One particular idea struck me: that the magi, wise men from another country, were coming to worship Jesus. The commentary said that Jewish tradition expected a pilgrimage of the nations to the God of Israel as part of the end times, and the gospel writer Matthew saw that already happening in the response of the magi. Last week the carol Hark! The Herald Angels Sing was the focus of my sermon. I talked about “peace on earth” being at the heart of Christmas. I decided we would celebrate Epiphany on January 2, and the theme would be peace on earth throughout all the nations.

Various pieces of the service started to fall together, including some elements I’ve been wanting to use.

Several years back I used the story of “The Other Wise Man” by Henry Van Dyke as my sermon. That will be my story-sermon this year.

I’ll have the children study the wise men in Sunday school.

Last year in the journal Reformed Worship, I had read about a church that gives “Star Gifts” on Epiphany. A star-gift is a star-shaped piece of brightly colored paper with a word, like “love” or “faith” or “time” printed on it. Everyone receives a star-gift in worship that Sunday and is encouraged to think about that word throughout the year. I’ll have the kids hand out star-gifts during the children’s sermon.

On msnbc.com, I found a slideshow of children from different countries, all living in New York City. Photographer Danny Goldberg talks about how he came up with the idea for the project, called NY Children.

In 2003, while driving across the United States, I stopped at a gas station in Mesa, Arizona and met Rana, a Sikh whose brother was lost to a hate crime in front of their family-owned gas station in 2001. In 2002, Rana’s second brother was working his taxicab in San Francisco when a thief took his life.

Rana’s response to these violent acts against his brothers was a refusal to hole up and live in fear. Rana said, “It is important for me to get out of my house and meet my neighbors.” By reaching out to those who might not otherwise know him, he hoped to reduce the danger to himself, his family and his community.

Driving later that night, inspired by Rana’s simple prescription to make the world safer, I was struck by the idea to photograph a child from every country on earth and find them all living in New York City. This is how I would bring neighbors together. I returned home to New York and sought the help of community builders, clergy members, educators, business people, politicians, journalists, artists, students and families. These photographs exist because of their stories, efforts and good will.

Someday I hope Rana can come to New York City and meet the children and families from NYChildren.

I’m going to show the photographs of the children during our Prayers of the People. We’ll pray for the children, the nations, our neighbors, and peace on earth.

I hope through these various worship elements we can worship the baby who came to bring peace to all the nations of the world.

During the sermon on Sunday, I shared the photographs we had taken.

Here’s the link to my sermon, and here’s the photos that I included.

Main graphic for service on the Lord's Prayer

My philosophy, which I learned from the Midnight Oil guys, is to have one graphic up for the whole worship service. I’m trying to tell the story, to get a message across, so I want all the creative elements to reinforce that message. I use a faded copy of the graphic behind all words. (I do that in Photoshop Elements, a program that costs about $80.) I don’t put nature scenes behind the words, or change the photograph with each verse of a song, or have motion backgrounds, because again, I’m trying to get a message across, not use creative elements just so people will so, “Boy, that was cool.”

Last week I was preaching on the Lord’s Prayer. I went to WorshipHouse Media to see if they had any good videos, and I found one for about $20. I could also have created a slide show in Photoshop Elements, but I liked the video. It was the Lord’s Prayer with a piano background. I was at first planning on using it after I read the scripture and before I started preaching.

I needed to find out the heart (theme, thesis, main idea) of the sermon before I chose a graphic. I had one picked out at the beginning of the week, but my sermon went in another direction. So I found this one at the end of the week. You can find graphics anywhere. Take your own photographs. Use google to search for an image (be careful about copyright). Go to worship sites (like WorshipHouse Media or other free sites). I usually go to stock photography sites because I can find what I’m looking for easier and the photographs are very high quality. If you’re just projecting the photograph, a resolution of 72 dots per inch is good (the smaller the resolution the cheaper the photograph), but if you’re going to print it, 300 dots per inch is necessary. I’m now using photographs both for projecting and for printing on cards, so I get the higher quality. They cost me about $5-10.

I wasn’t going to put the scripture passage on the screen. I lean more towards fewer words and more graphics. But I was playing with our new system to find out how big the type needed to be to be able to see it well (over 40 point type). I put one verse per screen, and I practiced reading the scripture from the screen. I loved it, because I was able to have more eye contact with people. And several people said they appreciated having it on the screen. So I’ll probably do that in the future. Again, I used my washed out graphic as the background.

