Holy Encounter

These past few months have been a flurry of activity that have had us diving into discussion and through about how we are being called to steward our sanctuary into the future. Thank you to everyone who has shown up for the conversation in any and all ways! 

The goal of this sanctuary remodel is to create a worship space for holy encounter; to clear the space of things that hinder our worship and to make choices that will enhance our ability to encounter the good things that God has for us in worship. The goal is not the building. The goal is the worship and the relationship we form with the God whom we worship in this building. 

On May 10, we had a crew of St. Peter’s folks who joined in for the Church Crawl, exploring the way other churches have created spaces for holy encounter. Here are the spaces that we visited and the take-aways that were discussed. Feel free to look these churches up and explore the spaces online.

St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church

Reflections by our members: We loved that when you walked in, there was a prominent font and a direct line from font to table to the cross, with the pulpit also featuring prominently. You knew instantly the value placed on the Word, Sacraments, and the people gathered. We loved the warmth of the wood ceiling, the natural light, the presence of lush green-ery, and the unapologetic beauty of the space. The chancel was raised and distinct but didn’t feel like a separate room. 

Holy Angels Byzantine Catholic Church

Reflections by our members: This space was nothing like us! The table and chancel were completely off limits to the congregation, the font was covered and only brought out for baptisms. It was entirely ornate, which we did not resonate with. That said, we were in complete awe of the intentionality, beauty, and theological integrity of the space. You felt saturated by the Word of God. 

First Lutheran Church, Downtown

Reflections by our members: We appreciated the simplicity of this space. The font was prominent upon entry with flowing running water (not pictured) and the place of the Word and the Meal were central. Skylights allowed for natural light without distraction of windows in a busy neighborhood. We noticed that the space utilized wood, brick, tile, metal, and desired more continuity of materials and wanted the cross to play a more central role in the design. This space is used for a variety of purposes and the group did not resonate with the multifunctional feel. 

The main takeaway of the day: Lutherans sometimes struggle with beauty because it feels superfluous and a bit too fancy for our humble taste. It can feel incongruous with our call to care for the poor. But beauty and fancy décor are not the same, and you can create beauty in a way that does not reek of money. The folks gathered felt deeply appreciative of spaces that prioritized beauty, which seems to catch not only our eyes but our hearts. 

Join us on June 22 after worship for a final congregational forum in the fellowship hall to receive a report on what we have heard and to glean and final feedback.

Peace,

Pastor Bekki