As part of our Xmas gatherings at theStory, we put together the following Worship Installations to provoke thought and renew focus on what this season is all about. Feel free to use, tweak and reinvent the following:

1. Welcome to Our Home
Idea: Participant has to physically lower themselves (as Christ did) to see images of the world that Christ came to, our home.
Supplies: Welcome mat, photos from Century , printed excerpt from Philippians 2

2. Take Christ our of Christmas
Idea: Playing on the idea of ‘keeping the Christ in Christmas’, we reversed the thought and tried to create and image of what Christmas truly stands for today, and how it has nothing to do with Christ.
Supplies: Christmas flyers, printed text: Please take the Christ out of Christmas. Now.

3. The Big Picture
Idea: Reminding people why Christ came, and where he came to.
Supplies: Printed text: What’s the Big Picture? Jesus came into the word to save sinners; printed mural of the globe. (you can blow up any picture and make it mural size here.)

4. Voices
Idea: What have people said about Christ? Who do they think he is?
Supplies: Old school microphone, printed quotes:
“I like your Christ, but don’t like your Christians. You Christians are so unlike your Christ.” (Ghandi)
“If you want me to believe in your Redeemer, then look more redeemed” (Neitzche)
“Each one of them is Jesus in disguise.” (Mother Theresa)
“Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and myself founded empires; but what foundation did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded an empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him.” (Napoleon Bonaparte)
“Jesus does not give recipes that show the way to God as other teachers of religion do. He is himself the way.” ( Karl Barth)
“I Like this quote I dislike this quote”I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It’s just that the translations have gone wrong.” (John Lennon)
“No man ever loved like Jesus. He taught the blind to see and the dumb to speak. He died on the cross to save us. He bore our sins. And now God says, ‘Because He did, I can forgive you.”” (Billy Graham)
“The authors of the gospels were unlettered and ignorant men and the teachings of Jesus have come to us mutilated, misstated and unintelligible” (Thomas Jefferson)
“Jesus tapped me on the shoulder and said, Bob, why are you resisting me? I said, I’m not resisting you! He said, You gonna follow me? I said, I’ve never thought about that before! He said, When you’re not following me, you’re resisting me.” (Bob Dylan)
“Church isn’t where you meet. Church isn’t a building. Church is what you do. Church is who you are. Church is the human outworking of the person of Jesus Christ. Let’s not go to Church, let’s be the Church.” (Bridget Willard)
“The good news is that Jesus is coming back. The bad news is that he’s really pissed off.” (Bob Hope)

5. Xmas Comix
Idea: Taking a comical look at how Christmas is viewed and experienced.
Supplies: printed comics

6. The First Noel: The Birth of Christ under the Shroud of Genocide
Idea: Juxtaposing the lyrics from ‘The First Noel’ with Matthew 2:16’s description of the genocide caused by the birth of Christ
Supplies: Paper, knick knacks, marker

7. Out of Order
Idea: the image of the gum ball machine evokes for our community (due to the series we just finished) the idea of the broken world that we find ourselves in. However, we also understand that along with Christ we are working towards the redemption of all people and all creation.
Supplies: gum ball machine, hammer and nails, icon, broken stuff, printed text: We are Christ’s fellow Workers (Ephesians )

8. Suggestion Box
Idea: suggestion box directed at God
Supplies: ballot box, paper, marker

9. Born to Die
Idea: Remind participants of the culmination of Christ’s incarnation.
Supplies: Tree of Life image, printed text: Luke 24:44

10. Moved into the Neighbourhood
Idea: A little background info on the idea of Jesus ‘tabernacling’ or, in fact, ‘tenting’ among us. Included in this installation: historical background on ‘tabernacling’; a tent, and the Moved In short film playing on a laptop inside the tent.
Supplies: Tent, Film, Laptop, info.