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Worship Visuals by Lorna Benson

Good Friday Narthex

Easter Altar

Lorna Benson is a former member of the Detroit Annual Conference Committee on Music, Worship and Other Arts. She has given workshops in the Upper Peninsula in designing of Sanctuary altars and other spaces within the church. She lives in Gladstone (41 years) and has been a member of Memorial United Methodist Church since 1970.

Some rules of thumb from Lorna:

1.	Check with your pastor and worship committee before designing the altar or other area. The sermon text or scripture for each Sunday is a great place to start.

1.	Look at the space carefully. How much area do you have to cover?

2.	What is the focal point, or the idea you are trying to get across to the viewer? If you don’t know, they won’t either. Sometimes you can write a short sentence for the bulletin to share your vision.

3.	Keep it very simple, as simple works best. Too much clutter or busyness takes away from the design and people don’t know where to look.

4.	Look at the colors of other things near your design (the walls, chairs, banners, other items in that space). Does anything clash? If so, make adjustments.

5.	Is the design “proportionately” correct? Are the flowers too large or small, candles too large or small, Bible too large or small? Use different heights and layers – some higher than others to add interest. There should be a nice rhythm an flow to the piece.

6.	When you look at the finished piece does anything “stick out”? If so, maybe it should not be in the design; either the color, size or position of something is incorrect. You may have to remove something completely.

7.	Photograph and label your work and place it in an album with acid free paper. This will give yo a record of what you have done, and help you improve on the design, plus give you an idea for redesigning something else.

8.	Most importantly, pray before you begin and thank God when your are finished!

Lenten Altar

Palm/Passion Sunday Altar