Worshiping Arts
Worshiping Arts
Since Solomon built the first temple in Jerusalem, Christians have created spaces for worship. Though their architecture and design has evolved through the centuries, their purpose has remained the same: a place to focus on Christ. In the rich history of Southport Pres, our worship space has evolved over the years.
For about seven years, I (Katie Dill) have been a part of a group in the church called Worship Arts, and while we have worked in many rooms in the building our primary focus has been the Sanctuary. Our goal is to create an environment and a feel of worship for people who enter through the doors. This environment can be created in many ways because every person experiences worship differently. For example, there may be a particular song we sing in worship that speaks to you. These songs can even trigger an emotional reaction for some like crying, kneeling, raising hands, and even dancing. This is a worship experience.
As part of Worship Arts, we strive to deepen people’s understanding of sermon topics, create a calm and worshipful atmosphere, and communicate emotion through visual art and design. This has been a source of great joy and inspiration for many of us on the team and in the congregation, but we also know it isn’t for everyone...and that’s ok!
More recently we began discussing our worship space and recognizing the ways in which it has aged. Our platforms have been well-used for a variety of purposes, and we have been blessed to form relationships with many groups who utilize the space. The decking built to house organ speakers and other AV components was beginning to crack and wobble. Even though we have taken great care to love our space and keep it nice, our team felt we were no longer putting our best foot forward.
Our hope and prayer is that this space can more closely reflect our mission statement. It is a space where we express our love for God. We spend time together in corporate worship and make connections with our church community as we love each other. Together, we invite the community into our worship space and give them the opportunity to connect with us and encounter Christ.
On Sunday, you might notice the space looks a little different. As COVID restrictions lift and more people become comfortable returning to in-person church, we hope our worship space can be a refuge and a holy place for everyone to continue to experience worship and encounter Christ.
For about seven years, I (Katie Dill) have been a part of a group in the church called Worship Arts, and while we have worked in many rooms in the building our primary focus has been the Sanctuary. Our goal is to create an environment and a feel of worship for people who enter through the doors. This environment can be created in many ways because every person experiences worship differently. For example, there may be a particular song we sing in worship that speaks to you. These songs can even trigger an emotional reaction for some like crying, kneeling, raising hands, and even dancing. This is a worship experience.
As part of Worship Arts, we strive to deepen people’s understanding of sermon topics, create a calm and worshipful atmosphere, and communicate emotion through visual art and design. This has been a source of great joy and inspiration for many of us on the team and in the congregation, but we also know it isn’t for everyone...and that’s ok!
More recently we began discussing our worship space and recognizing the ways in which it has aged. Our platforms have been well-used for a variety of purposes, and we have been blessed to form relationships with many groups who utilize the space. The decking built to house organ speakers and other AV components was beginning to crack and wobble. Even though we have taken great care to love our space and keep it nice, our team felt we were no longer putting our best foot forward.
Our hope and prayer is that this space can more closely reflect our mission statement. It is a space where we express our love for God. We spend time together in corporate worship and make connections with our church community as we love each other. Together, we invite the community into our worship space and give them the opportunity to connect with us and encounter Christ.
On Sunday, you might notice the space looks a little different. As COVID restrictions lift and more people become comfortable returning to in-person church, we hope our worship space can be a refuge and a holy place for everyone to continue to experience worship and encounter Christ.
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