Sally Morgenthaller @ TN Annual Conference, Session 3

Live blogging Sally Morgenthaller’s presentation to the TN Annual Conference 2009

  1. Starts out with a clip from Ice Age
    1. How would you tell some of the parables in images like was done in the clip?
    2. Henri Nouwen saw the great painting of the prodigal son in Leningrad, which opened up the entire painting, leading to an entire book.
    3. Art opens up varieties of experiences, allowing the Holy Spirit to work.
  2. Practical matters about multisensory worship
    1. Start slow – maybe as little as 3 minutes a month
    2. Process matters – process over product
    3. Steps to get started
      1. Off Site – get off site which will allow ideas to flow.
        1. Comfy. Electronics available. White Board and flip charts.
        2. Food – People are more creative around food
      2. Pastors need to think of themselves as an artist, because you are.
        1. You build stories, metaphors, etc., which have visual and other implications.
        2. You are the key storyteller and theological guide
      3. Starting off, think of two people you can work with, who are not like you.
      4. Meet two times a month – two hours.
      5. When you meet, set a theme or texts.
        1. Give folks some idea of where you want to go.
          1. Folks have to bring some idea to “show and tell” related to that theme or text.
        2. Spend the first 45 minutes in float time, talking about all the various ideas.
          1. You can’t say, we’ve never done that before.
          2. You can’t say, that will never work.
          3. You cant’ say, we don’t have enough.
          4. Throw out all ideas available
        3. Narrow down to two or three ideas
          1. This is the point to talk about time limits, budget, or what resonates the congregation.
          2. Turn around the “we don’t have” conversation to “What is it that we DO have….”
          3. Deal with logistics in the second meeting
        4. Not trying to do a production. Trying to capture or create a moment.
      6. Choose your one idea and work that for a month.
        1. Maybe it needs to be a catalyst service.
          1. Outside of the normal Sunday morning time.
          2. Possibly done outside the normal worship setting
          3. Ideas from the Floor
            1. Last night of VBS as a multisensory worship experience
            2. The Unveiling
            3. Father’s Day – GRASS Fishing, with fish having bible verses and having the service in the grass
            4. Performance of Jesus Christ Superstar
    4. Questions and Answers

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