Summer/Fall 2006 vol.27 no.2 pg.126
A Place of Encounter: Renewing Worship Spaces
by D. Foy Christopherson
The "mission statement" is a popular device for institutions and corporations to articulate general guiding principles for their life and work. In many cases, however, the mission statement is a noble project that never gets translated into practice. The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America did something unique among Protestants. In 2002, it published principles for language, music, preaching, and worship space for congregations. A consultation group of 80 representatives of the ELCA, as well as ecumenical participants, worked on this document, which is de facto a mission statement of guiding ideas for new worship resources, publications, national initiatives, as well as the life of the local congregations.
Will these principles be read and understood? Will they be implemented on a national and local level? How might the gap between theory and practice be bridged?
Foy Christopherson’s book in the Worship Matters series from Augsburg Fortress is one attempt to answer those important questions. A Place of Encounter is a concise commentary on a number of key principles dealing with worship space and the assembly. This is not a "how to" book, but a "why to" one. According to his research and experience, Christopherson gives readable explanations for use as discussion subjects for committees and adult classes. Architects and other building specialists would benefit from such a work to update their understanding of the ecumenical liturgical movement and its impact on liturgical space.
This genre of palatable and practical worship resources is vitally necessary to ensure that the Principles for Worship do not just take up space in our church's archive, but have the effect of theologically questioning the spaces where we worship.
D. Foy Christopherson, a graduate of Trinity Lutheran Seminary, has served the church as a pastor, writer, workshop leader, congregational consultant, and former director of the ELCA's art and design studio. He brings to this booklet the distilled wisdom of his work in worship, theology and the arts.
Walter C. Huffman
Dean of Chapel, Professor of Worship, Retired