Lent #5 Worship Visual - April 10, 2011 "Lazarus in Tomb"

John 11:1-45
When he (Jesus) had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!"  The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, his face wrapped with a cloth.  Jesus said to them, Unbind him, and let him go."

1.)  Burlap on table
2.)  A mound of a darker shade of burlap in middle of table
3.)  Long strips of linen
4.)  A clear bowl of very salty water (representing God's tears)
5.)  A pottery plate filled with salt (representing our salty tears)

We are all familiar with "Jesus wept" or "Jesus began to weep" in these Scriptures.  It seems important to allow people a time to remember that God's tears truly do intermingle with our own.  At the close of this service, the congregation was given a time to come forward, to take a pinch of salt (their own tears) and mix them in the salty water (representing God's tears).  And/or dip their finger in the salty water and place God's tears on their cheek.  (This was loosely borrowed from Thom Shuman's "Longest Night" worship service). 

This is too beautiful and perfect to be left out of this week's offerings to you.  "And Jesus wept".

Lent #4 Worship Visual - April 3, 2011 "Blind Beggar"

There is no worship-scape posted for Lent #4 John 9:1-41 "

Lent #3 Worship Visual - March 27, 2011 "Samaritan Woman at Well"

John 4:5-42
A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her "Give me a drink."

Very easy visual and quite beautiful to see in person...
1.)  Burlap on table
2.)  Purple netting (brings in liturgical color of Lent)
3.)  Landscaping stones to raise the pitcher

4.)  Headscarf (this one is an Indian headscarf purchased at "World Market")
5.)  A "Rebekah pitcher"  (pottery pitcher ... borrowed if possible)

Lent #2 Worship Visual - March 20, 2011 - "Nicodemus/Jesus"

John 3:1-17
Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews.  He came to Jesus by night ...

"For God so loved the word that he gave his only Son, so taht everone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."

The Scriptures for Lent #2, John 3:1-17, are a little difficult to put into a worship visual.  I first pictured Nicodemus coming to Jesus at night and felt as if I needed some Jewish oil lamps, darker cloth and the words "God So Loves You". 

1.)  Dimmed lights in the sanctuary as people gathered.
2.) Oil lamps (with tea candles instead of oil/wicks) were lit (sitting on landscaping stones)
3.)  Three glass blocks with the words "God So Loves You" on them.  Glass blocks are raised higher and under-lit.
4.)  Lights raised in the sanctuary when processional began.

The picture to the right shows how the words were placed on the glass blocks and how they were under-lit.
1.)  Black vinyl adhesive letters were used (can be purchased at the home improvement stores such as Home Depot or Lowes
2.)  Glass blocks were purchased at Home Depot
3.) The glass blocks were set on an under-the-bed storage container that is semi-clear.  Battery operated lighting was placed inside the storage container (pop-on lighting can be found at Dollar Tree for $1.00 a piece)
4.)  Container was covered with the cloth with the exception of the area where the glass blocks were placed.  From the sanctuary, you could not see this open area.  As in the first picture (above), it seems as if it was all covered in cloth.

Lent #1 Worship Visual - March 13, 2011 "Temptation in Wilderness"

The tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread."  But he answered, "It is written, 'One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.' "



This worship visual is very easy to put together. 
1.) Word of God (Bible) raised to highest level
2.)  Loaves of bread on middle level
3.) Stone (or stones) on lower level

Beige cloth or burlap is underneath a fine purple netting.  The use of purple netting was to bring in purple as the liturgical color of Lent.