creative fuZion lab //13// cutting up celery...

Welcome to "creative fuZion lab" at designing for Philistines (on Thursdays)...
Once upon a time there was a blog kingdom where freaky creatives could share the chaos created in their minds for THE Kingdom.
Sadly, it went away. Yet the creative minds keep blogging.Now there is a place to share all those creative elements again at the creative fuZion lab on Thursdays.
So here’s what you do…
1. Each Thursday YOU post on your blog on whatever creative church element sparks your passion.
2. In your blog, link back to this weeks specific creative fuZion lab.
3. Then post the link to your particular post at the NEW Mr. Linky below.
4. Then come back and comment. If you don’t blog yet, still feel free to share your idea in the comments.
5. Then off you go. Go visit other people’s ideas, comment and share.
6. Ready to begin? Here we go. Let the creative fuZion begin.
Spread the Word.
Dorothy (vicar of vibe)


Literally running non-stop this week, getting prepared for a Passover Seder this coming Sunday. We are doing two back to back ancient/modern services. The Messianic Passover Seder this week and a Tenebrae service next week.

This is how the stage looked this week at XC. It's the end of the series.


More soon. We are having our fuZion retreat this weekend. All of our creative teams are meeting together. Worship, drama, dance, lighting, multi-media, writing, tech, video and ENHANCE. There are 30 people scheduled to attend, with two additional churches plugging into our retreat. Plus we have several generations that are attending. The youngest is 10! Exciting times!
The ENHANCE team will be prepping the experiential elements for the Passover Seder. Cutting celery, romaine lettuce and prepping salt water, horseradish and charoset, plus tons of other fun things. Pictures next week.

What are your plans for this Easter?

Sunday Set List //35// moments...

Today was one of those unbelievable days of worship. Totally rocked it out...

Worship Set 1
Amazing Love (100% rocked out! LOVED it!)

Welcome & Greet

Worship Set 2
You Are My God (edit: was trying to find out the info on this song and found out that it was written by our own Josh Sampson.)
Thank You for Loving Me

Message: Lordship of Christ (pt. 5) Guest speaker

Worship Set 3
From the Inside Out
The Stand

By the third set, we wouldn't stop. People wouldn't stop singing!

I must add; every six weeks or so, we have Josh Sampson (on electric guitar in the photos) join the worship team. He is an extraordinary worship leader. He adds the most amazing tweaks to songs that only come from God. He is able to create these "moments" in the worship music, that create a space where the Holy Spirit is able to come in and fill. It is difficult to explain, but truly inspiring to be in those moments. There were multiply moments this morning!



Sadly we haven't had any creative elements in the last 5 weeks, except the stage design. Which was fun to do. Particularly since God kept giving me more things to do with this specific element. This week on the stage design, I was going to pull the red cloth out even further, but our front rows actually get filled up. So I had to settle for only reaching it out to cover the first row.
I always find it interesting to hear what impressions people are given by the stage designs.
I create what God puts in my mind. I recognise that every bit of this comes from Him, not me.

Did you have any of those "moments" today?

This is part of a gathering of worship leaders (and worshippers) at Fred McKinnon's blog. Come sahre your Sunday Set List this week.

creative fuZion lab //12// explosions...

Welcome to "creative fuZion lab" at designing for Philistines (on Thursdays)...
Once upon a time there was a blog kingdom where freaky creatives could share the chaos created in their minds for THE Kingdom.
Sadly, it went away. Yet the creative minds keep blogging.Now there is a place to share all those creative elements again at the creative fuZion lab on Thursdays.
So here’s what you do…
1. Each Thursday YOU post on your blog on whatever creative church element sparks your passion.
2. In your blog, link back to this weeks specific creative fuZion lab.
3. Then post the link to your particular post at the NEW Mr. Linky below.
4. Then come back and comment. If you don’t blog yet, still feel free to share your idea in the comments.
5. Then off you go. Go visit other people’s ideas, comment and share.
6. Ready to begin? Here we go. Let the creative fuZion begin.
Spread the Word.
Dorothy (vicar of vibe)




Man I LOVE it. God has been exploding in my brain again! What is even more interesting is God has been exploding in another person's brain. But, more on that soon. lol.
This week at XC, we simply pulled the red cloth further out into the congregation and changed the Jesus image.
More of the same, yet not really. One thing I'm learning is that for me, the actual hands-on process begets more ideas. I was working on trying to make the slope of the red cloth, stretch further out...
In the last picture (in the slideshow) you will see where I was trying to tug the cloth out more to create almost a slide effect over the stage, seeing if we could bring the design into the actual seats this coming week. Each week working the design closer (more intimate) to the congregants. I was toying with that idea, when BAMM! God exploded in my brain yesterday.
Enough about this week. Because honestly I can't wait until this coming Saturday's stage set!

