Liturgical Art

Art is a Spiritual Practice

2012-01-16T17:45:00.000-08:00

Molly instructing at the Presbyterian Women's Retreat

Making art is an ancient spiritual practice (see Exodus 35), and Molly Elkind practices a lot! Molly is the team leader of L'Art (the Liturgical Art Team) and a professional artist and art instructor. The spotlight is on Molly in this post because she has been honored by being interviewed for Art is Worship Radio. The host, Vanessa Lowry, interviews artists of different faiths on the common theme of how they use inspiration and creativity as an expression of their spirituality. Molly was interviewed in January and the podcast can heard on Empower Radio

Opening Night at Molly's Solo Show at Mercer University

Molly holds an MA in Studio Art, with a concentration in Fibers, and her work has been exhibited in juried shows locally and nationally, as well as being included in private collections.
Molly loves this work that allows her "to say yes instead of no. Yes to the possibilities. Yes to creativity. Yes to making mistakes and picking up and going on. Yes to that uncertain process of creating. Making art allowed me to do that. What I realized in the process of making art was that this was bigger than me. There was something else going on here besides my own brain and my own abilities. There is a creative force that is moving through me and that allowed me to come back to a life of faith."

Molly works large!

L'Art is blessed to have such a talented leader.

Grace Upon Grace

2011-07-22T03:54:00.001-07:00

In conjunction with the summer sermon series that engaged the theme of Grace, L'Art invited the APC congregation to submit their original photos for a photo exhibit entitled "Snapshots of Grace".
The series and the exhibit lasted 4 weeks. This was the second annual photo show for APC, and again the submissions were beautiful, varied, surprising, and apt visual expressions of a theological concept. Such talent!

Easter is a season, not just a day

2011-07-21T15:31:00.001-07:00

The banners being used in worship today were designed for church seasons and celebrations such as Easter, Baptism, Communion, or Christmas. The liturgical color of white is used when we mark special events in Christ’s life that intersect with ours and fill us with hope. The predominant color of the banners is white, which symbolizes purity and holiness. Silver and gold accents enhance the white with allusions to costly treasure. Blue highlights, the color of water and sky, are symbolic of both heaven and baptism. The composition of the design is meant to give the viewer an uplifting, hopeful feeling.

Right Banner

Left Banner

Pulpit Cloth

Jesus and the Empty Tomb

2011-07-21T15:05:00.000-07:00

Our sanctuary, and close-up views of Left and Right Banners

In worship today, we proclaim the Resurrection of Jesus. Today's banners were designed to help us think about the joy, as well as the mystery, associated with this event. The banner on the right depicts the empty tomb, as Scripture attests that it was found. On Easter morning, our world is turned upside down. Grief turns into joy and emptiness becomes a reason to celebrate. The empty tomb symbolizes that the power of death has been overcome.
The banner on the left is an imagination of how it may have looked as the resurrected Jesus stepped out of the tomb. Scripture is silent, of course, about how this looked; there were no witnesses to the act of resurrection, only later, to the actual resurrected Jesus.
Shades of gold are used for the image of Jesus, to represent his glorified state. The brushstrokes are ethereal, yet the figure is recognizably human, symbolizing the mysterious state that Jesus is now in. This is a glorified Christ, who came to dwell among us, to die for us, and to claim everlasting life for us, so that we may rejoice and know just how much God loves us.

In Life and in Death, We Belong to God

2010-10-29T18:04:00.000-07:00

November 1 is All Saints' Day.

At APC, the service for All Saints' Day is a small and meaningful worship experience. It is a time to commemorate our loved ones, in particular those who have died in the last year. We hear beautiful music, offer crosses with the names of the deceased, turn to God in prayer, and celebrate the sacrament of communion. We light candles and write the names of our deceased loved ones in a comforting ritual. Each year, the squares of cloth with these names are sewn into works of art that are displayed in future years. Whether you are a mourner, or a comforter, all are are welcome to attend.

For grief to be fully expressed, grief must be shared. There are not many spaces or occasions in our world where people may openly express and communally share their sense of loss at a loved one's death. The church is the place where this happens. While other groups and organizations may offer opportunities for individuals to grieve, the church provides ritualized expression and wide community support for those who have experienced loss.
Ultimately, the church promises the hope found in Christ. On All Saints' Day, we come together to express our losses as a community centered in Christ. We share in our grief and in our faith. We hear one another and heal one another. We remember the lives of those who have gone before, and we profess our faith in the life that is to come. Please join us for this special service.

Every entry is a sermon

2010-09-19T13:46:00.000-07:00

The congregation of APC has been hiding its' talent under a bushel basket! Our Photo Exhibit "The Word through the Lens" is up and the results are awesome. Each photograph is better than the next, and the Scripture passages selected are wonderfully complementary. There's a grand total of 65 entries. The exhibit will be up until the afternoon of October 10. L'Art wants to thank the congregation for all their wonderful contributions.

