From Mark Pierson, New Zealand
"Hi guys,
I thought I'd let you know what we did at Cityside Baptist/Parallel Universe over Advent/Christmas. A downunder, its-Christmas-so-it-must-be-Summer, experience. Over the 4 Sundays of Advent we ran an 'Advent in Art' series. First time up.
Each Sunday in the morning service, replacing the 'sermon' slot someone introduced us to a piece of art on the Christmas theme. The people doing this weren't necessarily artists or art historians, just people with an interest in art. Their task was to choose any art relating to the Christmas story, introduce us to the art the artist and some of the history of the time etc. Week 1 was da Vinci's Annunciation, week 2 La Farge's Halt of the Wisemen, week 3 Van der Goes' Portinari Altarpiece, and week 4 The Massacre of the Innocents by Baboun (painted 2001 by a Palestinian). We printed up postcards advertising the series as a whole and each week gave everyone a postcard to take home with a colour copy of the art being presented (and the relevant biblical text on the reverse). The weekly art was also on tv's and OHP during the service. Each presenter used a different approach and it was all excellent. Very stimulating and thought provoking, especially when it came to the 4th Sunday right before Christmas Day and we had the most un-christmasy story of the massacre of the innocents, introduced through a painting done only months before by a Palestinian artist, in a service that also included a baby blessing! Very nice juxtapositions and connections.
Alongside the Advent in Art morning services we ran our usual rotation of evening services but gave them a Christmas spin - labyrinth , story-telling, then on the 3rd Sunday our Parallel Universe Quiet Service 'Ripples in Time'. We've developed the ritual of our Advent PUQS focussing on a reading of the full biblical text of the Christmas story in 4 segments. We built a central pond 4 yards in diameter out of black polythene and put about 4 inches of water in it. The only light was from 6 large candles in the pool. After each segment of scripture readings we paused, said some words about the ripples that go out form the story of God to affect us. and everyone tossed in a pebble and we watched the ripples.listened to a piece of music.The final reading was followed by everyone lighting tea lights and floating them on the water as our prayers for those whom we wanted the ripples of God's story to affect this Christmas. 60 candles floating and flickering in the darkness on what looks like black water while Enya sings Silent Night (recorded!) is stunning stuff.
Very reflective and moving. (Don't let the candles get stuck under the edge of the pool or the polythene catches on fire!) Our only real crisis was an hour after most people had left and a few of us were sitting round talking when I noticed the side had come out of the pool and about 10 gallons of water was on the carpet! It took professionals 4 days to dry the carpet out. It was an expensive night. But worth it."
"Hi guys,
I thought I'd let you know what we did at Cityside Baptist/Parallel Universe over Advent/Christmas. A downunder, its-Christmas-so-it-must-be-Summer, experience. Over the 4 Sundays of Advent we ran an 'Advent in Art' series. First time up.
Each Sunday in the morning service, replacing the 'sermon' slot someone introduced us to a piece of art on the Christmas theme. The people doing this weren't necessarily artists or art historians, just people with an interest in art. Their task was to choose any art relating to the Christmas story, introduce us to the art the artist and some of the history of the time etc. Week 1 was da Vinci's Annunciation, week 2 La Farge's Halt of the Wisemen, week 3 Van der Goes' Portinari Altarpiece, and week 4 The Massacre of the Innocents by Baboun (painted 2001 by a Palestinian). We printed up postcards advertising the series as a whole and each week gave everyone a postcard to take home with a colour copy of the art being presented (and the relevant biblical text on the reverse). The weekly art was also on tv's and OHP during the service. Each presenter used a different approach and it was all excellent. Very stimulating and thought provoking, especially when it came to the 4th Sunday right before Christmas Day and we had the most un-christmasy story of the massacre of the innocents, introduced through a painting done only months before by a Palestinian artist, in a service that also included a baby blessing! Very nice juxtapositions and connections.
Alongside the Advent in Art morning services we ran our usual rotation of evening services but gave them a Christmas spin - labyrinth , story-telling, then on the 3rd Sunday our Parallel Universe Quiet Service 'Ripples in Time'. We've developed the ritual of our Advent PUQS focussing on a reading of the full biblical text of the Christmas story in 4 segments. We built a central pond 4 yards in diameter out of black polythene and put about 4 inches of water in it. The only light was from 6 large candles in the pool. After each segment of scripture readings we paused, said some words about the ripples that go out form the story of God to affect us. and everyone tossed in a pebble and we watched the ripples.listened to a piece of music.The final reading was followed by everyone lighting tea lights and floating them on the water as our prayers for those whom we wanted the ripples of God's story to affect this Christmas. 60 candles floating and flickering in the darkness on what looks like black water while Enya sings Silent Night (recorded!) is stunning stuff.
Very reflective and moving. (Don't let the candles get stuck under the edge of the pool or the polythene catches on fire!) Our only real crisis was an hour after most people had left and a few of us were sitting round talking when I noticed the side had come out of the pool and about 10 gallons of water was on the carpet! It took professionals 4 days to dry the carpet out. It was an expensive night. But worth it."
