July 20, 2005
By Deborah White

Altar design is moving away from a cross, two candles and a flower arrangement to more visually stimulating elements, according to a leading arts in ministry coordinator.

Linda Clemow, with First United Methodist Church in Oneonta, N.Y., was one of two liturgical artists who led workshops at the Fellowship of United Methodists in Music and Worship Arts convocation July 10-14 in San Francisco. Nancy Chinn, a multimedia artist, author and creator of liturgical art for large spaces, also led several workshops.

Interest in worship arts has increased, said Clemow, who has been coordinating the arts ministry at her church for almost six years. As word of her arts ministry has spread, church artists from around the country have sent her photos of their work.

"People really want to know how they can enhance the spiritual experience," she said. "I know the interest is there."

Clemow works closely with the pastor and worship committee at her church to plan liturgical art for the sanctuary. "Liturgical art is corporate. It needs to gather the people and focus them on worship," she told workshop participants.

"We need to involve all the senses, not just music but also the eyes," she said. "The purpose is to tell the story of God, the story of Jesus, the story of humanity ... season after season ... clearly, dramatically and visually."

Clemow, several volunteers and members of the worship committee usually create a new visual focus for the altar, or worship center, during Advent, Lent and special Sundays. "It's integrated into the whole worship package," she said.

"Learn the art of compromise and respect," she advised. "Move gently when creating change. Try something different for a specified period of time like a liturgical season. ... Pretty soon those different things will be normal."

As part of her ministry, Clemow teaches art classes and was instrumental in opening an art gallery in the church. This fall, the church plans to start a program for low-income people called My Art Studio. It will enable participants to sell art they have created in the program.

Nancy Chinn specializes in large work that is not intended to be permanent. "God needs to speak freshly to us all the time," she explained. One of her signature pieces was displayed in Grace Cathedral in San Francisco for the fellowship's closing worship service.

"Art should speak directly to our hearts and souls," said Chinn, who serves as adjunct faculty at Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Calif., and as artist-in-residence in various churches and seminaries.

"Art is not just decorative and pretty. It needs to tell a story. I never work aside from liturgy," Chinn said.

She recommended installing a drop-line system to hang large art. "We do not need to be going up and down ladders," she said. Her book, Spaces for Spirit: Adoring the Church (Cokesbury, 1998), describes drop-line systems in detail.

"The biggest message I will give you is you don't have to do this alone," Chin said, referring to large art displays. "I ask for volunteers. They love it."

United Methodist News Service
Deborah White is associate editor of Interpreter magazine, published by United Methodist Communications in Nashville, Tenn.