Photo Exhibit - CALL FOR ENTRIES

2010-07-27T09:36:00.000-07:00

APC’s first Photography Exhibit:
The Word Through the Lens

The Liturgical Art committee invites everyone to submit an original photograph for an exhibit at APC entitled The Word Through the Lens. Members, visitors, friends, youth and children are all invited to submit one 8” x 10” photograph, color or black and white. You print—we mat and hang!
When you submit your photo, also turn in the form listing your title for your image, your name, and a Scripture verse you have chosen that relates to the photograph. If you wish to add additional information (such as identifying the place, people or situation in the photo) you can list that as well. This form will be the label for your image in the exhibit, so please print clearly and use black ink.
Copies of the form are available in the church lobby.

Each person can submit only one photograph. Please submit a photograph you yourself have taken. L’Art reserves the right to make the final selection of images for the exhibit.

Calendar

Summer 2010: Take your photograph or select one from your archives. Just be sure the image measures 8” x 10.” It can be digital or film, color or black and white.

Aug 22-Sept 5: Submit photo and label form to L’Art committee. We will accept photos at a table in the narthex on Sundays or you may give them to Carol Sweet in the church office.

Sept 19-Oct 10: Photography exhibit on view in narthex

Oct 11-17: Pick up your matted photo to take home.

The LORD upholds them with His hands

2010-07-27T09:35:00.000-07:00

L'Art provided support for the Youth as they designed and created their own banner, which hangs in the area that the Youth use during their fellowship and worship time.

This cup is the new covenant ...

2010-07-27T09:24:00.000-07:00

We celebrate the sacrament of Communion this Sunday, August 1. Come join us!

O taste and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8)

A Child of the Covenant

2010-07-15T10:57:00.001-07:00

Currently, we are in the season of Ordinary Time, which is usually symbolized by the color green. Special seasons and events that mark the extraordinary participation of Christ in our lives are often highlighted by using the color white, which represents purity and hope. Our Sacraments, Communion and Baptism, are two such events.

Special overlays for the woven paraments were created to incorporate the colors of the season (which are used in the woven banners) along with the color white for our Sacraments. The banners being used for July 18 and 25, 2010 help us celebrate a Baptism during Ordinary Time. The shell, such as the one seen on our pulpit cloth, is often used as a symbol of baptism.

On baptism Sundays, we covenant together as a community to guide and nurture this Child of God. When we baptize an infant, we are testifying that God's grace acts on our behalf even before we are capable of responding. God has already claimed us, and we bear witness to this with the Sacrament of Baptism.

This Do in Remembrance of Me

2010-07-02T05:00:00.000-07:00

Currently, we are in the season of Ordinary Time, which is usually symbolized by the color green. Special seasons and events that mark the extraordinary participation of Christ in our lives are often highlighted by using the color white, which represents purity and hope. Our Sacraments, Communion and Baptism, are two such events.
Special overlays for the woven paraments were created to incorporate the colors of the season (which are used in the woven banners) along with the color white for our Sacraments. The banners being used for July 4, 2010 symbolize the celebration of Communion during Ordinary Time.

Close-up view of left banner with overlay.

Close-up view of right banner with overlay.

Pulpit cloth with chalice to celebrate Communion.

The Tomb is Empty!

2010-06-21T12:03:00.001-07:00

Easter Morning: April 4, 2010

Processional Banners were paraded during the opening hymn.

The Green Thumbs beautified the chancel with flowers - all of the blooms were white.

The pulpit and font were highlighted with white blooming flowers and plants.

Worship in the Style of Taize

2010-05-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

As part of its Wednesday Night program during Lent, APC decided again this year to offer a worship service in the manner of the Taize community (February 24, 2010).

Seating was provided in a circle, to enhance the intimate and communal atmosphere. Everyone participated in the singing of the simple, repetitive songs that are the most essential element of a Taize service.
This year, the setting for the service was our "Old Sanctuary", which is now used as a theater for ACT 1 productions.

The dimmed lighting enhances the beauty of the glowing candles and facilitates the meditative mood.

L'Art provided the candles and crosses display that was used as a visual focal point. The display was set up with four sides so that regardless of one's position in the seating circle, crosses and candles were visible for contemplation.

The Woven Community

2010-01-18T14:21:00.000-08:00

The Saga of the Woven Paraments Part 4:

Our goal became to create, through artful integration, a finished piece where dissimilar materials not only co-exist, but actually enhance each other. The blocks of solid provide a resting place for the eye; the prints add interest; the airy, open areas elevate the tenor. The dense supplies grounding for the sheer; the delicate softens the heavy. The light-colored fabric sets off the dark, so that each looks better than it did when standing alone. We began weaving from the bottom, working upward, and the design functions in the same way; the eye tends to look at the bottom of the piece first and is led upward. The lower area has more horizontal lines and is woven more tightly, giving a grounded effect. As the eye is drawn upward, some spaces open up, and some of the lines become more vertical. Also, the predominant colors become lighter as the design moves upward. By the time the viewer’s eye reaches the top, the materials have become slender and vertical, spiraling aloft. The suggestion is that of a tree, growing upward. The symbolism is that of ordinary time, when our growth should be spiritual, towards God.