During the sermon, I decided to have a slide with my main graphic and the phrase of the Lord’s Prayer that I was speaking about at the time. I don’t generally plan to have an outline of my sermon on the screen, but this worked well.

I thought about putting the video right before the sermon. I also thought about putting it right after the sermon as a “visual meditation.” I could have also used it after the prayers of the people when we normally pray the Lord’s Prayer. (This week we sang the Lord’s Prayer. I’ve had several people asking for that. “Fresh Worship” doesn’t have to be high-tech. It can be just doing something in a little different way.) We were having communion, so I finally decided to use the video during communion. It was about 2 1/2 minutes, so I played it once while we passed out the bread, and again when we passed out the juice. I heard that one of our four-year-olds was fascinated by it, although he thought the man with the arms raised was an alien.

I want the technology to be invisible. I don’t want people saying, “Oh, that was a great piece of technology.” I want the technology to help us worship deeper and remember the message longer.

I’m a visual person, so designing worship like this comes naturally to me. And because I know where to find resources, and how to use the technology (computer, screens, MediaShout software, remote, etc.), I find it easy and nourishing to my soul. If it doesn’t come naturally to you, take it slow or find someone else to work with for whom it does come naturally.

The Lord’s Prayer video

As I’m speaking about “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name” I might show this graphic on the screen. I created it at wordle.net.

Word cloud with names of God

Although I generally don’t put the scripture passage up on the screen as I’m reading it, and I certainly won’t start doing that until we have some people trained to run the computer, I might put each phrase of the passage up as I’m talking about it. Usually I use the screen for graphics rather than words, but having each phrase up might help people focus on it.

Kara Root, pastor of Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota wrote:

I need the Resurrection
because my sister is sick
and can’t afford insurance,
because I’ve told a weeping Haitian mom,
“No, I can’t take your son home with me.”
because I’ve been rushed off a Jerusalem street
so a robot could blow up a bag that could’ve blown up us.
because I’ve exploded
in rage
and watched their tiny faces cloud with hurt.
because evil is pervasive
and I participate.
I need the Resurrection
because it promises
that in the end
all wrongs are made right.
Death loses.
Hope triumphs.
And Life and Love
Prevail.

After my sermon this Easter Sunday, my lay leader and I are going to alternate reading some of these brief statements of faith. I’ll end wish the question, “Why do you need the Resurrection? What would you say, in 100 words or less?”

Reader One: In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled. This was the first enrollment when Quirinius was governor of Syria.

Reader Two: Pilate then called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and after examining him before you, behold, I did not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. I will therefore chastise him and release him.

One: And all went to be enrolled to their own cities. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.

Two: But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. So Pilate gave sentence that their demand should be granted. He released Barabbas, the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, who they asked for, but Jesus he delivered up to their will.

One: And while they were there, the time came for her to be delivered.

Two: And when they came to the place which is called the skull, there they crucified him and two criminals—one on the right and one on the left. And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

Reformed Worship has lots of ideas for Holy Week and Easter worship services. All but the last two issues are searchable online to anyone. The two current issues are searchable by subscribers only.

Sample suggests having children draw pictures of the Bible stories that you will be using in worship. And then show those pictures on a screen with music playing in the background. A great way to teach children the Bible, involve them in worship, and make worship visual.

Last year, we celebrated Palm/Passion Sunday by reading the entire passion story from Mark 14 and 15 in place of the sermon. So many times people skip from the triumphal entry to Easter Sunday. I wanted them to hear the whole story.

I was the narrator, and I assigned the other speaking parts to people in the congregation. They spoke their lines from their seats. I used Eugene Peterson’s The Message version of the Bible. I wanted people to hear the familiar words in a new way. (That doesn’t always work. I did the same thing with our Christmas Lessons and Carols. At least one person didn’t like it. At times, the familiar words are more important than hearing it in a new way.)

Any other creative ideas for the upcoming season of Lent and Easter?

Now that Christmas and Epiphany are over, let’s start thinking about Lent, Palm Sunday and Easter. In fact, let’s throw Ash Wednesday in there.

Ash Wednesday Service
Ash Wednesday is February 17 this year. Does your church usually have an Ash Wednesday service or not? Do you impose ashes? I don’t know how many Ash Wednesday services my home church had growing up, but it feels like it was always a part of my tradition. I love evening services with candlelight and ritual. I love Ash Wednesday services.