I strongly believe that when I am in God's will - He explodes in my brain. He can't be silenced. Am I the only person like this? Does God explode ideas in your brain? Please tell me how?

EXPLODE!

In the short year I’ve been styling the stage at XC. God has given me some design guidelines. One of them is:

further up, out, in…

It's a key phrase that pops up in my mind when designing an element I am always looking to expand designs further up and out. Something that reaches beyond the stage. To utilize all the air in the worship space, not just what is visually in front of our faces on the stage.And to design something that really reaches in(to) people. A new way to experience God.

I’m always amazed how when I am in God's will, God explodes ideas in my brain.

I keep trying to explain ‘how” God explodes in my brain. I’ll try again. Literally, I was looking at the Flickr badge for the creative elements design WAREHOUSE lab (see to the right). Watch how it starts with a small picture, “pops” the picture out and then back in…





















Currently the styling element we are working with starts at the back of the stage and is reaching out…
I was already planning on pulling the red cloth even further out into the auditorium.
Then I saw the flickr badge and thought, what if I pulled the design from the back of the stage and start it from the middle of the stage, then pull it out further...
Going to try it this Saturday when we style the stage...



Pop back in (next) Thursday for creative fuZion lab to see how this idea (pop) plays itself out on stage. I really think it’s going to rock!


Are you able to "see" what I am talking about?

Kings...

I saw the previews for the new show "Kings" on NBC, was somewhat interested. That was about it and then but honestly forgot about it.
Then last night after I got in from small group, saw a few tweets "anyone watching Kings..." on TweeterDeck.
Nothing more than that...

So this evening I watched it on Verizon On Demand (or Kings (on hulu)
Not sure how I missed the hype, but it's the story of King Silas (Saul) and David (the) Shepard. I thoroughly enjoyed the series premiere.
It's intentionally designed to be void of pop culture, up to and including no product placement, which I find particularly fascinating. There is far more there than I can describe tonight. Watch it and seefor yourself.
I see a sermon series coming.
So I ask, did you see "Kings"?

Sunday Set List //34// are you excited yet...

I tell you what, I am starting to flat out excited about Easter coming...

We have so much going on creatively over the next few weeks I am barely able to contain myself. Great worship, great experiential elements all to glorify the Greatest One... Of all the days, of all the Sundays, of all the events, this is the main event. The reason "Why" (coming to our set list in four weeks):

This week at XC

Worship Set 1
No One Like You

Welcome and Greet

Worship Set 2
Your Love Oh Lord
Jesus Messiah
Mighty to Save

Message: Really interesting, really packed full of great stuff...

Worship Set 3
Sweetly Broken

So, this weekend had multiple challenges for the stage design (more on that Thursday after I process the details), I just keep reminding myself I am blessed to serve; no matter what happens. "Momma said there'll be days like this" Stage design before and after for today :

A couple of questions for you today.
How bright are your house lights during worship?
Are you excited about Easter yet? Without Googling this, who sang "Momma said there'll be days like this"?
This is submitted along with several savvy singers at Sunday Set List//34// @ Fred McKinnon's blog.

1st blogiversary...

Wow, I just realized I started blogging about year ago! On another blog...CruX-the heart of the matter now dormant.
First post, I think...

And I did my first set/stage design for our worship experience at XC in February 2008. One gal (we are like two peas in a pod) and I handpainted this in her garage...
It was a series entitled imperfect church: be safe, be real, be changed...
Went for a grungy look.

I started designing for Philstines blog sometime in May. Why did I call it designing for Philistines? read here.

One year later, things have changed...
This will be the 300th post in this blog...
(I still have several more that are hang around on my other blog, that I will eventually move over here, maybe)
We've done countless designs and experiential elements. Now do stage designs every single week, in a mobile church.
The ENHANCE team (those who style the stage) has grown to 8 people, with some other in the wings...
Admin a group at flickr called flickr creative elements design WAREHOUSE lab
Host creative fuZion lab on Thursdays.
And I've made great cyber friends!