Our congregation responded generously to our appeal for materials. We received fabrics and fibers with historical or sentimental value, items that have imbued our banners with meaning. We attempted to mingle all of these varied colors and fabrics, finding meaning and beauty together. We received such a wonderful outpouring - from sweaty t-shirts to wedding finery, from Boy Scout kerchiefs to Christmas Pageant costumes, from formal neckties to a dish towel of everyday family life, from the woolen plaid of a family tartan to the soft cotton of a baby’s onesie. Our hope is that these banners are a tangible depiction of the way our congregation is tightly woven together in community. Accordingly, we have entitled them “The Woven Community”. We decided that sounds more sophisticated than “Strata, Blobs, and Zig-Zags”!

Close-up of the Pulpit Cloth

The pulpit cloth was designed and woven by Molly.
The arrangement of lights and darks makes it appear as if a shaft of sunlight is coming in from above.

Close up view of the left banner.

Close up view of the right banner.

Strata, Blobs, and Zig-Zags

2010-01-18T14:20:00.000-08:00

Sheryl exhibiting great patience.

Nancy and Molly going to great heights for their art.

Saga of the Woven Paraments Part 3: We began by weaving at the bottom of the loom with a simple under and over pattern, straight across. We quickly realized that this would produce a rather boring composition. After researching more advanced techniques, we experimented with inserting some rhomboid-shaped “lozenges” (as they are called in the weaving biz) to add contrast and interest. These inserts were intended to be tapered, diamond shapes, but we quickly discovered that with the thickness of our weft, the diamonds kept stubbornly winding up as, well, blobs. As we continued working, we learned to accept, and even to love, our blobs.

Next, we discovered that as we worked the weft in around these blobs, they acted as obstacles, forcing us to weave up and over and around them. One observer commented that it seemed to be a metaphor for life – just when you feel as if you’re sailing smoothly along, you encounter a problem that you have to work around. Romans 5 resonated with us: “ … we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.” Having to work around the obstacles in our weaving produced interesting, wavy horizontal lines, which gave character to the piece. And that produced hope that our banners might turn out all right, after all. And we began to feel the Spirit that had been at work through us.

More confident now, we thought further about the purpose of the banners and our design. These paraments are intended for Ordinary Time, the period on the liturgical calendar that falls between our church holidays and celebratory seasons. It is a time for spiritual renewal, growth, and the building up of the church; traditionally, the dominant color is green.

Aren't Y'all Done Yet?

2010-01-18T14:19:00.000-08:00

The weaving begins in August ..... and continues .... day by day .....

August leads into September .... and we weave ...

And September turns into October .... and still we weave ....

October passes ..... and we're still weaving ...

And weaving .... and weaving ....

November arrives ... to find us weaving.

The Saga of the Woven Paraments Part 2: We stepped out in faith, attempting to trust in God despite our continued self-doubts.

We put out the call for the congregation to contribute the materials. The congregation responded. We designed and built our own looms. We plunged into the weaving, learning as we went along. It went slowly. Very slowly. A common refrain heard in our vicinity for several weeks was a well-deserved, friendly mocking “Aren’t y’all done yet?”

We continued with our “on the job training”. The initial weaving concepts that we encountered were “warp” and “weft”. The warp threads are the strings that run vertically, from the bottom to the very top of the piece. The weft is the “fill” fabric that is woven horizontally under and over the warp threads. The weft is how the weaver introduces color and design, hopefully using creativity to make the piece unique.

Filled With the Skill?

2010-01-18T14:15:00.000-08:00

Peter, builder of the looms, prepares to deliver them to the church for L'Art to begin their weaving project.

The Saga of the Woven Paraments Part 1: When L’Art decided to fashion new banners using the craft of weaving, we were truly stepping out in faith. Weaving was a technique that we found interesting, but one in which we had very little experience. Trusting that the spirit would guide us, we commenced our project without much of a plan.

We had virtually no budget.

We did not have a loom.

We had no fabric with which to weave.

None of us considered ourselves adept at weaving.

We didn’t have a clear idea of what the resulting piece would look like.

What did we have?

We had a supportive congregation and inspiration from Exodus 35, verses 23 – 29:

“And everyone who possessed blue or purple or crimson yarn or fine linen or goats' hair or tanned rams' skins or fine leather, brought them ... all the women whose hearts moved them to use their skill spun the goats' hair ... All the Israelite men and women whose hearts made them willing to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done, brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord.”

Kathy works with the warp thread.

We felt that our hearts had moved us to create a work of art that would be a freewill offering to the Lord. However, reading ahead to verse 35:

“He has filled them with skill to do every kind of work done by an artisan or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and in fine linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of artisan or skilled designer.”

Molly and Nancy warp the looms.

Starting out, we privately thought to ourselves, and quietly spoke amongst ourselves:

“What do we think we’re doing?! We’re not artisan weavers! We haven’t been filled with the skill!”

What is a Reredos?

2010-01-18T13:49:00.000-08:00

Reredos is a term derived from a Middle Ages term; it's also known as a ReTable. At APC, it's the table behind the Table, where we can place a cross and candles when the Table is filled with trays and cups and the elements on Communion Sundays.

For special services and services held in the evening, it's especially effective to use a longer table and load it up with lots of glowing candles.