I found my favorite Ash Wednesday service online in 2000. It’s from Heather Kirk-Davidoff, Pastor of First Congregational Church of Somerville, Massachusetts, by way of Sue Hamly. Thanks to both of you!

At the beginning of the service are a few words of welcome and introduction. Then there is 20 minutes of meditation time, with keyboard music or Taize songs. People could choose to simply sit in their seats, listen to the music, and pray or reflect. Or they could visit one or more “reflection table” that was set up with a few chairs around each one.

There were four tables. At each table was clay, water, oil, or ashes. There were cards with a scripture passage, a reflection, and an action for each element.

After the 20 minute meditation period, we had a traditional Ash Wednesday service, with imposition of the ashes, taken from the Presbyterian Book of Common Worship.

Here is what I put on the cards for each station:

CLAY
Jeremiah 18:1-6
1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2“Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” 3So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.
5Then the word of the LORD came to me: 6Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the LORD. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

Reflection: One of the ways in which sin is described in the Bible is as a “hardness of heart.” Do you ever feel that your heart is hard, that it is inflexible or judgmental? Do you keep your guard up in your relationships with others and/or with God? Reflect on the way in which this is true.

Action: Take a piece of clay. Warm it in your hands and knead it until it becomes pliable. Give it a new shape – perhaps a small bowl which could symbolize receptivity to God and to God’s forgiving love.

WATER
Psalm 51:10-12
10Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me.
11Do not cast me away from your presence,
and do not take your holy spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and sustain in me a willing spirit.

Reflection: One of the ways in which we can understand Lent is to see it as “Spring Cleaning.” Just as we will clean our houses in preparation for a visit from a special guest, so we take time to examine our lives in preparation for our encounter with the risen Christ at Easter. Are there closets where you store past resentments? Clean them out! Is there a sink full of dishes with the residue of negative behaviors? Start scrubbing!

Action: Dip your hands into the water in the bowl on the table before you, and wipe your hands dry on the cloth provided. As you do so, reflect on what your life could be like, thoroughly rinsed with God’s love. Take a marble as a reminder of God’s cleansing love.

OIL
Lamentations 3:19-23
19The thought of my affliction and my homelessness
is wormwood and gall!
20My soul continually thinks of it
and is bowed down within me.
21But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
22The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
23they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

Reflection: The author of Lamentations spends most of his time complaining, both about the world’s afflictions and his own. One thought gives him or her peace: the steadfast love of God. The knowledge of God’s unshakable love, even in the midst of trouble, is finally the grease which makes the squeaky wheel of lamentation fall silent.

Action: Dip your finger in the oil in the bowl on the table before you and smooth it onto the back of your hand. As you do, reflect on the parts of your life which are stiff and squeaky – places where you are stuck, places which give you cause for continual complaint. Consider how the love of God might lubricate these parts of your life, renewing them, making them usable in a way they have not been before.

ASHES
Genesis 3:19c
19 “…you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Reflection: Ash Wednesday used to begin a season of 40 days of deadly serious penance. It included a type of fasting far stricter than most diets today, embracing the absence of all life’s pleasures and enjoyments. There is evidence that marking the face or body with ashes began in Gaul in the 6th century and was at first confined to public penitents doing penance for grace and notorious sin, whom the clergy tried to comfort and encourage by submitting themselves to the same public humiliation. For our spiritual ancestors, the people of Jewish and other Near Eastern cultures, wearing ashes was a sign of mourning and lamenting. Ashes were usually associated with sackcloth, which was the clothing worn to mourn the death of a beloved or to lament a personal or communal disaster. Humans are the only species we know of who are capable of contemplating their own death. Yet few of us do. Ash Wednesday challenges us to reflect on our own death so that we can truly embrace life. The mark of ashes reminds us that only by a Christ-like death can we experience the promise of Easter’s life.

Action: Dip your finger in the charcoal and make a cross on the back of your hand. Press firmly. (It may work best in the same spot where you have already rubbed in the oil.) Reflect on the gift of life over death symbolized by the cross. Offer this prayer: O God, may I often remember the symbol of the cross upon my hand and say, “I am dust that will return to dust, yet in You I trust.”

The first time I led this service, a family came with four children. The kids loved it! As did the adults.