It is the Reign of Christ Sunday and in the world it feels like everything is falling apart. Within the church there is also a feeling that depression is settling in, after a number of deaths, problems on the board, issues needing to be addressed, and property items needing attention. Individual members are grieving, sick, facing addiction, financially strapped, and close to nervous breakdowns from school, raising teenagers, older-parent care giving.
How does the Reign of Christ speak to this?
This year the sermon spoke about chaos and that it was from chaos that creation came into being; that in death came resurrection. The Word was heard in the theology of Paul Tillich and his idea that God (hope) was an integral part of abstract art of the 1950s and 60s --- that in the chaos of paint on the canvas, the artist worked out their angst (society’s angst), and then in capturing the emotion, to view the work propelled one to move forward towards creating God’s kingdom in the present.
Following the service, everyone was invited to paint out the chaos they were feeling, to paint until they had painted out their angst. Tables were set up in the hall, covered in garbage bags. Pages of finger painting paper were lined up on each side of the tables. Each paper had a dollop of blue finger paint in the middle. When the paintings were done they were left to dry.
When people arrived at church the next week for the First Sunday of Advent, the finger paintings were hung around the entire sanctuary including the chancel, a little higher than eye level when sitting down. (Blue finger paint was chosen because the works were used throughout Advent.) When one sat in the church for five minutes, the pictures actually seemed to vibrate; it was a little disconcerting. Into the chaos, and vibrating, the Word was read; the prophet’s words from Isaiah to a people in chaos. “The time is surely coming…” To sing Advent hymns of hope into chaos brought healing to the chaos in our lives.
How does the Reign of Christ speak to this?
This year the sermon spoke about chaos and that it was from chaos that creation came into being; that in death came resurrection. The Word was heard in the theology of Paul Tillich and his idea that God (hope) was an integral part of abstract art of the 1950s and 60s --- that in the chaos of paint on the canvas, the artist worked out their angst (society’s angst), and then in capturing the emotion, to view the work propelled one to move forward towards creating God’s kingdom in the present.
Following the service, everyone was invited to paint out the chaos they were feeling, to paint until they had painted out their angst. Tables were set up in the hall, covered in garbage bags. Pages of finger painting paper were lined up on each side of the tables. Each paper had a dollop of blue finger paint in the middle. When the paintings were done they were left to dry.
When people arrived at church the next week for the First Sunday of Advent, the finger paintings were hung around the entire sanctuary including the chancel, a little higher than eye level when sitting down. (Blue finger paint was chosen because the works were used throughout Advent.) When one sat in the church for five minutes, the pictures actually seemed to vibrate; it was a little disconcerting. Into the chaos, and vibrating, the Word was read; the prophet’s words from Isaiah to a people in chaos. “The time is surely coming…” To sing Advent hymns of hope into chaos brought healing to the chaos in our lives.
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