Communing With the World

2010-01-17T17:56:00.000-08:00

For World Communion Sunday, L'Art arranged a display of a variety of breads from different cultures and locations around the world.

Michael preparing the Table.

Bookmark it

2010-01-17T15:28:00.000-08:00

The front view.

To "advertise" our team, L'Art created bookmarks to pass out to the New Members/Inquirers class.

The back view.

Taking a Curtain Call

2010-01-17T07:59:00.000-08:00

Our next undertaking was not art per se, but was an opportunity for L'Art to serve the church by providing our time and talents on a needed sewing project.

Some curtains for the windows on the west side of our sanctuary would greatly help alleviate the distraction of the sun glaring in during services or concerts held in the late afternoon.

Molly working with a whole lotta cloth

Kathy concentrating

Nancy, Joel, and Molly discuss the logistics of hanging the curtains

Hoist that sail!

Three curtains in three days

Daily Prayer

2010-01-17T07:27:00.001-08:00

For our sixth and final week in the Series, the theme was Daily Prayer. L'Art displayed a wonderful drawing, done by one of our youths, Sarah C.

Also, L'Art assembled refrigerator magnets that were handed out to the congregation as a Reverse Offering.

The magnets were comprised of "the prayer that never fails":
Thy Will Be Done.

Tithing

2010-01-15T12:43:00.001-08:00

The theme for our fourth week in the series was Tithing, but our pastor was more interested in discussing giving with gladness than in talking about money, so we approached this week as a First Fruits topic. First Fruits is an ancient Jewish feast. No harvest is to be taken until the first fruits are dedicated, with thanksgiving, to God. It demonstrates that giving is done with a glad heart and it sets a pattern of giving back to God the first and the best.

Our visual enhancement consisted of an arrangement at the base of the Table showing the grains, fruits, and oil that are traditionally considered part of a First Fruits ritual.

Pilgrimage

2010-01-15T07:45:00.000-08:00

A Pilgrim's Resting Place

A pilgrimage is a journey - towards a place of religious significance, towards salvation, or it can be a search for spiritual enlightenment.

Our visual enhancements for this week's theme involved placing paper footprints in paths on the floor. As you entered the church from the outside, the footprints led into the sanctuary, down the aisles to the Font, the Table, and to the Pulpit.

On the chancel, a tableau was staged with a log, walking stick, sandals, and colorful cloak, to suggest a place where a pilgrim might sit and rest for a while.

Fasting

2010-01-14T13:41:00.000-08:00

The theme for the third week of our Series presented a challenge for L'Art: how to visually depict the absence of something? An empty plate conveys scarcity, not the fulfillment and enlightenment achieved through faithful fasting. We decided to expand our thoughts on fasting. Traditionally, we think of fasting as going without food, but isn't the point of fasting to give something up in order to focus more on God and what God would set as your priorities?

Our immediate community and congregation is blessed to be relatively well-off, and we are a community that is very busy - busy with work, home, family, friends. No one seems to have enough time, and to give up "free" time would be a greater sacrifice for many of us than giving up a meal.
So, for many in our demographic group, to volunteer one's time serves as a sort of a fast. L'Art decided to display photographs of some of our members performing various mission and service works.

As we hear in Isaiah 58:
Is not this the fast that I choose?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
and bring the homeless into your house;
when you see the naked to cover them?

Fasting, whether it involves giving up food or your time in service to others, is a spiritual practice of self discipline that helps you to remember and to prioritize God. It can be an act of purification, repentance, rejoicing, and communing. It is an ancient tradition that can still be a meaningful practice today.

The Sacred Meal

2010-01-13T13:46:00.000-08:00

For our second week in the Summer Sermon Series, "The Sacred Meal" was the theme. Nancy and Molly used pottery chalices and pitcher, set up a ReTable with dozens of candles, and baked hearty whole-grain bread for use in Communion. Communion was served by way of intinction. These enhancements and practices were used in hopes of invoking a feeling of the early church and connecting with ancient practices.

Additionally, bread machines were set up in the lobby and timed to be baking bread as we entered the building for worship, so that as many senses as possible were engaged.

Also, a table was set up in the narthex, representing a modern family meal. One of the thoughts suggested by this series is that we can find direction for our lives by looking to the ancient ways. Any meal can be an opportunity to connect with the sacred.

Remember the Sabbath

2010-01-13T13:23:00.000-08:00

For our first week of the Summer Sermon Series on Ancient Practices, the theme was "Sabbath". Sally and Marian turned our narthex into a garden. Lush plants, flowers, a softly splashing fountain, and a garden bench all contributed to an atmosphere of Creation and respite.

The Ancient Paths

2010-01-13T04:29:00.000-08:00

Drawing by Sarah Caudle

Our pastors selected "Ancient Practices" as the theme for the Summer Sermon Series for 2009.

"Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, and ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls." Jeremiah 6:16

A growing number of Christians are turning to early spiritual practices as a means of tending their souls. In a fragmented world with so many suffering from spiritual disorientation, centuries-old faith disciplines such as fixed-hour prayer, fasting, tithing, sacred meals, Sabbath Keeping, and pilgrimage are helping to create in us an everyday sacredness and sense of the holy.
Together, we'll look for the ancient paths taken by the people of God and ask how walking in those ways might bring rest for our souls and direction to our modern lives.

The Spirit: Flames and Fanfare

2010-01-10T07:57:00.000-08:00

For Pentecost in 2009, Ollie and Joel asked L'Art to help with some visual enhancements. L'Art provided strips of ribbon, one for each choir member. As the choir processed in for worship, each carried a length of ribbon and placed it on the Table as they passed by, on their way to the chancel.

L'Art also provided a pole with a profusion of ribbon streamers, which was held aloft by the leader of the procession.

Borrowed Art

2010-01-10T07:23:00.000-08:00

After meeting with the folks from St. Patrick's Episcopal and learning about their art program, L'Art was excited about the possibility of borrowing their collection. Each year, volunteer members of St. Patrick's congregation create original works of art inspired by the "Stations of the Cross" and the "Stations of the Resurrection". After several years of this tradition, their collection has grown to the point that they are able to loan pieces out to churches interested in their display.

Molly worked with their "point" person, Rob Grove, who graciously assembled and transferred 21 pieces (one for each station) for us to borrow.

L'Art mounted the 14 "Stations of the Cross" pieces in the narthex of APC for Holy Week. For the first week of Easter, the 7 "Stations of the Resurrection" pieces were displayed.

In this picture, works by Joel Becker and Sue Davis can be seen in the foreground.

Worship in the Style of Taize

2010-01-10T07:03:00.000-08:00

As part of its Wednesday Night program during Lent, the Worship Committee for APC decided to offer a service in the manner of the Taize community.

Seating was provided in a circle, to enhance the intimate and communal atmosphere. Lighting was dimmed, and everyone participated in the singing of the simple, repetitive songs that are the most essential element of a Taize service.

L'Art provided the candles and cross display that was used as a visual focal point.

Art and Community

2010-01-09T04:54:00.000-08:00

In the first few months of 2009, L'Art became more engaged with the surrounding community. In January, Molly and Nancy attended another event at Columbia Theological Seminary, entitled "The Art of Worship". The workshops offered included Body Prayer, Hymn Writing, Collaborative Worship Design, and Worship in the Style of Taize.

Worship in the Style of Taize

Also in January, a group from a church in neighboring Dunwoody, St. Patrick's Episcopal, came to visit us at APC. Their interest had been piqued by our website. They have their own arts group and wanted to exchange ideas with us.

In February, L'Art took a field trip to the home of one of our congregation members, Polly H.
We enjoyed looking at her art, and we were particularly interested in a woven piece that she had commissioned, as we were considering embarking on a weaving project of our own.

Sanctuary of Druid Hills United Methodist

In April, we took another field trip to view the sanctuaries of Druid Hills United Methodist and St. Patrick's Episcopal churches. At the first church, we viewed the "Stations of Faith" art created by Mary Calloway Logan, who is an ordained minister and creator of found-objects assemblages. Her pieces are mounted on the walls between the arched windows.

Nave of Saint Patrick's Episcopal Church in Dunwoody

After having met with the art group from St. Patrick's in January, we were interested in seeing how they displayed their "Stations" art. This display is an annual calling for their congregation. Each year, they hold an art retreat at which they create original art inspired by the traditional "Stations of the Cross" and the more recently adopted "Stations of the Resurrection". Their works are positioned on a ledge that runs around the perimeter of the nave.

Crafting Chrismons

2010-01-08T13:45:00.000-08:00

As the season of Advent approached, L'Art agreed to undertake a project that was gaining momentum: replacement of the tattered Chrismon symbols. What is a Chrismon? It's the combination of two words: Christ and Monogram. Chrismons are symbols of Christ. Chrismons were first used by a Lutheran church in Danville, VA to decorate a tree in 1957, in an attempt to reclaim the celebration of Christmas from the secular.

Our church has been putting up a Chrismon tree in the sanctuary during the season of Advent for years. The original styrofoam symbols were looking a bit worse for the wear. Joel L. and Peter L. graciously agreed to use their woodworking skills and tools to cut out dozens and dozens of wooden symbols.

During a Fun Wednesday evening of arts and crafts, L'Art organized both children and adults as they painted the symbols gold and white. Nell D. headed up the team that prepared the tree and greens, and the entire church was invited to participate in our first annual "Hanging of the Greens" Worship Service.

Give and Take

2010-01-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

In the fall of 2008, L'Art met on a monthly basis. At the request of Heather (Director of Children's Ministries), L'Art stenciled denim bags with simple decorative symbols. The bags were custom-made by some talented volunteer seamstresses. These bags are now filled weekly with crayons and coloring sheets. Families with young children can pick one up on the way into Worship on Sunday mornings. This helps keep children occupied so that they can experience worship with their families while keeping distraction to other worshippers at a minimum.

The next month, L'Art went on a field trip to a neighboring church. The congregants of this church had contributed their original works of art, in a variety of mediums, to create a display celebrating the extravagance of God's gifts.
The outing concluded with a lunch at which we finalized our Mission Statement.

