500 years of Reformation

yesterday we commemorated the Reformation's 500th anniversary at church.  it's actually on all hallow's eve.......but that's how we roll.  this is the amazing backdrop that our worship team leader/education/etc. etc. guy built for the occasion. it's made from construction foam carved and painted to look like the Wittenburg castle doors that Martin Luther posted his 95 thesis (grievances with the way things were going in the Catholic church) on.  i'm sure i just made some of you shudder with my sentence structure there....heh heh.  it also made for a fun 'photo op' for families after the service :)  thankful that God used Luther to open the eyes of the world to the fact that we are saved by grace, through faith in Christ alone....not by anything we do, or buy. we were challenged by Pastor to think of all the ways God has reformed our lives too. happy reformation day!

"Ordinary Time"

....also lovingly referred to as "green season"  :)  I went quite a bit smaller this time- our green Paraments have lots of gold in them, so I went with a combo of both colors to coordinate with them.  I like it.......unfortunately the new fire inspector does NOT. We went from a 100% rating last year (thanks to my hubby's hard work as chairman of the property board) to having four pages of things she wanted fixed!  And we had not changed a thing over the past year.....we ARE Lutheran, after all!) Funny, I've been creating Sanctuary art for over 30 years, and I've never ever had an inspector 'flag' it as hazardous until now. I think it's maybe because she's 'new' and trying too hard. We may appeal. I'd sure hate to think that this might be my last "jellyfish."

Pentecost

My offering for this year's sanctuary decorations......I think I'm going to go in and 'tweek' it a bit-  I found some small lights on a timer that I think would be epic hidden in the middle :) 

Risen Indeed !

So bright and lovely :) the white 'gauze-like' fabric represents the linen cloths wrapped around our Savior's body.....the brightness of the rest celebrates His Victory over death ! There are some tiny mirror tiles draped around in places that really sparkle when the lights hit them just right. And if there's such a thing as 'sentimental' fabric....this is chock full of it....the white was donated by a church member's family years ago after she passed....probably a 20 yard piece. The colorful strips are 'left-overs' given to me by one of our quilting ladies- she had to trim down one of her creations! Yes, please and thank you! And this year I added some pastel ribbons that were donated from our youth- leftovers from their banner from the National Youth Gathering last year. I love that we Lutherans never throw anything away......

And this is our beautiful Festival of Flowers cross ( I have to remember to get the 'before' photo next year! It's quite ugly to begin with :) ) A longstanding tradition for us....people come up during the service and adorn the cross- then afterwards they take lots of family Easter photos in front of it. It warms my heart to see the next generation taking the same pictures they took when they were little. God is so very, very good! AND HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!

Good. Good Friday

Good Friday- this is as dark as it gets, folks.  I took away most of the Lenten purple, added a lot of black, crosses, burlap (sackcloth) and rope that I chain stitched ( to represent our sin-bound souls) and the circles are gray paper ( the coins that Judas was paid for his betrayal). There are three spikes (made from styrofoam) in the lower right hand corner- a little hard to see in the photo. Sadness all around.....but we know what's coming!!!!

week six

this week I added some paper 'palms' and one cross in the middle as we anticipate Palm Sunday.....Here's an uncropped picture below so you can see just how big a space this is in :)  It's interesting to me, that's it's challenging to 'get it right' the first time...otherwise it creates extra trips up and down a long staircase on my old arthritic knees to lower and 'fix' it. It rarely is perfectly what I was shooting for......like the one palm on the lower left that is quite a bit lower than everything else. I have to be careful not to get TOO low, or it obstructs the screens on the projectors :) As is the case here, I've just decided to 'let it ride' and see if it's ok. I'll be able to preview it tonight at our last Lenten Service (Holden Evening Prayer....which is one of my personal faves!!!) and adjust it before Sunday if needed. On to Jerusalem we go.....

week five

This week, I added some darker fabrics, and some black ribbons. Plus some burlap ribbon. I want it to represent repentance, and the 'messiness' of our sinful lives- it's all kind of 'cattywhompus'- like we are :) 

week four

just a few adjustments :) i tied some things up that were hanging low, and added some darker fabric and ribbons......things are going to get progressively darker as we head forward to Good Friday. i have so much fun doing this- i know alot of folks don't even notice it.....but i do, and somehow i hope it points others to Jesus.  

week three

so this week, I kind of moved everything around a bit, and added some more purplely goodness. there's less 'swooping' than last week. funny, I always tell myself that "I'll make it smaller this time" but nope, I can't help myself, it seems :) it does inhabit a really big space way up in the ceiling....so..... in the weeks to follow, it will start getting progressively 'darker' in nature.....until the Holy Week influence when it almost makes me cry to put it together.....ah, the tender heart :) 

week two

thought I'd try a night picture and see if that helps.....not so much. I added a few strands of some thing called 'tree tape' that I found at the good will- it looks like crumpled brown paper bag ribbon- love it! And of course a few more purple ribbons and fabrics. I will try to get a better shot hopefully sometime soon. good grief. so embarrassed.

my favorite Parament......

Ash Wednesday

Well, this is my offering for Ash Wednesday and the first week of Lent. Seriously, I need to figure out how to photograph these things better! It's so much prettier in person. I am going to add to/change it a little each week as we go through the next 6 weeks. I think that this year I'm going to commit to 'adding' something rather than 'giving up' something......more random acts of kindness sounds good to me. Gettin' my ash in church tomorrow :)

happy day of love

of course, every day is a day we can love and be loved- because He first loved us! thankful for family and friends who love me, and for my Jesus who loves me unconditionally. hope you're able to give some love away today!

advent

hey there! guess i kinda went 'awol' on my blog....sorry about that. here's my latest Advent offering at church- just took it down yesterday and put up a smaller green one....looking forward to Lent :) you can't see it very well in the photo, but the dark blue swags are actually plastic table cloths- the cheapo ones from the dollar store! they drape very nicely, and of course, cheap is often better in mass quantities :) you also can't see the small mirror tiles i glued to fishing leader, that sparkle in the light. AND the LED star on the very bottom, which was on a timer that i set to come on during the evening services. All very pretty, imho :) there's a whole lotta glittery ribbon on here too....you can always tell when i've been messing around with the centerpiece because it looks like a 

glitter bomb' went off on the floor :)  (and my floor at home, where i rewind the ribbons before storing them.......bonus deal! heh heh) God Bless!