Worship renewal week combines the arts with faith

Worship experiences don't always require an organ, hymnal or even a sermon to be meaningful. Worship can be an experiment with new elements like dance, mime or other fine arts.

Students at Southeast Missouri State University and the community are invited to learn more about worship during a week of worship renewal and the arts that begins Thursday.

The program is organized by the Association of Campus Ministries at the university and funded by an $11,600 grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship in Grand Rapids, Mich., with funds from the Lilly Endowment.

The goal for the week's activities is to give people a broader concept of what it means to worship, said Bruce Gentry, director of the Baptist Student Center on campus.

College is a time when students try new things but it's also a time they consider their faith, he said. "Worship is important to that process."

Events planned throughout the week will touch on contemporary and traditional worship elements, using creative arts in worship and seeing art as a worship experience.

As part of the worship renewal week, there will be a concert with Christian songwriter and performer Kyle Matthews, a seminar on worship and clay, a choral selection of worship music, a tour of stained glass windows at downtown churches and a teaching Mass.

When organizers first talked about applying for the grant, the project was just going to be a day's retreat. "We just kept brainstorming ideas and more people got involved," Gentry said.

And this week isn't the only element to the project. Gentry will lead a spring semester class that is an introduction to Christian worship and will touch on issues like the history of worship and theology of worship, using experts and invited guests to speak. A student retreat is also planned for the spring.

"This is a big topic, and I've learned a lot myself," Gentry said.

WANT TO GO?

Here's the schedule for the Week of Worship Renewal and the Arts.

Thursday

• Concert in an intimate setting with Kyle Matthews at 4:30 p.m. in the chapel at Baptist Student Center, 909 Normal Ave., followed by a discussion of contemporary issues in worship.

Concert at 8:30 p.m. with Kyle Matthews at Academic Auditorium.

Friday

• Experiential worship in clay with artist Keaton Wynn from 10 a.m. to noon or 2 to 4 p.m. in Memorial Hall ceramics studio.

Nov. 6

• From 10 a.m. to noon will be a stained glass walking tour of downtown churches. The tour begins at Centenary United Methodist Church at 300 N. Ellis St. Other churches on the tour include First Presbyterian and Old St. Vincent's.
• Spirit and Truth worship experience at 12:30 p.m. on the Academic Terraces will feature dance, drama and mime.

Nov. 7

• Mass through the centuries teaching service at 11 a.m., 6 and 10 p.m. Masses at St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel at Newman Center.

Nov. 8

• Building an instrument of worship through clay with professor Amy Kephart at 8 p.m. at the University Towers.

Nov. 10

• University's a capella choir presents "A Survey of American Worship" at 12:15 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church.