{"id":2126,"date":"2019-05-07T23:21:32","date_gmt":"2019-05-08T04:21:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.flcssc.org\/wordpress\/?p=2126"},"modified":"2019-05-08T15:44:18","modified_gmt":"2019-05-08T20:44:18","slug":"resurrecting-welcoming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.flcssc.org\/wordpress\/2019\/05\/07\/resurrecting-welcoming\/","title":{"rendered":"Resurrecting, Welcoming"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On Saturday,\nApril 20th<\/sup>, a whole host of disciples descended upon the sanctuary\nto provide for changes to make the sanctuary a more welcoming place to\nall.  Keeping with our mission statement\nof, \u201cLoving others in Christ for outreach to all; while providing for God\u2019s\ndiversity\u201d, multiple changes were made. \nA special thanks to our Boy Scouts who showed up and helped out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most churches\ntoday that are being built or renovated, look for a way to provide an\natmosphere that is mindful of Scripture, Reverence towards God Tradition, to\nreach the unchurched or under-churched (ones who have left organized religion).  The changes done, the council believes will\nbring about the changes needed for resurrection at First Lutheran, carrying us\ninto the 21st<\/sup> century of worship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In response to those who could not reach the communion rail to take communion due to the nature of the location, a new rail was installed.\u00a0 An offset color carpeting was installed in place of the old rail, to be symbolic of the traditional rail that had been in place.\u00a0 A new communion rail was installed.\u00a0 This rail is flexible and can be put in place and be removed as necessary, for such things as musical performances, VBS plays and Christmas Plays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

If we have\ncommunion at the rail, the ushers will dismiss from the pews in the same manner\nas we did with flow through of two lines. \nEach side of the sanctuary will go to the rail and divide from the\ncenter of the rail, towards the side they were dismissed from.  After receiving the Body and Blood of Christ,\nthen can then exit in their own timing, towards the outside of the sanctuary\nand go back to the pews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The old railing was removed, and it is stored in the basement.\u00a0 By the removal of the rail, this opened up space for an altar table.\u00a0 As you may have seen, the altar built into the wall, remains in place and is used.\u00a0 The Eucharist is first placed there and moved to the table in preparation for the words of institution and distribution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The altar table now allows for the leader to lead by facing the congregation.\u00a0 A Roman Catholic tradition is to face away from the congregation.\u00a0 Making this a vertical prayer when leading prayers and when speaking the words of institution.\u00a0 With the introduction of the altar table, there is flexibility on how to lead.\u00a0 This also does not put a focus point on the leader\/pastor as the one to carry and lift prayers to God.\u00a0 We, the body of Christ are the ministers (priesthood of all believers), keeping with Lutheran tradition and all participate in the worship service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The priesthood of all believers has no qualification on race, age or sex.\u00a0 Making a holy space to be welcomed into and participate in the worship, the \u201cPray Ground\u201d was created.\u00a0 The Pray Ground is not a new concept but has been brought into many ELCA congregations and other denominations as well.\u00a0 The first three pews along the pulpit\/lectern side were removed to make this sacred space.\u00a0 The families with children are welcomed into a space that allows them to worship, not excluded from the congregation but within the rest of the congregation as a community of believers in the body of Christ.\u00a0 Children are given a space they can call their own.\u00a0 They have a place that they can see and hear what is going on in worship.\u00a0 They tend to be quieter when they can see and hear what is going on in worship.\u00a0 They learn from other children, the appropriate behaviors during worship.\u00a0 They learn to be in worship by being in and part of worship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The lectern was\nremoved and now what was the pulpit will serve in both capacities, in many\ncases.  A lectern, according to the\nOxford dictionary is, \u201cA\ntall stand with a sloping top to hold a book or notes, from which someone,\ntypically a preacher or lecturer, can read while standing up.\u201d  Its origin is from the medieval Latin\nlectrum, from legere \u2018to read\u201d.  (https:\/\/en.oxforddictionaries.com\/definition\/lectern<\/a>)  A pulpit, according to the Oxford dictionary\nis, \u201cA raised enclosed platform in\na church or chapel from which the preacher delivers a sermon.\u201d  Its origin is from Latin pulpitum \u2018scaffold,\nplatform\u2019, in medieval Latin \u2018pulpit\u2019.  (https:\/\/en.oxforddictionaries.com\/definition\/pulpit<\/a>)  The\npulpit will now serve as a lectern and the lectern will serve as a pulpit,\nsince the structure can serve both needs and is designed as such to fit both\nneeds.  Some of the space used by the\nlectern removal was used to provide space for the communion rail and the band.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the removal of the\nlectern, the band was given an additional two feet of space.  The space was important for a couple of\nreasons.  The lectern structures no\nlonger blocks the band from leading the congregation in the service.  There is a little more space for them to be\nable to comfortably move and lead.  There\nwill be a reconfiguration of where instruments and band members are placed to\nassist in leading more effectively.  The\nband area also had a small covering wall placed in front to help hide some of\nthe microphone cords, music cords and monitors used by the band in leading\nworship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First Lutheran\u2019s sanctuary has been resurrected into the 21st<\/sup> century of worship of our risen Lord.  Through this we welcome not only those that are worshiping today but those who want to worship tomorrow.  God gives us all a mission to reach the least, last and the lost.  This newly resurrected welcoming space can provide for some of that.  Now it is up to us, the disciples of Jesus the Christ, to welcome guests, friends and members alike, into this space.  Get the word out.  Go invite.  Tell them the good news of Jesus Christ and where they can hear that Gospel, First Lutheran at 8:15 am, 10:30 am both in person and online!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Welcome to the\nresurrecting First Lutheran<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peace in the\nname of Christ who welcomes us all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pastor Doug<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On Saturday, April 20th, a whole host of disciples descended upon the sanctuary to provide for changes to make the sanctuary a more welcoming place to all.  Keeping with our mission statement of, \u201cLoving others in Christ for outreach to all; while providing for God\u2019s diversity\u201d, multiple changes were made.  A special thanks to our […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[110,37,34,36,51,53,6,49,83,117,11],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2126","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-change","category-children","category-communion","category-community","category-contemporary","category-easter","category-jesus","category-life","category-mission","category-resurrecting","category-welcoming","has-post-thumbnail","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8agoY-yi","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flcssc.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2126","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flcssc.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flcssc.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flcssc.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flcssc.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2126"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.flcssc.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2126\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2139,"href":"https:\/\/www.flcssc.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2126\/revisions\/2139"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flcssc.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2126"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flcssc.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2126"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flcssc.org\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2126"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}