Life has changed a LOT in this past year and it keeps getting better.
I love what I do...

Do you?

gotta love facebook....

So, something really cool has happened over the last two days.

Got a facebook friend request, friended them, checked out their friends and found a friend from high school. We hung out in several of the same circles and just reconnected.

Now, I must confess I have lost track of everyone from high school. It was so long ago (Class of 1975 OMGoodness that's 35 years ago. Yes, I am that young), our h.s. was in the Canal Zone (as in the Panama Canal Zone).

Even after attending a high school reunion in 1999.

Then up pops Don Godwin. What I find is so cool is he is currently pastor of a new church start in Baja, CA. HRC Blog ministers to in his words a "skeptic petri dish". It has been neat catching up with him. Messages have been flying back and forth today! It is so great to find so who is passionate about the skeptics. All this and he has a Starbucks "Gold" card.

Back then we were called Jesus freaks.

facebook, twitter, blogs...social media. Gotta love it!

vid of the week...

This is some sweet editing...

creative fuZion lab //11// adding Jesus...

Welcome to "fuZion lab" at designing for Philistines (on Thursdays)...
Once upon a time there was a blog kingdom where freaky creative’s could share the chaos created in their minds for THE Kingdom.
Sadly, it went away. Yet the creative minds keep blogging.
Now there is a place to share all those creative elements again at the fuZion lab on Thursdays.
So here’s what you do…
1. Each Thursday YOU post on your blog on whatever creative church element sparks your passion.
2. In your blog, link back to this weeks specific creative fuZion lab.
3. Then post the link to your particular post at the NEW Mr. Linky below.
4. Then come back and comment. If you don’t blog yet, still feel free to share your idea in the comments.
5. Then off you go. Go visit other people’s ideas, comment and share.
6. Ready to begin? Here we go. Let the creative fuZion begin.
Spread the Word.
Dorothy (vicar of vibe)


___________________________________________
This week at XC...

Last week's stage design element inspired this weeks worship setlist. When our worship leader Mel, saw the design she asked if we could simply add one of the images of Jesus we have on hand (for this series). And she bridged into worship with a short spoken word about how in society we eagerly roll out the red carpet for cultural icons, stars. Yet, how often are we willing to do the same for the One who really deserves all the glory and honor?
This is the first time in my experience when the stage/set design inspired the worship set list.


I've added specific notes on the pictures in the slideshow.

DESIGN NOTES:
We style the stage with a lot of cloth and gaffer clips. If you haven't used gaffer clips before, here are some instructions on how to use them. They are a great tool.
The images of Jesus are classic images that were purchased and printed onto foam core. At a cost of $250 - $300 per image, I'm not sure I would recommend this method. The foam core is light weight, too fragile and damages extremely easily. And while the damages don't show from the seating in the auditorium, IMHO the durability is a factor when compared with longevity.

Sometimes what doesn't work, is as important to know as what works. What ideas have you tried, that didn't work as well as planned?

mickey mouse evangelism (fantastic attention to detail)...

Have you ever been to Disney? One of the greatest customer service experiences ever!

Did you know: each evening, after the guests leave the Magic Kingdom, someone quiet and unknown looks at all the hitching posts on Main St. They strip the paint off and then paint the posts so that it will dry over night.

That way when the guests arrive in the morning, each and every hitching post will be perfect and not a chip in sight.

Honestly, I don’t know if this detail is true or not. But, I choose to believe it is.

This story about the attention to details in the parks is told in a really great book Inside the Magic Kingdom, Seven Keys to Disney’s Success by Tom Connellan. I highly recommend this book.

Very few people would know that little detail, or doubtful that the guests are even aware of this phenomenon; but it’s that attention to details, the importance of things unseen that add to the guests overall experience.

Often these little things blend in and become unseen…particularly if we are dealing with them week in and week out.

For us, one of those details is the media cart on which our monitors sit, which feeds the worship service into the lobby.

When they first started at the middle school, they wrapped it with what they happened to have on hand at the time. Two black round table clothes which were safety pinned around the cart. Interesting. Honestly...didn’t notice it until I helped set up.

