Liturgical Space

Liturgical Space

Christ United Methodist Church, a vigorous
Korean congregation worships in a
cruciform, open, attractive, understated, and
welcoming space. The space employs the
play of light, a good sound system, and well
executed projection.
How does a congregation with vital faith, a
recently constructed worship space, and
ample resources ask itself, "How can we
further strengthen this space so that the
central things are strong symbols around
which we enact the gospel and heed Christ's
call to love and serve God and neighbor?"
Perhaps that is a question to ask in your
context, even if--especially if--the space was
built or renovated for some style other than
present-day liturgical worship.

I have been saying it for years and my recent experience of visiting churches only confirms the
conviction: Our worship spaces make powerful statements and when they contradict the gospel we
are trying to proclaim and embody, the space will win! (Or at least confuse the message.) This
page will challenge you and your congregation to really take a hard look at your liturgical space
and ask it some critical evaluative questions. It will also provide you with some stories and

The prospect of renovating worship spaces prompts visions
of war in the congregation and raising thousands of dollars.
That is a risk, but I am convinced that with some good
pastoral skills, combined with good understandings of the
central furnishings around which the liturgy is lived and
inexpensive moves that will greatly enhance worship.

Font: Where is it now? What does it "say"? If it were moved
to a place that is visible and accessible to the people with
water in it every week, what new statement might it make?
Where could it be placed so that it causes us to "remember
your baptism and be thankful?" On days other than
baptisms, is there any reference to, gesture or action that
takes place at the font?

Lectern/pulpit: Do you have both lectern and pulpit? How
are they used? Who uses them (if you have both)? What do
they speak about the unity of the Word read and
proclaimed? Do they exaggerate or minimize the place of
the Scriptures and preaching in worship? Would a simpler,
less imposing and single "ambo" used for both reading the
Scriptures and preaching be more hospitable, open and
freeing? Do your church have and use a handsomely
bound, large-print, contemporary translation of the Bible or
lectionary book on the lectern/pulpit that all can see as "our
book"?

Table/altar: Is the altar against the wall so that the pastor
cannot get behind it to face the people? Can it be moved? If
it can be moved, what would you have to do to win support
for doing so? If not could you fashion a table of sufficient
size and beauty that it makes a statement that the "altar"
does not overwhelm it? How could you create a sense of this
is our family table where we celebrate the Eucharist? Are
there additional surfaces where flowers, the cross, and
other thematic decorations could be placed so that the
"table" is simply open and ready for the elements and their
vessels--and perhaps candles? (Reminder--the Bible does
not belong on the altar or table--if you congregation puts it
there I will bet you dollars to donuts that neither the
altar/table or the Bible is actually used for what they were
intended! See "A History of the Altar-Table" by clicking here.

More to come....

What are your questions, experiences, and
stories about renovation and rearranging
of worship furnishings? Share them with
me and I will find ways to share them on
this page.

Here you see a very simple but strong table
and lectern at Center Chapel (UMC)
designed by the pastor/artist Ted
Lyddon-Hatten. Note the simplicity of the
table; nothing but the candles as if it is ready
to be set for the Holy Communion.

(For an extensive online bibliography go to
EnVision's by clicking here. You will need to log in.)

Renovation and building worship spaces--
1. Re-Pitching the Tent: Re-Ordering the
Church Building for Worship and Mission
by Richard Giles (Collegeville, MN: The
Liturgical Press, 2004) Thorough and
wonderful pictures. Written largely in terms of
Church of England, but well worth the read.

2. Church Architecture: Building and
Renovating for Christian Worship by James
F. White and Susan J. White (Akron: OSL
Publications, 1998). Solid, practical and very
useful in raising the right questions.

3. God’s House Is Our House: Re-imaging
the Environment for Worship by Richard S.
Vosko (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press,
2006) Another book with wonderful pictures.
Covers much of the same material as the
books above from a largely Roman Catholic
perspective, but very useful for other liturgical
traditions.

4. Environment and Art in Catholic Worship
(Bishops' Committee on the Liturgy) National
Conference on Catholic Bishops, 1978) Out of
print and no longer endorsed by the US
Conference of Catholic Bishops, this is still a
solid, simple and well illustrated book. A classic
on worship space for the post-Vatican II
reforms. You can get used copies from Amazon.

5. Holy Places: Matching Sacred Space with
Mission and Message by Nancy DeMott, Tim
Shapiro, and Brent Bill (Herndon,VA: The
Alban Institute, 2007) Paper. 257 pages. For a
review click here.

Relating Worship Space and the Mission
of God (missio dei)--
1. The Missional Leader: Equipping Your
Church to Reach a Changing World (J-B
Leadership Network Series) by Alan Roxburgh

2. The End of Christendom and the Future
of Christianity by Douglas John Hall
(Harrisburg: Trinity Press International, 1997)

3. The Incarnation and the Church’s
Witness by Darrell L. Guder (Harrisburg:
Trinity Press International, 1999)

4. The Missionary Congregation, Leadership
and Liminality by Alan J. Roxburgh
(Harrisburg: Trinity Press International, 1997)

Initiating and managing change--an
essential component of renovating and
building :

1. Memories, Hopes, and Conversations:
Appreciative Inquiry and Congregational
Change by Mark Lau Branson

2. Leading Change in the Congregation:
Spiritual and Organizational Tools for
Leaders by Gilbert R. Rendle

Worship Space Websites:

Georgetown Center for Liturgy Launches
EnVisionChurch

The Georgetown Center for Liturgy is

pleased to announce the debut of

EnVisionChurch, a new online resource for

art, architecture, liturgy and spirituality in

the

liturgical

tradition. The Georgetown

Center hopes this site will become a place

for learning, sharing and networking.

Please visit the site at:

http://www.

envisionchurch.org.

The Association of Consultants for
Liturgical Space is an organization
comprised of Liturgical Consultants,
Liturgical Design Consultants, Architects,
Liturgical Artists, and Liturgists. If you are
looking for a consultant in your area, this
site will assist you to local one suited to the
services you need.

Events and Learning
Online course
Worship Space 101:
Designing and
Renovating a House for
the Church

If you are interested in
enrolling in a future
course on worship space,
email Dan Benedict at
stlukebysea@yahoo.com.
For a more detailed
course description, click
here.
Daniel Benedict, instructor

Baptismal font and pool: St. Theresa
Co-Cathedral/Honolulu

See below:

links to related
sites
recommended
books
related events
and courses