Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Stinky Worship II: how it went...
On Friday I posted requesting help with ideas for Sunday's service (the first in our missionary society self-denial programme) I needed to make one small room at church smell really bad.
I had several really good suggestions on the blog. I was not convinced church incense could really be called "stinky" - in my youth I spent a fine Easter at Mirfield and got to appreciate scented worship! In the end I did not have time to search the $2 shops for Stephen's "fart bombs" - I wasn't sure anyway how some of the congregation would respond ;-)
And then... I remembered seeing Durian for sale frozen in the local Chinese supermarket. (While there is apparently a World Durian Festival, most sources warn that this fruit is banned on Asian Airlines because of its smell like "rotting flesh".)
So we set up four prayer stations:
The sermon included the line that "Take up your cross" (Matt 10:38) does not mean we lean against it hoping for sympathy! These ideas were all based on Tranzsend's always excellent Self Denial pack.
I hope that we manage to generate even more interest and money this year than last :) ¶ 5:48 PM
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Photo by T.Lot
On Friday I posted requesting help with ideas for Sunday's service (the first in our missionary society self-denial programme) I needed to make one small room at church smell really bad.I had several really good suggestions on the blog. I was not convinced church incense could really be called "stinky" - in my youth I spent a fine Easter at Mirfield and got to appreciate scented worship! In the end I did not have time to search the $2 shops for Stephen's "fart bombs" - I wasn't sure anyway how some of the congregation would respond ;-)
And then... I remembered seeing Durian for sale frozen in the local Chinese supermarket. (While there is apparently a World Durian Festival, most sources warn that this fruit is banned on Asian Airlines because of its smell like "rotting flesh".)
So we set up four prayer stations:
- stinky prayer: a small enclosed room in which one of our Durian-loving members cut up the fruit, whilst others prayed first for local concerns, and then for people whose lives are lived in smelly cities
- noisy study: in the church Bob led a Bible study using the KJV, whilst industrial and crowd noises were played in stereo over the loudspeakers - then people prayed for people living in noisy crowded slums
- information exchange: this group tried to get information related to our theme, they phoned my daughter who had researched the info, the trouble was she was at work at Parnell Baths - a great place for a swim, but a nightmare phone system - then prayed for people who do not have our easy access to the information we need
- hot work: this group moved rocks large (adult size) or small (large pebbles) from one side of the lawn to the other in the sun - then prayed for people with hot repetitive jobs
The sermon included the line that "Take up your cross" (Matt 10:38) does not mean we lean against it hoping for sympathy! These ideas were all based on Tranzsend's always excellent Self Denial pack.
I hope that we manage to generate even more interest and money this year than last :) ¶ 5:48 PM
[to Del.icio.us]
That sounds awesome! Way to be creative and meaningful with worship. I guess the critical comments are to be expected for people who are comfortable in their lives and their worship. One hopes that people take a moment to ponder those who cannot just "go to another" church, job, city, etc. But I admit, I probably would've laughed if I heard the anonymous critic make the comment.
Very inspiring post. Thanks for sharing.