Enter Emily Firestone to save they day.

Emily is a person who loves to sew; what a blessing she has been in the month she has started helping us out. One, I don’t have the time but more importantly I don’t have the talent. (seriously, I staple hems) AND most importantly of all, it offers Emily a place to serve with her talents…sewing.

Always listen, always look, pay fantastic attention to the details and think out side of the box.

There are always ways to improve the professional look of the every day items we use in our weekend service.

Things that people don’t notice, but scream “tacky” to someone. It’s that attention to details that I think we often overlook.

Take a walk this week (or on Sunday if you are mobile) and look at the overall experience as seen through the eyes of a first time guest.

I look forward to sharing more on Mickey Mouse evangelism...but today I ask

What details are you able to see that need some fantastic attention?

creating mr. linky...

Trying to create a new Mr. Linky..
Finally upgraded, because I love you all...

Yippee! It works...

how to use a griff clip...

This seems rather simplistic, but we have been training a couple new people for our ENHANCE team and realized it might be helpful to include simple instructions on how to use a griff clip...



We have several griff clips pre-hung (that remain in the rafters each week). It is a simple inexpensive way to hang cloth. And adds a lot of flexibility. After the gaffers are tied onto the fishing line, the fishing line is then flung over the various light bars and curtain rods.














Pretty much if you see cloth hanging in one of our designs, that is how we do it...


XC purchased these griff clips several years ago. If I am able to find out where they purchased them, I will come back and edit.

Have you used griff clips before?

Will you consider using them now?

Sunday Set List //33// let's worship....

Well, the sun forgot to set it’s clock last night. So dark this morning. But I thought of all of you across the world waking up early, with less sleep and ready to lead God’s people in worship and I prayed.
Today I got to sit in as producer. Learning the ropes and enjoying it. But an easy service to produce.
Spent a lot of time in prayer this morning.

Worship Set 1
All Bow Down
Famous One

W & G Announcements

Bridge: This time the set design inspired the worship sets this week. Our worship leader saw the design (last week) ...













and started thinking about red carpets and how we will readily roll out the carpet for human beings, movie stars and put them on a pedestal. We don’t often do that for Christ. Today we worshiped Jesus the Christ, who sits upon the throne…



















Come back on Thursday and see how we did this set design and share your creative elements for worship at the creative fuZion lab.
Worship Set 2
I See The Lord
Glory in the Highest

Message:

Worship Set 3
Indescribable (reprise Famous One Chorus)

Everything was tight.
A couple of high lights:
Our sound tech the violinist with a countryman. Something the techs experimented with last week with the viola. The sound was superb. The violin soared.
Unbelievable transition from Indescribable and Famous One.

This is part of Sunday Set List 33 at Fred McKinnon's blog...check out what others sang to worship God today...

creative fuZion lab//10//styling the stage...

Welcome to "fuZion lab" at designing for Philistines (on Thursdays)... Once upon a time there was a blog kingdom where freaky creatives could share the chaos created in their minds for THE Kingdom. Sadly, it went away. Yet the creative minds keep blogging.
Now there is a place to share all those creative elements again at the fuZion lab on Thursdays. So here’s what you do…
1. Each Thursday YOU post on your blog on whatever creative church element sparks your passion.
2. In your blog, link back to this weeks specific creative fuZion lab.
3. Then post the link to your particular post at the Mr. Linky below. (It will pop up in a separate window)
4. Then come back and comment. If you don’t blog yet, still feel free to share your idea in the comments.
5. Then off you go. Go back to the pop up window 'Mr. Linky" and visit other people’s ideas, comment and share.
6. Ready to begin? Here we go. Let the creative fuZion begin.
Spread the Word.
Dorothy (vicar of vibe) ________________________________________________________


We are trying to create standard (set of) styling designs. Which eventually we will have a photo book which will show the implementation of each design. I’m looking at about 12 styling designs to start.
Just simple styling of the stage with cloth etc.
So, some weeks we can say “let’s do Design 7 - “zig zag” with blue shiny cloth…
So this is the first week we implemented the first standard styling design(s). How I came up with this idea here.
Which is a combo of:
Design 1 – “Roll out all the way” and Design 4- “Swoosh and Loop”
Here goes…

All this is done with gaffer clips and safety pins...
We tease and say if you are able to operate a safety pin, you could serve on our team.
Because it is true...
Then, because we are mobile and rent our facilty; we had to roll it back up on stage on Saturday. Another group was renting the auditorium Saturday evening. We had to move everything to the back half of the stage, including the screen, the instruments and the stage design. Then show up really early on Sunday to reset the front of the stage again...
Ah, the joys of being mobile!

on top of a ladder...

