Worship Transformed
Since human beings are not just souls but soul-bodies, we should not think of worship in solely spiritual terms. If the body is uncomfortable, the soul's contemplation of transcendent things is easily distracted. John of Damascus rightly said, when he advocating sitting down during particularly long reading's of the Scriptures, "It is better to think on the Gospel than to think on one's legs." Furthermore, the soul only knows God through the body. The Word preached and taught is a physical (auricular) experience. The Sacraments are even more clearly the Word connected to physical elements. Good accoustics and an appropriate physical environment are conducive to the Holy Spirit's mediation through physical means. Lest we forget, aesthetics, the presence of the beautiful and the sublime, are salutary aids to the soul's contemplation of the Divine. Some of what follows addresses apparently trivial and mundane concerns, but the Holy is oftent hidden in the apparently trivial and mundane. The physical often affects the spiritual. With your help, we can transform the sanctuary and strengthen our worship and devotional life.
Replace the folding chairs with cathedral chairs.
Cathedral chairs have several advantages. They are
stackable, and they can be ganged together to make pew-like
arrangements. They are more comfortable and visually more
appealing. Being upholstered, they help make the winter worship
experience a little warmer.Install new flooring.
The advent of and improvements in laminate flooring offer an attractive and affordable option, heading off potential asbestos problems while at same time dramativally improving the visual appearance of the floor, without damaging acoustics. Extra mile: If the sufficient funds are available, it may be possible to add a labyrinth to the floor. Labyrinths are increasingly popular as an aid to devotion and meditation. According to The Labyrinth Society search engine, we would be the only house of worship within a two hundred mile radius with a permament indoor labyrinth. While not critical to the renovation and expansion, this "extra mile" feature (appropriate for a named gift) would thoroughly cement our reputation as the spiritual center on campus.Air condition the sanctuary.
At the beginning of the 21st century, people expect AC. It's no longer a matter of enticing people with the promise of AC in church. Now it is a matter of not driving them away with an ovenlike experience. A sufficient AC would allow worshipers to focus on the Word of God, the liturgy, and the hymns. Consequently, the quality of the worship experience would improve. Furthermore, first-time visitors would be more likely to return rather than search for a church with AC or simply stay in their air conditioned dorm rooms and apartments.
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