Alternative Worship -- Wind

After Water CHP and Iconostasis did Wind.

Theme: Genesis 2:7

Breathe the Breath of Life

Our colors were blues, silver and white. Lots of flowy, gauzy material, fans and candles. We always use many poetry and other readings along with our scriptures.

Outside: Invitations-Written on strips of white and blue gauze Breathe the Breath of Life and iconostasis info, then hung in trees.

Narthex(lobby): Fans and lots of blue and white gauzy, flowing fabric. Proverbs 30:4

Station One

Valley of the Dry Bones

Ezekiel 37:1-10 "Can these bones live?"

Designed room to be a valley of bones, with gauze and skeletons.

Folks were invited to make bones from clay.

Meditate on the dead places in our lives and our need for the breath of God to resucitate us.

Station Two

The Storm Mark 4:35-41

We had four parts to this station

1. A video of the scripture (from Worship House Media) projected on the wall.
2. "Teacher, don't you care that we are perishing?"

Covered walls with butcher paper and attached current "perishing" headlines from newspapers, magazines and internet news stories.

We invited people to trace their hand over the story they were concerned about and pray.

3. "What are you afraid of?"

We had pictures of storms, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, etc. We asked people to make origami boats, write their fears inside, and leave the boat (and their fear) in the hands of God.

4. "Who is this man that even the wind and waves obey him?"

We had a large screen (actually a flat) with various icons, images, words and contemporary representations of Jesus attached (glow-in-the-dark, band aids,etc.). We had folks write or draw who they thought Jesus was on the screen. .
They were also invited to take icon cards with the Mark 4:41 scripture

Station Three

Prayer Station

We recorded a breathe in, breathe out prayer (breathe in peace, breathe out anxiety... ) invited people to relax on couches or pillows and just breathe!

Station Four

Holy Spirit Breathe on Me

Acts 2:1-2, John 3:8

We had fans set up in front of pillows, inviting folks to reflect on how the Spirit is "blowing" in their lives.

I loved this iconostasis! It was very full, though. With all the stations and our community gathering time, folks felt like they were rushed through the stations.

Our church did a worship series
Elemental

based on the four elements

Iconostasis did four gatherings;water, earth, wind and fire

WATER

Main theme: Living Water John 4:9-11

Blue fabric from cross ran down aisle between pews to back of sanctuary. The River of Life

Outside: We had a huge metal pool (that we use for outdoor baptisms) filled with water and invitations to the service.

Narthex (Lobby): Station One The Dry Well Jeremiah 2:13

Folks walked into a desert (decorated with rocks, bare branches, brown paper and burlap). A dry well. Folks encouraged to drop a rock into the well, listen to the sound, reminding them of thei dryness in their lives and their thirst for something more.

We use readings and poetry at each station along with scriptures.

Station Two: What Are You Thirsty For?

Jars and vases filled with water. Labels on each jar said things like, finances, love, peace, justice, marriage, etc. People were encourged to drop a marble in the jar(s) that corresponded to their "thirst" and pray for that. Also folks could pray for others "thirsts"

Station Three:Water From the Rock Exodus 17:1-5

Focused on God's provision for us. A fountain trickled water down. A large rock made of paper mache on the wall, people used tissue paper to make "water" flowing from the rock. Folks asked to thank God for his provision and ask for his provision.

Station Four: What are you waiting for? Acts 22:16

Get up,be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name!

People were encouraged to write their sins on their hands (with washable markers) then wash their "sins" away in bowls of water.

Station Five: Beside the quiet waters Psalm 23

On wall a video of a mountain stream (from Worship House Media), pillows for folks to rest

After a community gathering time with readings, art and video folks were invited to come forward and drink the "living water" Sort of a communion with glasses of water. John 7:37-38 Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them."

Station Six:The River of Life & The Tree of Life Revelation 22:1-2

Flowing from the cross on the sacristy (stage) down the center aisle to the back of sanctuary, blue fabric. At back of sanctuary was a tree (branches in pots) on side of "river" Tree was decorated with scripture leaves (Revelation 7:16 & 17,John 7:37 & 38) Folks were invited to take a leaf from the tree of life.

After the service we put the tree of life outside. Cool. Comments were left, it was on a blog and people took the leaves!

Alternative worship Ideas

Have been working on an alternative, experiential worship service for several months. Love it. Have a committed group of folks working with me to create something new--"See, I am doing a new thing!"Isaiah 43:19--each month. Just want to share our ideas. I am always looking for fresh & creative ideas, figured others would be too.

We meet the first Friday of the month at 8pm (unless there is a specific "church calendar" date_like Ash Wednesday of Good Friday.

We meet at Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church 1729 Harvard Ave Seattle, WA

Our name is Icoostasis[ahy-kah-nos-tah-sis] n. a meeting of the holy and human