas, but go about it a different way and the chalk board is entirely new.
2. Speak to people about what they like best/least about the worship service.
The only way to know how and what to change in a worship service is by talking to people. If you have an idea of what to change and haven't asked if anyone agrees with you, then you might be the only one that thinks it's a good idea.
3. Explain in order to bring people along.
Don't just plop something new down in front of someone and say "go for it!" The immediate reaction will be fear and reservation. Give people fair warning about the new worship element. Prepare them at the beginning of the service while placing the element in the later half. Invite people to participate. Have something else happening like music, video or communion at the same time so no one feels pressured.
Change is never easy or good just for the sake of doing something different. There needs to be purpose and thought put into everything we do as a congregation. Everything should be focused on or pointing people to the cross, because without the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we are nothing but lost sheep.
Blessings on your continued Lenten journey....Easter is coming.
Dain
Monday, March 31, 2014
Monday, March 24, 2014
Lenten Chalkboard
Lent is a wonderful time of the year. One of my favorites. I love the idea of waiting for something, giving up or adding something for 40 days and taking a harder look at your faith in light of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I also love doing things a little different and giving people a chance to participate in this lenten journey together. This year I created a giant chalkboard. We are using it in our Wednesday evening Lenten worship services and then transport it to our gathering area / lobby / narthex so people Sunday can enjoy and also partake in the Lenten journey.
This is the finished product.
Each week we are using the chalkboard as a way for people to respond to the parables of Jesus and the dramas performed in Worship. Different phrases are put at the top each week and people are encouraged to come and write on the board during a song. After two weeks people are already looking forward to the next week and the chance to continue their Lenten journey together.
Building it was fairly simple and inexpensive. Here is how I did it.
What you will need:
Three (3) sheets of plywood. I used chip board because it was the least expensive. 1/2 inch thick
2x4s (12) for the supports - 10 feet long
Primer (2 cans)
Chalkboard Paint (2 cans)
Circular Saw (for cutting 2x4s)
Paint brush (4 inch worked great for me)
Wood Deck Screws
Drill
Safety Glasses
Painters Plastic
Carpenters combo square (45 degree angle)
Fan (to help it dry faster)
Sand paper / Palm sander
Tube sand bags (2)
Wet rag
Sidewalk Chalk
1. Begin by preparing the surface of the plywood. Sanding it help the wood absorb the primer and creates a flatter surface. Try to get rid of any bumps that people might run into when writing on the board. The palm sander works faster and is less straining on the arm.
2. Wipe off the sawdust with a wet rag to help the primer absorb better.
3. Put down painter's plastic so you don't ruin the floor. (the biggest work space I had was in the sanctuary. We don't have carpet but the primer and chalkboard paint don't easily come out of anything.)
4. Apply primer and let dry. The fan will help the first board be dry by the time you are done with all three.
5. Apply chalkboard paint. Let dry. Their may be streaks and texture with the brush application but it drys flat.
Once finished I would let the chalkboard paint dry for a few days. I left them over the weekend and finished the legs on Monday.
The Legs
1. Cut the support braces that connect to the back of the chalkboard to 6 foot lengths. 2 for each board.
They need to be this long because people going to press up agains the board and you want it to be sturdy enough to hold up agains the pressure.
2. Attach boards to the back of the board. Leave 1/2 inch from the side and the bottom. Drill from the chalk board side into the 2x4 so to not have any of the screw where it could hurt someone.
3. The remaining 4 foot pieces will be the feet of the support.
4. Attach the feet with 2 screws. Once again drill from the front.
5. You will also need cross braces. Cut two (2) braces for each chalkboard, one for each side to four (4) foot lengths.
6. You will need to cut a 45 degree angle at the end of the support brace. Use the combo square tool for this.
Make sure the angles are facing in the correct direction before cutting. The long end of the angle should be on the same edge of the board.
6. Attach the support to the chalkboard. Use multiple screws on each end.
Double check to see if you have a 90 degree angle from the floor so the chalkboard will stand up straight.
You are finished and have a giant chalkboard! I used two (2) tube sand bags so they wouldn't fall over on people.
The last step is to prepare the chalkboard for writing. The best way is to get sidewalk chalk and use the side to cover the whole board. This "primes" the board with chalk dust so it is easier to write.
When finished use a wet rag to wipe off the board and you are ready to go.
I will continue to post pictures of the board and what people write here. You can also check out the Word of Peace Pinterest page or Facebook page for pictures as well.
Enjoy and happy building,
Dain
This is the finished product.
