Hands of God – 1 Hour Ecumenical Service

This was first used as a combined service between Crossroads Methodist and Papakura Anglican. We started at Crossroads, and processed to our church. Stations were read along the way at appropriate places. No pictures were in the booklet, as it was packed with participation and real life action. This was written by Dion Blundell.

Hands of God – 3 Hour Devotional Service

This was first used as a combined service between Crossroads Methodist and Papakura Anglican. That service comes before this in this book. This service was tweaked and expanded to be a 3 hour service that used the senses and gets people involved in both action and reading. We had pictures in the booklet, and there is an example booklet on the website. I include picture placeholders below for you to find your own pictures. You’ll notice that it is divided into sections, with the right hand side containing a [_________________] for you to write in the name of the person who is going to do each section. You can distribute the booklets ahead of time to people, or you can have someone at the back handing them out, and getting involvement during the service. We have used both methods effectively. If using the hand-out-as-you-go method, the person leading needs to be ready to dive into the mix if there is no one for a section. We tend to have between 12 and 30 people come to this service. When we have 12, the leader is involved, when we have 30 there is no need.

Looking at Lent through the Passion readings – 3hr – Service

During Lent, Revd Louise Anderson devised a Lenten series, that followed the colours of the rainbow. Each colour had a theme associated with it, and bible readings were chosen from Luke’s Gospel to match the colour. Each theme and colour was painted onto a large canvas and these were hung in the sanctuary to remind us of of our Lenten Journey. To draw a continuation between Lent and the Passion, these boards were strung together into a cross and hung up for the Good Friday backdrop for our three hour devotional service. Passion readings were matched to the themes. This framed the basis of our 3 Hour Service. The character reflections were written by Angela Blundell

Looking at Lent through the Passion readings – 3hr timing handout

I have found that handing out a little slip of paper with instructions on, can help people know what and when to do, to participate in a service. Sometimes I might just highlight their section, and sometimes I might highlight, and give a slip of paper. What follows will give you an idea of what you could do.

Looking at Lent through the Passion readings – 3hr – Outline

I always spend a bit of time creating a service outline for our Good Friday Services, especially the 3 hour service. It gives those in involved a quick overview of where things are going, so you don’t, so to speak, miss the trees for the forest.

Creative Stations of the Cross – 1hr – Service

In this service we met in the hall below first. We then created these “Stations of the Cross.” Each station was cut into a big black piece of cardboard ahead of time. The black then served as the stained glass window outline. People then used the media given to them at each table to make a background to go behind each window. These were then literally put up against our worship space windows, so that they were lit from behind. It took about 15 minutes to decorate/create the backgrounds. All the preparation and trial and error was done ahead of time, so that the leaders could guide the people in how to efficiently create a background. They were given their scripture, and instructions on how to use their media. Once complete, they took it upstairs, and used BlueTack to stick it to the window. When everyone was gathered, the service continued. First off a group member read the scripture. Another then explained what they had used, and any meaning behind their artistic impression. Make sure the group doing window one are the most creative people available, so that they can mentor good explanation of their artwork to the congregation.

The artwork concept came from the Stations of the Cross by John Drawbridge at the Sisters of Compassion. Nick and Steph Brook adapted,expanded and modified the original concept. We moved from the original Roman Catholic version, so that we could do a more protestant version, without Veronica, and without Jesus falling. The PDF artwork is the work of Nick Brook.

Once prepared, the stations were decorated at the 9:30 service. They were given colour and texture:

– glitter on duraseal
– feathers on duraseal
– water based paint on butcher paper (dried with a heat gun)
– grated crayon, melted with an iron
– coffee filters, coloured with died water and food colouring (and dried with a hair dryer)
– pastels
– doilees
– fine felt tips to make a pattern on paper
– water colours
– pressed flower petals
– vivids on tinfoil
– tissue paper on duraseal

Durasel was used to over the back of most, to keep things clean and neat. Each art piece covered a window. The windows and doors not used were blacked out with black curtains, so it looked like one great big “light box.”