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Interest increases in worship art that engages all senses

Jul. 20, 2005

NOTE: Photographs, audio and a main story, UMNS #407, are available at
http://umns.umc.org.

By Deborah White*

Altar design is moving away from a cross, two candles and a flower
arrangement to more visually stimulating elements, according to a
leading arts in ministry coordinator.

Linda Clemow, with First United Methodist Church in Oneonta, N.Y., was
one of two liturgical artists who led workshops at the Fellowship of
United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts convocation July 10-14 in
San Francisco. Nancy Chinn, a multimedia artist, author and creator of
liturgical art for large spaces, also led several workshops.

Interest in worship arts has increased, said Clemow, who has been
coordinating the arts ministry at her church for almost six years. As
word of her arts ministry has spread, church artists from around the
country have sent her photos of their work.

"People really want to know how they can enhance the spiritual
experience," she said. "I know the interest is there."

Clemow works closely with the pastor and worship committee at her church
to plan liturgical art for the sanctuary. "Liturgical art is corporate.
It needs to gather the people and focus them on worship," she told
workshop participants.

"We need to involve all the senses, not just music but also the eyes,"
she said. "The purpose is to tell the story of God, the story of Jesus,
the story of humanity ... season after season ... clearly, dramatically
and visually."

Clemow, several volunteers and members of the worship committee usually
create a new visual focus for the altar, or worship center, during
Advent, Lent and special Sundays. "It's integrated into the whole
worship package," she said.

"Learn the art of compromise and respect," she advised. "Move gently
when creating change. Try something different for a specified period of
time like a liturgical season. ... Pretty soon those different things
will be normal."

As part of her ministry, Clemow teaches art classes and was instrumental
in opening an art gallery in the church. This fall, the church plans to
start a program for low-income people called My Art Studio. It will
enable participants to sell art they have created in the program.

Nancy Chinn specializes in large work that is not intended to be
permanent. "God needs to speak freshly to us all the time," she
explained. One of her signature pieces was displayed in Grace Cathedral
in San Francisco for the fellowship's closing worship service.

"Art should speak directly to our hearts and souls," said Chinn, who
serves as adjunct faculty at Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley,
Calif., and as artist-in-residence in various churches and seminaries.

"Art is not just decorative and pretty. It needs to tell a story. I
never work aside from liturgy," Chinn said.

She recommended installing a drop-line system to hang large art. "We do
not need to be going up and down ladders," she said. Her book, Spaces
for Spirit: Adoring the Church (Cokesbury, 1998), describes drop-line
systems in detail.

"The biggest message I will give you is you don't have to do this
alone," Chin said, referring to large art displays. "Ï ask for
volunteers. They love it."

*White is associate editor of Interpreter magazine, published by United
Methodist Communications in Nashville, Tenn.

News media contact: Tim Tanton, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.

********************

United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org

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