Each week we are using the chalkboard as a way for people to respond to the parables of Jesus and the dramas performed in Worship. Different phrases are put at the top each week and people are encouraged to come and write on the board during a song. After two weeks people are already looking forward to the next week and the chance to continue their Lenten journey together.
Building it was fairly simple and inexpensive. Here is how I did it.
What you will need:
Three (3) sheets of plywood. I used chip board because it was the least expensive. 1/2 inch thick
2x4s (12) for the supports - 10 feet long
Primer (2 cans)
Chalkboard Paint (2 cans)
Circular Saw (for cutting 2x4s)
Paint brush (4 inch worked great for me)
Wood Deck Screws
Drill
Safety Glasses
Painters Plastic
Carpenters combo square (45 degree angle)
Fan (to help it dry faster)
Sand paper / Palm sander
Tube sand bags (2)
Wet rag
Sidewalk Chalk
1. Begin by preparing the surface of the plywood. Sanding it help the wood absorb the primer and creates a flatter surface. Try to get rid of any bumps that people might run into when writing on the board. The palm sander works faster and is less straining on the arm.
2. Wipe off the sawdust with a wet rag to help the primer absorb better.
3. Put down painter's plastic so you don't ruin the floor. (the biggest work space I had was in the sanctuary. We don't have carpet but the primer and chalkboard paint don't easily come out of anything.)
4. Apply primer and let dry. The fan will help the first board be dry by the time you are done with all three.
5. Apply chalkboard paint. Let dry. Their may be streaks and texture with the brush application but it drys flat.
Once finished I would let the chalkboard paint dry for a few days. I left them over the weekend and finished the legs on Monday.
The Legs
1. Cut the support braces that connect to the back of the chalkboard to 6 foot lengths. 2 for each board.
They need to be this long because people going to press up agains the board and you want it to be sturdy enough to hold up agains the pressure.
2. Attach boards to the back of the board. Leave 1/2 inch from the side and the bottom. Drill from the chalk board side into the 2x4 so to not have any of the screw where it could hurt someone.
3. The remaining 4 foot pieces will be the feet of the support.
4. Attach the feet with 2 screws. Once again drill from the front.
5. You will also need cross braces. Cut two (2) braces for each chalkboard, one for each side to four (4) foot lengths.
6. You will need to cut a 45 degree angle at the end of the support brace. Use the combo square tool for this.
Make sure the angles are facing in the correct direction before cutting. The long end of the angle should be on the same edge of the board.
6. Attach the support to the chalkboard. Use multiple screws on each end.
Double check to see if you have a 90 degree angle from the floor so the chalkboard will stand up straight.
You are finished and have a giant chalkboard! I used two (2) tube sand bags so they wouldn't fall over on people.
The last step is to prepare the chalkboard for writing. The best way is to get sidewalk chalk and use the side to cover the whole board. This "primes" the board with chalk dust so it is easier to write.
When finished use a wet rag to wipe off the board and you are ready to go.
I will continue to post pictures of the board and what people write here. You can also check out the Word of Peace Pinterest page or Facebook page for pictures as well.
Enjoy and happy building,
Dain
Monday, March 17, 2014
Lenten Worship Part 1
Each year Word of Peace Lutheran Church offers up lenten worship services on Wednesday nights. They include music from the Holden Evening Prayer Service as well as a drama and short reflection. The services are around 45 minutes in length and include a soup supper.
We originally had only one service until we began bringing our confirmation classes to worship. We have around 330 students in confirmation so we needed to move to two services to accommodate for people from the general congregation to attend. A wonderful problem to have.
To be perfectly honest, I have had my issues with the dramas in years past. The quality has slowly dropped over the years and they became less of a priority and more of a burden and afterthought. This was mostly because of a lack of good resources for Lenten worship and drama. We used all the good ones and didn't want to start recycling old plays because we are in a different place now as a congregation than we were 5 years ago.
So I found my big mouth opening and volunteering to be in charge of the Lenten Dramas and write them this year. I am very surprised how stressfully rewarding it has become.
Writing Lenten Dramas
I have learned a lot over the past months when trying to write our own Lenten Dramas.
1. It is not impossible. Keeping it simple is the best way to keep the scripts in the realm of possibility. It is very easy to start with big dreams and aspirations and then have them squashed. If you keep focused on your type of congregation, who the dramas are for and the type of volunteers you will have, then the script should remain very "do-able".
