Tualatin Presbyterian Church Tualatin, Oregon Ellen VanSchoiack Our grant project allowed an intense exploration of visual art for worship. This art is meant to support the goals of worship- to amplify the worship experience, rather than decorate the space. For a full year, we experimented with as many kinds of media, methods of presentation, and combinations of volunteers as possible. Visual art is now a regular part of our worship experience, with a program structured and funded much like our music program. Opening the conversation Before we began, we spent some time helping the congregation practice discussing art’s potential to express spiritual ideas. We borrowed abstract art and invited members to share their interpretations. We integrated teaching moments into each group experience. Art projects included lessons in worship planning and training in lectio divina. Members who were not interested in making art were invited to collect and access feedback on the program. They participated in a class on art in worship and were taught what questions would help the community engage with the art. They helped us track the usefulness of the art as a spiritual tool and provided the rest of the community with a vital role in the program. We were counting on this feedback to help us improve our efforts. Ground Rules To provide an innovative environment for our artists and planners we eliminated some options that might limit their thinking: No felt No words No repeats (of media, placement or method of installation) Nothing permanent Process It is important to understand that the goal of our art program is to help produce meaningful engaging worship services. In a very real sense our artwork is incomplete until worship and can not be evaluated apart from the community experience. For this reason, our process begins with worship planning. Our planning team begins with a prayer and the discipline of lectio divina, using the scripture for the specific service. We listen to the scripture, paying attention to words and phrases that draw our attention, and to the emotion that the scripture evokes. The discipline of Lectio Divina nurtures the spiritual health of our planning team as well as helps us identify the theme and tone of the service we are planning. Understanding the tone of the service is the key to our design. It helps us identify our best options, measure the integrity of the project and avoid unnecessary decorative elements. As tempting as it is to begin with a really exciting new idea rather than
scripture, we have learned not to take short cuts in our process. We are more aware of the spirit at work in our midst and frequently come out of the experience with a strong, shared sense of direction. Additional notes for images #3 - A painted floor cloth for World Communion Sunday. Seating reconfigured to reinforce the feeling of surrounding the world in prayer. #6 - Look to your entire congregation for skills that can be shared. Here members teach our art volunteers to solder, allowing us to use metal as a media. #7 - Easter installation of metal dove sculpture. Swags of colored cloth are attached to part of our extensive and flexible drop line system #11 - For Pentecost the group opted for artwork that replicated the flash and movement of natural flame. At the request of the congregation, the circular listing of the gifts of the spirit remains on our sanctuary wall. #15 - Advent Sermon Series “Dreams”- Designed to provide the congregation with a space for spiritual rest in the midst of the holiday season. We limited color and changes in the space during the four weeks of Advent. The vertical elements over the Advent table emphasize the two way communication of our Advent prayers. #16 - Advent Sermon Series “Awe and Wonder” To evoke a sense of awe we used a design that introduced drama and a reduced sense of human scale: 20 ft lit cables supporting a floating advent table. To provide a sense of wonder, the table included intimate and beautiful details of nature in winter. This installation would not “touch ground” until Christmas Eve. #17 - final installation “Awe and Wonder”- Christmas eve- arms of light open up and installations arrives on earth- in the form of manger with simple ring of stars suspended overhead.