Ship of Fools: Alte Nikolaikirche (Old Nicholas Church), Römerberg, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

The Mystery Worshipper

Ship of Fools: Alte Nikolaikirche (Old Nicholas Church), Römerberg, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Advent Vespers in ‘God’s living room’: an oasis of peace, rest and sanity

Read the full Mystery Worshipper report here

Urganda

Stunned. A ministry involving arts! Do we do that? I hope it isn't just telling you what pictures mean. It could embrace architecture? music? .... endless possibilities to show religion isn't just for the intellectually challenged.

Portola

This specialized inner city ministry focuses on the artwork in the many museums located on or near the Main River in Frankfurt; it involves giving tours of museums and explaining the theological dimensions of works of art, giving art lectures in congregations and using art to illustrate sermons. At the vesper service the preacher did say a few words about the character of Renaissance music. I'm sure that he can also address the theme of architecture, but music is probably secondary to him, because there are numerous church musicians in Frankfurt who competently explain music in concerts and services.

Bishops Finger

@Urganda, it depends on who you mean by 'we'!

I don't offhand know of any Anglican church which might do something similar, but a Lutheran Church in London has been offering Bach Vespers (the music of Bach within the context of the service of Vespers) for many years:
stanneslutheranchurch.org.uk/about-us/bach-vespers/

Urganda

Thank you. And for the Mystery Worshipper's report. Very interesting. I'll go as soon as I can

Nick Tamen

@Urganda, our church has a very active arts ministry, which draws both on numerous artists in the congregation and artists in the wider community. The art is primarily visual and musical, but also includes written and other forms from time to time.

The cover of the worship bulletin has artwork each week, often from here (where the artists are well-known, and in one case related to, some members of our congregation), and almost all the paraments used in the church were hand made by members of the congregation, as were banners for all festivals and seasons. And we have a few composers in the congregation who regularly write music for the choir, or sometimes hymns, so all in all a very vibrant use of arts.

We hosted a weekend retreat where members of our church and neighboring churches designed and made banners like these. Ours were hung over the nave of the church.

Our fellowship hall (parish hall) doubles as a gallery with 4 or 5 exhibits a year. Generally the exhibits are of local art, but we have hosted this traveling exhibit twice, and we also had an icon exhibit, which folks from a local Orthodox church (including the priest) helped with. Another exhibit was put together in conjunction with Syrian refugees some in the congregation have worked with, while another involved a local synagogue and a local mosque. Often the exhibits include interactive components. They draw in folks from our church and from the community. Some from the community will come back for other things, and some won’t, but that’s okay.

Those are just some examples of the kinds of things we’ve done. And while we are indeed blessed with lots of artistic types, we’re not the only congregation around here with an active arts ministry, and we get calls from other churches wanting help with starting their own arts ministries.

And this is all among a bunch of Presbyterians.

Urganda

Brilliant. That is really inspiring. Any more arts ministries in the UK?

Bishops Finger

I can only think off-hand of Our Place (backstreet C of E Anglo-Carflick), where Father NewPriest is actively encouraging everyone he can to participate, in some way, in the life of the church.

This extends to such things as a splendidly-informal Christmas/Epiphany banner, to be carried in procession (and made by the children of our monthly Youth Church), more figures (sheep/shepherds/camels etc.) for our minimalist crib set, written prayers (with ad-hoc artwork) for use at the crib, seasonal flower arrangements, and extra musical offerings by players/singers at Sunday Mass.

Nothing formal, or necessarily expert (!), or permanent, but valuable, nevertheless.

(We have a Hideous, and IMHO Ghastly, oil painting near our font. I do so dearly wish that we could pension it off to a suitable art gallery, and replace it with something more suitable, and appealing).

The artistic creativity of Humming Beans is unlimited, and indeed needs to be encouraged, especially as the Dark Years descend upon us.

Urganda

Yes. I had noticed the dark years descending. I was thinking more of seeing the arts as ways of channeling the numinous than using the arts as a missionary tool. But I suppose, as you get good at it, your missionary tool becomes a channel for everyone (eg. Bach)

Bishops Finger

I certainly agree that arts can be used to channel the numinous, and if that happens, I suppose one could say that the arts are indeed being used as a sort of missionary tool!

Urganda

Does art only become a missionary tool when it is used in the service of one particular religion?

Bishops Finger

Might it depend on how religion-specific the artwork is?

Urganda

How about something like Dec. tracery? The numbers do have significance but you don't need to know it to see the beauty. Anyway most religions go in for numerology.

Portola

In the edited version of my MW report the answers to questions 7 and 8 got interchanged and I can't seem to get the attention of the MW editor to get it corrected. My answer to question 7 "What books did the congregation use during the service?" is "None. There was a sheet listing the order of the service and the music which was sung." The editor's revised answer to question 8 "What musical instruments were played?" was placed under question 7. However, I also wish to express my appreciation for the work of the MW editors, who efficiently round off submitted reports with additional detailed information.

Amanda B Reckondwyth

You are correct. I should have caught that in proofreading. My mistake and my apologies.

Re getting my attention, we have corresponded before so I believe you know my e-mail address. But if not, it's abrmweditor@gmail.com. Alternatively, you can always PM me on the Ship. I check e-mail and PMs several times each day.

Gee D

Madame and I saw this church 35 or so years ago - we were wandering around the Römerberg. Also saw the nearby Cathedral and a couple of other interesting sites. The Römer itself is where the Holy Roman Emperors were elected, and had celebratory banquets, for many years and was still undergoing WW II bomb damage repair at the time. We liked the church very much and returned a day or so later for a service. Understood next to nothing of it of course but good to see a tourist attraction retaining its historical use.