JourneyOnline
One of the most powerful Easter experiences I have had was attending Albert Street Uniting Church in Brisbane City. Sure, the heritage-listed building surrounded by intricate stained-glass windows flooding warm colours down the walls is stunning, but it was a different kind of art that moved me.
Under the pulpit was the head of Christ, as seen on the cover of this edition, by artist Cees Sliedrecht.
To the left and right of the congregation were equally large and powerful images of Christ's pierced wrists and at the back, above the door, hung Christ's twisted, bloody feet.
It was a stunning reminder that as the body of Christ, a congregation needs to experience the pain of the journey to the cross to be able to share the good news that comes after it.
Hearing the haunting strains of Antonio Lotti's Crucifixus in a sacred setting can have the same profound effect.
Art and music are powerful story-tellers.
This is echoed in Marion McConaghy's article on religious art and in our stories on songwrite and the Blind Boys of Alabama.
It is easy to be too comfortable in our familiar expressions of church but Lent challenges us to move out of the comfort zone and to refocus our faith, as Moderator Rev Kaye Ronalds reminds us.
Who are you in the Easter story?
We all have our place in the story and I pray that we never feel comfortable in our journey to the cross.
For more information on artist Cees Sliedrecht visit ceesart.com or visionaries.org.au
Photo : Mardi Lumsden. Photo: Holly Jewell