2. Where do you find inspiration? Last summer a youth at our church was in Godspell Jr. and performed it with a community group at a nearby high school. It stuck in my mind as something we could do as a lenten Drama. Now, the final product was NOT Godspell Jr, but the style and parables of Jesus used were similar to those used in the play. Keep your eyes and ears open for inspiration for dramas, it can come from the most unlikely of places.
3. Volunteers. I have a great relationship with many of the youth and families of the congregation here. I have worked with them for 10 years and we have built a trust and open dialogue where I feel like I can ask them to volunteer and they would say yes. Youth are also a great place for the domino effect to take place. By this I mean, if one brave person says yes, then they can ask their friend and that friend will only do it if their friend will do it and so on. In a matter of a week I had my core group. Knowing who to ask first is also key. Asking the right person and then empowering them to invite others makes your job easier.
4. Scripts, don't be afraid to try something new. This year is a large departure from years past. We have jokingly labeled this season as a "Light-hearted Lent". The scripts have depth to it, but not until the ice has been broken by involving the congregation with a little laughter or even a part in the play. I have written a part into the script where the congregation oooos, ahhhhs and & gasps during the play. It doesn't hurt to look in the Bible for your lines either. The majority of the lines said come straight from the Parables of Jesus.
The last thing that is very different this year is an experiential element within the service. We have never done anything like this on a large scale. The best part about experiential elements is it gets the congregation out of their seats and physically involved in the worship. It is different than singing or corporate confession and prayer. There is a vulnerability about it that helps people express their faith in new way.
Next week I will start talking about our Lenten Chalkboard. I was unsure about how well it would be received by the congregation...I was blown out of the water by what happened last week.
Till then, God Bless
Dain
We originally had only one service until we began bringing our confirmation classes to worship. We have around 330 students in confirmation so we needed to move to two services to accommodate for people from the general congregation to attend. A wonderful problem to have.
To be perfectly honest, I have had my issues with the dramas in years past. The quality has slowly dropped over the years and they became less of a priority and more of a burden and afterthought. This was mostly because of a lack of good resources for Lenten worship and drama. We used all the good ones and didn't want to start recycling old plays because we are in a different place now as a congregation than we were 5 years ago.
So I found my big mouth opening and volunteering to be in charge of the Lenten Dramas and write them this year. I am very surprised how stressfully rewarding it has become.
Writing Lenten Dramas
I have learned a lot over the past months when trying to write our own Lenten Dramas.
1. It is not impossible. Keeping it simple is the best way to keep the scripts in the realm of possibility. It is very easy to start with big dreams and aspirations and then have them squashed. If you keep focused on your type of congregation, who the dramas are for and the type of volunteers you will have, then the script should remain very "do-able".
2. Where do you find inspiration? Last summer a youth at our church was in Godspell Jr. and performed it with a community group at a nearby high school. It stuck in my mind as something we could do as a lenten Drama. Now, the final product was NOT Godspell Jr, but the style and parables of Jesus used were similar to those used in the play. Keep your eyes and ears open for inspiration for dramas, it can come from the most unlikely of places.
3. Volunteers. I have a great relationship with many of the youth and families of the congregation here. I have worked with them for 10 years and we have built a trust and open dialogue where I feel like I can ask them to volunteer and they would say yes. Youth are also a great place for the domino effect to take place. By this I mean, if one brave person says yes, then they can ask their friend and that friend will only do it if their friend will do it and so on. In a matter of a week I had my core group. Knowing who to ask first is also key. Asking the right person and then empowering them to invite others makes your job easier.
4. Scripts, don't be afraid to try something new. This year is a large departure from years past. We have jokingly labeled this season as a "Light-hearted Lent". The scripts have depth to it, but not until the ice has been broken by involving the congregation with a little laughter or even a part in the play. I have written a part into the script where the congregation oooos, ahhhhs and & gasps during the play. It doesn't hurt to look in the Bible for your lines either. The majority of the lines said come straight from the Parables of Jesus.
The last thing that is very different this year is an experiential element within the service. We have never done anything like this on a large scale. The best part about experiential elements is it gets the congregation out of their seats and physically involved in the worship. It is different than singing or corporate confession and prayer. There is a vulnerability about it that helps people express their faith in new way.
Next week I will start talking about our Lenten Chalkboard. I was unsure about how well it would be received by the congregation...I was blown out of the water by what happened last week.
Till then, God Bless
Dain
Monday, March 10, 2014
Camp Sunday
Every January we celebrate the opening of Summer Camp registration with a Sunday dedicated to all things camp. We encourage families to come to worship together, sing camp songs, outline all the different summer activities for youth and families and decorate the church accordingly.