The Liturgical Art Team strives to:

Enhance our experience of God through visual art;

Make visible the glory of God;

Encourage all people to develop their creative gifts;

Serve as an artistic resource to the congregation.

Summer Sermon Series 2008

2009-12-30T09:20:00.000-08:00

Our new pastor suggested that a Sermon Series for the month of July might be a fun and fruitful idea for worship this summer. His themes were Family Vacation (see Genesis - God resting after work and 2 Corinthians - hardships of travel), Sand and Surf (see Exodus and Hebrews 11 - deliverance through water and grains of sand), Summer Camp and camping (Exodus and 2 Corinthians - encountering God in nature and temporary vs. eternal), and Sun/Son (John and Revelation - blessing and danger of sun, "Life in the Son".) Ollie requested that L'Art provide some visual enhancements. Carol S. even went so far as to write an original drama to help illustrate the camping theme. And Molly provided original art for each of the four weeks for the cover of our church bulletin.

Week 1: Travel

Week 2: Sand and Surf

Week 3: Camping

Week 4: Sun

The Funky Chicken

2009-12-30T08:54:00.001-08:00

In June of 2008, Carol, LaRhonda, Molly, and Nancy took a field trip to Dahlonega, in the North Georgia Mountains, to visit "The Funky Chicken Art Project". This is an art gallery and studio, and the site of a beautiful garden and a variety of fowl. In particular, we were interested in seeing the mosaic sculpture "Time Passage" by Virginia Bullman and LaNelle Davis, which appears to be a pair of angels forming an arch over the garden path. LaRhonda was taking instruction in mosaic and envisioned some sort of mosaic structure in our church Prayer Labyrinth.

Anything but Ordinary

2009-12-14T12:35:00.000-08:00

Jennifer E., Katie V., and Judy D. working out the puzzle of collage.

In May of 2008, L'Art reconvened to begin working on another set of paraments. This project was a follow-up to the silk painting activity undertaken by the women of the church at their annual retreat earlier in the year. The idea was to take the images that each of the women painted and to assemble them, collage-style, into banners and a pulpit cloth, to be used during Ordinary Time.

The left banner. The right banner.

The following is the Artist Statement that appeared in the church bulletin on June 1, 2008:

First, what is Ordinary Time? This year, the period from late May through November is known as Ordinary Time. This time is called “ordinary” because it does not include one of the holidays or special church seasons such as Easter or Pentecost. Also, the term has the same root as “ordinal,” a mathematical term indicating numerical position. So, another way to think of Ordinary Time is as “counted time.” The liturgical color is green to show that during ordinary time we continue to grow spiritually.

In March the Presbyterian Women of APC went on retreat and asked the Liturgical Art team to lead them in an art project. Together we explored painting on silk with special attention to motifs relating to nature and growth. These motifs have been collaged into the Ordinary Time banners and pulpit cloth. If you look closely, you will see rocks, flowers, branches, birds, insects, leaves, the sun, even part of a strand of DNA.

What may not be apparent is the amazing, Spirit-guided process by which many varied images, each with its own unique style, color and size, were blended during the collage process to make a unified whole. There were times when the team wondered if we could integrate every painted image into one piece of art! But the collaborative process of several sets of discerning eyes—moving pieces around, painting new silk in just the right shade of green, and squinting to see if everything blended—all combined to ensure that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. May we find that as a congregation we grow and flourish in much the same way.

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The pulpit cloth is two-sided, to offer some variety during this longest season of the liturgical year.

This side of the cloth is used in the summer months.
This side of the cloth is used in the fall.

Easter 2008: Processional Fanfare

2009-12-08T08:29:00.000-08:00

For Easter 2008, the Liturgical Arts Team designed processional banners to be brought in during the fanfare of the hymn “Christ the Lord is Risen Today”. These banners were designed to lift up the joy and the mystery of the transformative occurrence of the Resurrection. The banners are made of painted silk; this fabric was selected because its light weight lends itself to a floating, billowing effect, reinforcing our feelings of joy and perhaps evoking the idea of Christ’s rising up from death. The colors and brushstrokes applied to the fabric suggest the dawning of a new day as well as the beginning of a new understanding of God’s love for us.

During the procession, the banners were carried as four separate pieces, but as the acolytes converged, it became apparent that the parts create a greater whole. The four banners were held so that the spaces in between the cloth formed a cross. This surprise symbolism might signify the reaction of the earliest disciples (despite Jesus’ own predictions, none of his followers seem to have expected the Resurrection). The fact that a symbol gradually emerges as the banners are held together might represent the apostles’ dawning comprehension (due to his transformed appearance, they all fail to immediately recognize Jesus.) The transience of the completed image might represent the challenges that God’s people continue to face as we struggle to understand the Resurrection and what it means for each of us. An invitation was extended by way of this visual art for each member of the congregation to contemplate the banners in light of the gospel story, and to discover meaning on their own.

