This is a 6-part series focusing on our relationship with the Bible. Each Sunday looked at the Bible through a different lens.

Sanctuary art

For the sanctuary art, I was inspired by Lee Seung-Taek’s “Paper Tree” display. Since we were focusing on the Bible, I wanted to combine this art display with black out poetry. Black out poetry is where you take a page from a book and circle words that resonate with you. Using a black Sharpie, you black out all the words except the words you circled. The words remaining is the poem you have created.

Materials:

• large branches
• tape
• paper
• scissors
• black streamers
• staple gun

assembly

I repurposed paper from a previous sanctuary art display. Cut them into strips and wrote words that corresponded to the worship series: library, human, weapon, medicine, scrapbook, and relationship.

I stapled and taped them to the branches in between black streamers to allude to the look of black out poetry.

I hung them up like a mobile.

The bible is a library

Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

Focus: The Bible has many voices, many types of literature, compiled over a long period of time.

Children’s Book: The Library Fish by Alyssa Satin Capucilli

Songs & Hymns: O Word of God Incarnate and All to Us by Chris Tomlin

Prayer Station:

Worshippers were invited to look at a variety of pictures of Jesus Christ and write on post-its prayers and stick them next to the picture that resonates with them. They were also invited to write different names to call God on a chalkboard.

They were also invited to create their own blackout poetry from Bible pages.

the bible is human

Scripture: John 20

Focus: The Bible has contradictions, mistakes, ugly parts, and divine moments.

Children’s Book: Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg

Songs & Hymns: Yet Not I But Through Christ in Me by Jonny Robinson, Rich Thompson, Michael Farren, The Breastplate of St. Patrick, Wood and Nails by Porter’s Gate

the bible is a weapon

Scripture: Isaiah 2:1-5

Focus: The Bible has been used as a weapon, but how should it be used?

Children’s Book: Knight Owl by Christopher Denise

Songs & Hymns: Onward Christian Soldiers (The choir sang this as a lead into the sermon, where I unpacked how military imagery is used.) Your Peace Will Make Us One by Audrey Assad (2019), Julia Ward Howe (1861). This is set to the tune of “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory.” I liked the juxtaposition of this marching song set to new lyrics.

the bible is medicine

Scripture: Jeremiah 8:14-9:1

Focus: The Bible can lead to healing and be a balm for the soul.

Children’s Book: A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead

Songs & Hymns: Healer of Our Every Ill, There is a Balm in Gilead, Heal Us Emmanuel by William Cowper, Slow Me Down by Robbie Seay Band

the bible is a scrapbook

Scripture: Proverbs 4:1-9

Focus: The Bible is about people and families and the one human family.

Children’s Book: The Remember Balloons by Jessie Oliveros

Songs & Hymns: For Everyone Born

the bible is a relationship

Scripture: 2 Peter 1:5-11, 19-21

Focus: The Bible is living and we’re invited to engage with it.

Children’s Book: A Perfect Name by Charlene Costanzo

Songs & Hymns: I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me, The Servant Song, Let Us Be Known by Our Love