AWE-some Wednesdays
Martin’s Lutheran Church, Casselton

What does AWE-some Wednesdays stand for?  Alternative Worship Experience

What is AWE-some Wednesday?
-	an intergenerational, interactive worship and education experience for the whole family
-	the arts incorporated with the Biblical message in a way that allows the entire family to learn about God and to grow in discipleship together
-	a new way to see, hear, touch, and taste the Gospel message for people who are open to creative expression and new ways of experiencing the Spirit of God
How does it work?
-	we gather in a circle in the church fellowship hall, not in the sanctuary
-	the first 20 minutes are spent reflecting on a Psalm or Scripture, in quiet meditation, guided reflections, and use of relaxation techniques that lead to the Communion Table for a chance to share the Meal each week
-	the next 20 minutes or so, a Biblical story focusing on the theme is shared, and a variety of techniques, like small group discussion, pairs, large group discussion or journaling are employed to engage the participants in responding to the story interactively
-	the next 45 minutes are spent engaged in a creative endeavor to make the story or theme come alive for the participant and help them use all of their senses in embracing the Biblical message
-	the final minutes, the group re-gathers in a circle for a time of shared prayer concerns and mutual support
Who are you reaching with it?
-	families who want an active way to worship together (children under 6 go to a separate class if they wish during the middle section, to help them incorporate the story)
-	people who have been turned off by organized religion or who are merely seeking to give their children “cultural Christianity” by bringing them to church school
-	people who are attending worship already, but who are not being fully fed by the traditional or “contemporary” model of worship
-	individuals who want to use all of their senses in worship and have more involvement in an interactive worship experience
-	teenagers who are seeking to find a voice in the church
-	anyone who believes they might be fed by an experience that incorporates the arts and the Biblical message in a dynamic worship and learning experience
What have you done so far?
 We use thematic programming, working on a single theme and art project for several weeks, to allow more time to invest into the project and the learning process.
Themes include:
•	the role of the Spirit in our lives and painting from our Spirit fed center
•	our brokenness and God’s mending ways and mosaics
•	servanthood and creating gifts for other
•	creating a new thing and collages

What are your hopes for the future?
-	to continue to hone and improve our model and eventually share it with others
-	to share with others an exciting way of breaking the mold of worship and yet remaining faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ
-	to share to our vision that worship isn’t optional, how we worship is