Spring 2008: L'Art

2009-12-08T08:24:00.000-08:00

The team continues to evolve. As a result of the Women's Retreat, we picked up an additional member (Carol S.) Also, we decided that because we view ourselves more as a team than a committee, we would be intentional about calling ourselves the Liturgical Arts Team. And since that's quite a mouthful, we came up with an abbreviation that seemed clever and arty:
L'Art.

Prayer Labyrinth Easter 2008

2009-12-08T08:18:00.000-08:00

The Liturgical Arts Team created banners for the sunrise service of Easter 2008 at the Prayer Labyrinth. A plain white cloth was used to fashion the banners. The fabric was similar to what might have been used to wrap Jesus’ crucified body; this cloth was subsequently found discarded in the empty tomb (John 20:6). Also, the color white is traditionally used for Easter, as it represents the now fully-realized purity and perfection of the risen Christ.

Additionally, the banners featured white streamers with brightly colored, gathered cloth at the end. When still, the cluster resembled a flower blossom; when the breeze stirred, it lifted, evoking the flight of a butterfly. Blossoms and butterflies signify new life and transformation, which are appropriate for these symbols on the day we celebrate the Resurrection.

The banners were installed during the night. Just as Christ’s resurrection was discovered by his followers early on a Sunday morning, those who gathered to worship at sunrise encountered these symbols of Christ’s resurrection. The decision to use three banners created a suggestion of the scene of Jesus’ crucifixion at Golgotha. (There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them - John 19:18) And of course, the symbolism of the Trinity is represented by the number three.

PW Retreat February 2008

2009-12-07T18:00:00.000-08:00

Janice B., Jody B., and Jennifer E.

The planners for the Presbyterian Women's retreat asked the Liturgical Artists to lead an art project as one of the activities during the weekend. The Liturgical Art Committee decided to learn how to paint on silk, and then share what they learned with the women of the church. The women were encouraged to paint images of nature, using green as the dominant color, with the idea of spiritual growth as a theme. Later, the images could be assembled with a collage technique to make new banners to be used during the Ordinary Time of the Liturgical Year.

Psalm 52: 8 - 9:

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.
I will thank you forever, because of what you have done.
In the presence of the faithful I will proclaim your name, for it is good.
Yvonne C., Peggy A., Katie V., and Nancy H. look on as Sheryl W. employs the hair dryer to speed the drying of the silk.

I Am Like a Green Olive Tree

2009-12-07T17:51:00.000-08:00

Jodie B. Katie V., Janice B., Julie J. and Jennifer E. exploring their creative sides as they paint on silk.
Kathy D. fields questions as Kathy C., Peggy A., and Nancy H. try out their newly learned techniques of painting on silk.
Molly E. shares some tips about painting on silk with Betty L., Carol S., Marianna R., and Virginia M.

Baptism of the Lord

2009-12-03T15:31:00.001-08:00

And the final week of our "evolving" banners, prior to our return to ordinary time: The Baptism of The Lord. For this week's symbolism, we added a scrim to the pulpit cloth. This allowed us to cover most of the gold with blue, evoking the baptismal waters. A shell (a traditional symbol for baptism) was also added to the pulpit cloth. Most of the gold strips in the banners were tucked behind some new "watery" blue strips that were added for this Sunday.

Westward Leading ...

2009-12-03T15:20:00.000-08:00

For Epiphany, the colors of white and gold are still appropriate. Crowns and stars were added to the paraments to enhance the symbolism.

Our Savior is Born

2009-12-03T15:11:00.000-08:00

Pictured here are our Interim Pastor Joel A. and Associate Pastor Stephanie M., wearing the stoles quilted by Kathy D. for Christmas. The "evolving banners" were so well-received by the congregation that the Liturgical Arts Team decided to "evolve" them right on through until Ordinary Time.

From Darkness to Light

2009-12-03T15:01:00.000-08:00

Pictured here is our sanctuary on the third week of Advent. On the rod to the right of the chancel are the banners from Week 1 (far right) and Week 2 (middle). The empty space is waiting for the banners from Week 3 and Week 4 to be added. The negative space is meant to symbolize our anticipation of the future. Week 3's banner is hanging in the chancel. It has more streaks of light and gold, symbolizing the in-breaking of God's kingdom as we grow nearer to the time of the birth of our Savior.

Seeking Wholeness: Advent 2007

2009-12-03T14:45:00.000-08:00

The following Artist Statement was included in our church bulletin:

The shopping malls and television stations want you to think that Christmas is already here. Within the walls of our sanctuary, however, we follow a different calendar: the church’s liturgical calendar. The four weeks preceding Christmas day are known as Advent.

Advent is a season of hope and of anticipation. We look to the time when God’s kingdom completes breaking into our world. However, it is not a time of pure hope and joy. We must acknowledge that redemption is necessary because we are broken people. This is a time to remember why we need the Savior and why we long for a world made complete. We practice waiting in Advent, as we move from darkness to light, from brokenness to fullness, from tension to peace.