One of my greatest delights is that my son and his family go to XC. This means I get to see them almost every Sunday. After the children are picked up from Flipt!, they come into the auditorium to see me.
This Sunday I decided to quickly try out an idea on how to add a Jesus image to our set design for next week. So, I grabbed Beth and I climbed up the ladder...
I look down and I see my grandson Ethan and his mommy standing at the front of the stage.
I'm calling out "Ethan, Ethan, Ethan!" But no one is able to hear me, it's very loud with everyone chatting after worship in the auditorium. I'm calling and calling. And then they left. I was so disappointed. Later I got a text message asking where I had been, they were looking for me and couldn't find me...
So, I sent Ethan an e-mail with this picture, I just happened to have. Explaining where I was, when he was looking for me...

Hmmm, seriously, just had a thought. How often is God calling out to us and we don't hear Him because we don't look up?

I need to remember to look up more this week.

who made God...

Got a facebook message from a dear friend, who used to be in my youth group...
Ok....so Calib .... my 4 year old asks me yesterday - mommy who made God? He said if God made us then someone had to make God. I couldn't figure out how to answer him. I said I would have to think about that b/c it was kind of a hard question to answer and I would get back to him. So......help!!!!! Please? Thanks. love ya!

So, what would you say?

No one made, because God has always been around. Forever, and ever. That's the coolest thing about God. It's kind of like how we can look at the sky and never see the end of it...There was never a beginning to God and never will be an end to God. (Alpha and Omega) Everything else has a beginning and an end. Does that help?

three cheers!!!

So, I just got a package in the mail this morning. From the awesome Kim Bontrager, for winning a contest on her blog.

When I won, I told her I would share with my creative team.

She sent peanut m&m's and twzzlers.

But the best part was she sent a personal note, which really made my day.

We know how important saying thank you is. But, we often forgot how important.

Just this weekend I wrote notes and gave small little gifts to those who have been helping me out this year and those who are considering helping out on our ENHANCE team.

They were so tickled. So many of us are doing this for God. it nice to know we are appreciated!

Thank you Kim for making my day!

Thank you to my team members for making my year!

Thank you God for letting me serve you in this awesome way!

BTW, the snacks were delightful, the fuZe team was greatful and gobbled them up.

freebie wallpaper...

A little link love for blogging buddy Russ Huto who is offering a freebie wallpaper he designed...

Own your own free copy of an original RussHuto...

Um, need to clean my laptop screen. Going to do that now...

ugly dioramas...

O.k. I learned a long time ago, I learned to stop questioning God.
But sometimes I just don't get it.
I believe He gifts the called.
But today I am struggling with why in the world He called me to creating design elements.

I am able to come up with the ideas...
But, here is the dilemma. People want me to translate the ideas in my brain into visual interpretations. I've tried sketch-up (still trying, but not working), drawing (I'm not an artist for sure), or today's fiasco (diorama). I feel like I fail miserably.

So, I am trying to create a visual for the team to work on this Saturday.
Started with (this previous Sunday's styling design)...

Seeing this stage design a long time ago on Jim Drakes blog...













For some reason Jim's design made me think of rolling the cloth all the way across the stage and OFF the stage,
Then picking up the chiffon, we did from stage left (from the first picture) and continue following through pleating it in the middle again, bringing it over in front of the red cloth and catching the left side of the chiffon and hang it from a gaffer on back of the stage right. Like this...








That lead me to try to create a diorama that looked like this...
So,
I am praying...either I am able to learn or be better skilled, or find someone who is able to do it.
I think I need to connect with the following type of individual...someone who has a decent amount of time, that is capable of understanding what I am talking about and is able to translate the ideas into something that other people can look at (an example?).
I won't be doing a diorama again...
Or that my team has a LOT of grace and patience...
We'll see what God brings...

Check back on Thursday to see how it turned out.

How do you get ideas for your stage designs?