Origin: Curated Ambient Art-Based Prayer Services for Self Denial Missions Appeal in NZ Baptist Churches, 2002
Theme:
Reflection on fishing stories in the Bible.
Mood:
Setup:
Gear:
.
Concept: A curated time and space to reflect on a piece of art and a biblical passage and use that reflection as a prompt to prayer. Specifically, the purpose of these brief services is to use the work of art as a focus for reflection on the weekly Self Denial text, leading to prayers for mission staff overseas, in New Zealand, and for other needs (particularly those prompted by reflection on the image and story.
Space: The room should be set up so it is warm, inviting and comfortable, preferably with the option of seats and cushions, in a circle or semi-circular pattern. Light levels should be low and soft. Candles would be ideal. At least have one large candle as a central focus. You could add a small cross or floral arrangement to this. Something further may be suggested by the art work of the week.
A screen with the image projected (slide, video projector or OHT) should be easily viewable by all participants. Quiet music may be playing as people arrive and the image should be up. If you want people to enter and wait in silence (or at least quietly), tell them in advance and have a sign at the door announcing eg Welcome to our prayer service, please come in quietly and sit wherever suits you… Handouts with the responsive reading, image title and artist details etc should be available at the door. (In low lighting levels white paper is easiest to read off.) It can be useful to have something that people take away with them to remind them of what they experienced and as a prompt to ongoing prayer. It would be very useful if everyone had a copy of the biblical text at each service. This could be photocopied onto the handout.
I have given very little information about each painting. You can easily find more in books or on the internet if you want it. The purpose of the introduction is to enable people to reflect on the story through the image rather than to give an art history lesson. My suggestion is that you use a similar series of questions each week to guide people. You could hold this as a brief discussion.
e.g. What moment in the story has the artist captured here?
Why might he have chosen this moment?
What is going on in the background?
What is it that you first look at? What grabs your attention? What surprises you? What do you wonder about in this picture?
What emotions are portrayed on the character’s faces, in their body positions?
What happens just before/after this moment?
What do you think the artist wants the viewer to understand about the story? Why do you think that?
I have made some particular suggestions below for each piece of art. I am not an art historian and a few minutes of your reflection on the images will produce better questions and insights than mine.
The service shouldn’t be rushed but time given for people to respond internally as well as verbally when appropriate. If you have a large group you may like to arrange several clusters of seats and cushions, all of which allow people to see the projected image. The service should last around 30-45 minutes. It is not meant to be long!
Week One: A Fishy Tale.
Text: Jonah 1/12-2/10
Image: a) Unknown, Asia Minor, Jonah cast up, marble. Cleveland Museum of Art, third quarter of 3rd Century.
b) Unknown, Asia Minor, Jonah swallowed by the sea monster, marble. Cleveland Museum of Art, third quarter of 3rd Century.
Centrepiece: Shrub, tree, bush, branch (Symbolic of the Juniper tree Jonah sat under to contemplate what God was calling him to do.)
Takeaway Symbol: a small piece of the branch.
Service Outline
- Scripture reading (3 minutes)
- Introduce image (5 minutes)
Ask (rhetorically?) What surprises you about this image? What does the sculpture tell you about the worldview and scientific understanding of the sculptor? How literally did the artist take the Jonah story? What moment/s in the story is captured here? What is left out? Why do you think the artist chose this moment to capture? In what ways is this an accurate recounting of the biblical story? Not an accurate recounting? What period in history has the artist set the scene?
- Silence for reflection (10 minutes)
- Prayers — silent and spoken (15-20 minutes)
- Benediction (Say together)
Possible Hand Out Content
A Fishy Tale.
Welcome to tonight’s prayer service for the first week of our Baptist Family’s Self Denial focus when we focus our prayer on mission. Please sit wherever suits you.
The focus tonight is the story of Jonah found in the first testament part of the Bible in Jonah chapter 1 from verse 12 to chapter 2 verse 10.
We will be exploring this through slides of the sculptures Jonah swallowed by the sea monster and Jonah cast up, marble sculptures by an unknown artist in the third quarter of 3rd Century. (Cleveland Museum of Art)
Some themes for prayer will include…
Week Two: Jesus Shows up at Lunch
Text: Luke 5/1-11
Image: Based on a Raphael cartoon. The Miraculous Draught of Fishes, tapestry, c1516-19, Rome, Vatican.
Centrepiece: icthus symbol, a fish or fishing net,
Takeaway Symbol: fishhook pierced through a small piece of card with ‘Try the other side…’ printed on it.
Service Outline
- Scripture reading (3 minutes)
- Introduce image (5 minutes)
Ask (rhetorically?) Who is the Jesus figure in this picture? What makes you decide that? What moment/s in the story is captured here? What is left out? Why do you think the artist chose this moment to capture? In what ways is this an accurate recounting of the biblical story? Not an accurate recounting? What is happening in the background? What period in history has the artist set the scene? What, if anything, particularly strikes you about this image?
- Silence for reflection (10 minutes)
- Prayers — silent and spoken (15-20 minutes)
- Benediction
Possible Hand Out Content
Jesus Shows up at Lunch
Welcome to tonight’s prayer service for the second week of our Baptist family’s Self Denial focus when we focus our prayer on mission. Please sit wherever suits you.
The focus tonight is the story of the amazingly large catch of fish found in the second testament part of the Bible in Luke chapter 5 from verse 1 to verse 11.
We will be exploring this through the painting The Miraculous Draught of Fishes , a tapestry based on a Raphael cartoon, c1516-19, Rome, Vatican.
Some themes for prayer will include…
Week Three: Jesus Does Show and tell.
Text: Luke 24/36-49
Image: Rembrandt, The Doubting Thomas, oil on panel; 53 x 51 cm; 1634. Moscow, Pushkin Museum.
Centrepiece: a crucifix
Takeaway Symbol: a nail
Service Outline
- Scripture reading (3 minutes)
- Introduce image (3 minutes)
Ask (rhetorically or have a discussion) Who is the Jesus figure in this picture? What makes you decide that? What moment/s in the story is captured here? What is left out? Why do you think the artist chose this moment to capture? In what ways is this an accurate recounting of the biblical story? Not an accurate recounting? What is happening with the other characters? Can you identify any of the others in the picture? What are they doing? What is the artist trying to say to us by their poses? What period in history has the artist set the scene? What, if anything, particularly strikes you about this image?
3. Silence for reflection (10 minutes)
- Prayers — silent and spoken (15-20 minutes)
- Benediction
Possible Hand Out Content
Jesus Does Show and tell.
Welcome to tonight’s prayer service for the third week of our Baptist Family’s Self Denial focus when we focus our prayer on mission. Please sit wherever suits you.
The focus tonight is the story of Jesus coming back to life and appearing to his followers. The story is found in the second testament part of the Bible in Luke chapter 24 from verse 36 to verse 49.
We will be exploring this event through a painting by Rembrandt, not of a scene in Luke’s story but a story from the gospel by John where one of Jesus’ followers doesn’t believe it is really Jesus back from the dead. (John 20/19-29)
Some themes for prayer will include…