The Liturgical Arts Committee has created a new set of banners and paraments in hopes of helping our congregation to reflect upon Advent themes. You will notice that the banners evolve over the course of the month, symbolizing our progression towards the event of Christ’s birth. The banners make use of the traditional colors for Advent, purple and blue. As the season progresses towards Christmas, gold and white become more prominent, showing our spiritual growth from dark to light and from brokenness to fullness. You may also note that the fabric has been left with rough edges – this is meant to symbolize the imperfect world that we are living in. The stoles and pulpit cloth were pieced together from random scraps of fabric; we don’t have to be perfect or whole to be used by God.

This is our Associate Pastor, Stephanie M., wearing one of the stoles quilted by Kathy D.

The Anticipation of Advent

2009-12-02T14:54:00.000-08:00

By November of 2007, two additional members had joined the team (Kathy D. and Brooke S.) The group decided to create a set of evolving banners and paraments for the Advent season. Because of our short time frame and our need for a new set each week, it was decided to use a more “temporary” construction style, rather than choosing a method that involved extensive sewing and finish work. One idea considered was to hang strips of rough cut fabric, adding and subtracting various fabrics and colors as the season progressed. When the team realized that this idea dovetailed with the theological theme of Advent (moving from darkness to light, anticipating wholeness) this was the method selected. Kathy, using her quilting skills, created three stoles and a pulpit cloth to coordinate with the banners.

Prayers of the People

2009-12-02T14:09:00.001-08:00

By the spring of 2007, Molly and Nancy had recruited more members and formed the Liturgical Arts Team. Nancy and Molly were joined by Sheryl W. and LaRhonda W., with Peter L. providing technical assistance. For their first “group” project, they designed an installation called “The Prayers of the People” which was installed for Easter morning, 4/8/2007, and was left up for several weeks.

The team began the project by soliciting prayers from all members of the congregation. The prayers were written on slips of pre-cut pieces of paper. Hundred of prayers were collected - prayers of thanks, confession, intercession ... prayers from children ... prayers about life or death matters ... prayers about personal issues and prayers for our church, community, and world. The prayer slips were sewn to long, white strips of fabric, forming prayer banners. These banners were draped like streamers from the ceiling in the narthex, forming a canopy effect. These pictures show the "Presbyterian sweatshop", as we sew the hundreds of prayer slips to the dozens of banners. Also shown is the installation process, and the finished piece.

The team received a lot of positive feedback from this installation, emboldening them to continue their efforts of bringing an art ministry to APC.

Not Just "The Banner Committee"

2009-12-02T10:38:00.001-08:00

Now that Molly and Nancy had completed banners appropriate for an entire Liturgical year, they felt called to branch out a bit. Fortuitously (or was is the working of the Spirit?), a workshop was being offered at the Lay Institute at their local Presbyterian Seminary (Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA). The program was intended for lay leaders or church professionals, focusing on how to create and use visual art in worship services and sacred spaces. The keynote presenter was Catherine Kapikian and it is her art on the cover of the brochure that is pictured here. The event lasted 4 days and included lectures, hands-on workshops, daily worship, and small group discussions. Molly and Nancy were inspired and excited by all that they observed and learned! They began planning how they could recruit more members to their team and begin to bring more visual art to their church.

The Birth of the Church

2009-12-01T15:49:00.001-08:00

For Pentecost, our church had been using a pulpit cloth which incorporates the dove and flame imagery that are traditional symbols for the Holy Spirit. Inspired by this design, in 2006, Molly E. created coordinating banners and a cloth for the Table. These paraments are used annually for Pentecost, as well as for Ordination and Installation services.

Lent

2009-12-01T10:05:00.000-08:00

For Lent, our church uses banners and a pulpit cloth of plain brown burlap with a solid purple border, representing the season’s mood of penitence and simplicity.

A Year of Banners

2009-11-23T08:06:00.000-08:00

For Christmas 2005 and Epiphany 2006, Molly E. created white banners. These were inspired by instruction from our pastor who often sketched two circles, symbolizing the variable overlap of our world with God's Kingdom. The cross represents Christ at the point of intersection. This concept is appropriate for all times when the liturgical color of white is used, such as Easter, Christmas, weddings, baptisms, Trinity Sunday - any occasion that especially celebrates the redemptive work of Christ on our behalf.

Molly interpreted this drawing into a beautiful mosaic pattern rendered in silk.

Advent 2005

2009-11-20T04:20:00.000-08:00

As Advent 2005 approached, the newly-formed Liturgical Arts Team busied themselves designing additional banners appropriate for that liturgical season. The design is a gold, four-pointed, elongated, star (inspired by Revelation 22:16, in which Jesus is proclaimed to be the “bright morning star”) on a purple background. These banners were sewn by Moira Thornett (1943 - 2007), beloved leader in our church . These banners are used with the pulpit cloth created by Toni R. and her mother, which depicts an angel trumpeting.

The Banner That Started It All

2009-11-18T13:53:00.000-08:00

In 2005, one of our church members attended a Van Gogh exhibit at the High Museum, and saw these banners available for purchase. She graciously bought two of them and donated them for use in our sanctuary. The colors go beautifully with our stained-glass Rose Window, and are appropriate for the liturgical color of Ordinary Time, which is green.
These enhancements to our worship experience inspired a small group of us to form a Liturgical Arts Team (L'Art) and to create additional sacred art.