Worship Weblog
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham, Birmingham, MI
Betsy Steele Halstead, Resource Development Specialist for the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, was invited to speak to a group of leaders from several congregations as a part of the 2008 Worship Renewal Grant awarded to First Presbyterian Church of Birmingham, MI. Worship leaders, artists, pastors, Christian educators, and musicians gathered to learn about ways that visual art and worship space supplement and enhance or distract from worship. Betsy encouraged participants to begin by evaluating their current worship space to discover what it communicates about priorities in faith and worship. She reminded artists of their role as servants of the community and the importance of disciplined creativity. Using photos of many churches, she described the importance of the visual connecting to Scripture, music and movement. Participants indicated that they were eager to return to their congregation to further explore what had been learned.
This morning was a part of the grant leadership team’s year long process to expanded use of visual and dramatic arts in worship. While it is their hope that the learning will bring renewal to their congregation, a priority for their work is also to collaborate in learning with neighboring congregations.
Workshops in November and March will continue the learning. In the congregation, on the second Sunday of each month, conversations are hosted by a member of the grant leadership team and clergy on the topic Worship Alive: Making Connections which offers participants the opportunity to ask questions about worship. Education for children in the congregation during the grant year is also focused on worship.
Following the workshop we met with Cynthia Merten, project director, and the grant leadership team to discuss the project and their hopes and prayers for worship renewal.