This year I decided to move the camp decorations into the sanctuary rather than the gathering area. In years past I have borrowed a canoe, hung a tent and displayed all types of pictures from past years on sign boards.
This year I wanted to create a campsite at the front of our church. And using some things we had lying around I thought it turned out pretty good.
1. Fake pine tree - this was left over from Christmas and I hadn't put it away fully so it wasn't too hard to get out again.
2. Green Astro Turf - We have a good sized chunk of astro turf we use every year for our Rockin' Rogers Days parade float. I pulled it out to add more color as well as the illusion of grass (which we haven't seen for months in Minnesota)
3. Props - I found a small fishing basket and a lantern from a previous Vacation Bible School set.
4. Campfire - This one took a little brain power to make happen. It is NOT a real fire. I would have if I could have, but there is a little thing called "fire code" and "no large open flames" policy in our church.
So I gathered some firewood from our fire pit out back and placed it around a small fan. I attached fire colored crate paper (yellow, orange & red) to the fan. To keep people from seeing the fan between the wood I shoved red tissue paper in the cracks. I finished it off with a strong shop light to give it the campfire glow. It looked very real from where the congregation was sitting.
This year I decided to move the camp decorations into the sanctuary rather than the gathering area. In years past I have borrowed a canoe, hung a tent and displayed all types of pictures from past years on sign boards.
This year I wanted to create a campsite at the front of our church. And using some things we had lying around I thought it turned out pretty good.
The tent is my personal tent and is a Marmot Twilight 2 person. It is great for a lightweight hiking or canoe trip.
The other parts of the display were as follows:
2. Green Astro Turf - We have a good sized chunk of astro turf we use every year for our Rockin' Rogers Days parade float. I pulled it out to add more color as well as the illusion of grass (which we haven't seen for months in Minnesota)
3. Props - I found a small fishing basket and a lantern from a previous Vacation Bible School set.
4. Campfire - This one took a little brain power to make happen. It is NOT a real fire. I would have if I could have, but there is a little thing called "fire code" and "no large open flames" policy in our church.
So I gathered some firewood from our fire pit out back and placed it around a small fan. I attached fire colored crate paper (yellow, orange & red) to the fan. To keep people from seeing the fan between the wood I shoved red tissue paper in the cracks. I finished it off with a strong shop light to give it the campfire glow. It looked very real from where the congregation was sitting.
In the end I think everyone felt a little warmer on the inside when they started to think about summer and being outside. One of my favorite things to do is sit by the campfire until the bugs get too bad.
Some things I learned:
1. Setting the fan on the lowest setting is key to the fire's believability. There is something about a hum or buzz emanating from "flames" that kills the illusion.
2. Draw attention to the decorations: The pastors had the children's message around the campfire, it was so fun and the kids got a kick out of pretending the fire was real.
3. Not everyone loves camping in a tent. Don't be afraid to use things that represent summer and Summer camp that your congregation will connect with. Maybe you could drive an RV through the sanctuary? Know your audience and anticipate what will draw them in.
Final Thought: Lent is here and we are doing some wonderful things here at Word of Peace. I am looking forward to sharing them with you over the next month and a half. Continue to create, grow in faith and worship God through art.
God Bless,
Monday, March 3, 2014
Pursuing Christ. Creating Art. Exploring Life at the Intersection of Faith and Creativity by Gary A. Molander (thoughts)
I started reading the book Pursuing Christ. Creating Art. Exploring Life at the Intersection of Faith and Creativity by Gary A. Molander and I am loving it. But first a little background.
Gary and I have some similarities in the sense that we have both been in the ministry for some time. He is older than I, has more kids, was a Pastor and is a Rams fan. I, on the other hand am younger, was a youth director for 10 years, have one kid and am a Broncos fan. (I know...the Super Bowl still hurts)
What we do have in common is the creative side. We love doing exactly what the by line of the book says: Exploring life at the intersection of faith and creativity.
Faith and belief are so important in my life. It is one of my strengths in the Stenghts Finder test and when I ask my self what I wanted to be when I grew up, no matter what it was I HAD to believe in what they were doing. Christ is the perfect person to work for. There is so much to do and so much that can creatively come out of faith and belief in Jesus.
A Few Thoughts...
As I read through this book I am going to jot dow a few thoughts and reactions to Gary's words and hopefully they will resonate with the creative part inside of you.
"Theologically speaking, everyone is creative. We were fashioned and formed in the image of God. God is a creative God. So we're creative too. We bear the divine imprint. Our Maker is creative, therefore we are creative." - Gary A. Molander
I grew up in family that was creative. My mom was a crafter and could come up with any number of things for my brother and I to do. She is now a preschool director that puts on an annual art show of the students art in Colorado that attracts over 1,000 people every year. My brother loved to create and came up with some pretty crazy things in his life. He is now working in design and video production. I loved helping with anything creative at church growing up; music, decorations and drama all peaked my interest. My dad was not as creative on the outside. He worked with numbers and seemed to think he was a more practical type. But even he joined the handbell choir and helped create beautiful music once a month. Now he loves to cook and try all kinds of different recipes creating some rather amazing meals.
The point is this: even though we claim to be the "non-creative" type there is no denying that there is creativity inside each of us somewhere. The age old question is not evolution vs following the directions or did God hire a designer.
God is Creator
God is Designer
God is...
and we are created in God's image. We are creative because God made us that way. The hard part is finding where our creativity can be put to use.
"Creativity, in the Divine sense, is when we see a void, then fill it with ourselves" - Gary A. Molander
Search for a void in your life. Where do you see a need? Could that be where you are missing creativity? Could you add a little creativity to that area of life and fill the void? Could your creativity fill a void in someone else's life?
I know I can't ultimately fill every void in my life or someone else's. Only God can fill those holes. But imagine how you could be Jesus to someone by using your creativity.
"Does and artist need to be creative? Yes. But does a Creative need to be an artist? Absolutely not." - Gary A. Molander
I am an artist and a creative. I love that God had blessed me with the gifts and talents that bring glory to his name through photography, design, video, music, media and worship arts. I pray that I might be a light to others in my congregation and community to explore their own God given creativity so that Jesus may be glorified.
Gary Molander is co-owner of Floodgate Productions and Floodgate Creative.
Gary and I have some similarities in the sense that we have both been in the ministry for some time. He is older than I, has more kids, was a Pastor and is a Rams fan. I, on the other hand am younger, was a youth director for 10 years, have one kid and am a Broncos fan. (I know...the Super Bowl still hurts)
What we do have in common is the creative side. We love doing exactly what the by line of the book says: Exploring life at the intersection of faith and creativity.
Faith and belief are so important in my life. It is one of my strengths in the Stenghts Finder test and when I ask my self what I wanted to be when I grew up, no matter what it was I HAD to believe in what they were doing. Christ is the perfect person to work for. There is so much to do and so much that can creatively come out of faith and belief in Jesus.
A Few Thoughts...
As I read through this book I am going to jot dow a few thoughts and reactions to Gary's words and hopefully they will resonate with the creative part inside of you.
"Theologically speaking, everyone is creative. We were fashioned and formed in the image of God. God is a creative God. So we're creative too. We bear the divine imprint. Our Maker is creative, therefore we are creative." - Gary A. Molander
I grew up in family that was creative. My mom was a crafter and could come up with any number of things for my brother and I to do. She is now a preschool director that puts on an annual art show of the students art in Colorado that attracts over 1,000 people every year. My brother loved to create and came up with some pretty crazy things in his life. He is now working in design and video production. I loved helping with anything creative at church growing up; music, decorations and drama all peaked my interest. My dad was not as creative on the outside. He worked with numbers and seemed to think he was a more practical type. But even he joined the handbell choir and helped create beautiful music once a month. Now he loves to cook and try all kinds of different recipes creating some rather amazing meals.
The point is this: even though we claim to be the "non-creative" type there is no denying that there is creativity inside each of us somewhere. The age old question is not evolution vs following the directions or did God hire a designer.
God is Creator
God is Designer
God is...
and we are created in God's image. We are creative because God made us that way. The hard part is finding where our creativity can be put to use.
"Creativity, in the Divine sense, is when we see a void, then fill it with ourselves" - Gary A. Molander
Search for a void in your life. Where do you see a need? Could that be where you are missing creativity? Could you add a little creativity to that area of life and fill the void? Could your creativity fill a void in someone else's life?
I know I can't ultimately fill every void in my life or someone else's. Only God can fill those holes. But imagine how you could be Jesus to someone by using your creativity.
"Does and artist need to be creative? Yes. But does a Creative need to be an artist? Absolutely not." - Gary A. Molander
I am an artist and a creative. I love that God had blessed me with the gifts and talents that bring glory to his name through photography, design, video, music, media and worship arts. I pray that I might be a light to others in my congregation and community to explore their own God given creativity so that Jesus may be glorified.
Gary Molander is co-owner of Floodgate Productions and Floodgate Creative.
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