Beyond the Pulpit 8.10.25

Good Morning Crozet UMC Family,

When you arrive in the sanctuary today, things will look a bit brighter!

As we’ve mentioned during worship in recent weeks, the back wall of the chancel area of the sanctuary needed an update. And it happened this week! You will immediately notice the improved lighting up front!

Painting this part of the sanctuary has been a topic of conversation among leaders for some time. Honestly, it was mentioned to me during my first week here last summer, but for a number of reasons we just recently circled back to it. Our Council leaders, along with our staff, worked together to accomplish this task.

There are several reasons for this update. First, the lighting in the chancel is a challenge for speakers and musicians who use the space regularly. Simply put, it can be very dark up there! Secondly, the wood stain color created significant difficulty for producing quality video and still photography, which we try to capture frequently for in house and online promotion. Finally, while we’ve all grown accustomed to the color of the paneling and the lighting, a refreshing update was due.

The paint color is an ivory, and it was intentionally mixed to match the side walls of the chancel. That way, neither the “new” paint nor the “old” would look dingy. A flat finish was selected because any sort of “satin” finish creates a sheen on video (which we have to consider because we have hundreds who view our services online each week). This choice for paint is intended to reflect the existing light and “brighten” up the chancel space, making it easier for the musicians, better for still photography and video quality, and best of all create a cleaner, fresher look.

And the good news is…all of this has been accomplished! When I first walked into the sanctuary after the primer had been applied, before I even rounded the corner into the chancel, I could tell the whole area was brighter. Our Praise Team rehearsed in the space on Wednesday evening and had rave reviews.

As we come to the close of summer, our AV Team will work to adjust the spotlights with the new backdrop to optimize lighting for our services. Additionally, we are in the midst of having a portable drum riser constructed for our drums. This will make it easier to transition from our 9am Praise Team set up with the band for Contemporary Worship to our 11am Choir set up for Traditional Worship.

Thank you for your patience and for your affirmation of these changes. Paint and a drum riser may seem unimportant to some, but they ultimately make a big difference for both our worship leaders and participants. I am grateful for the positive collaboration among our staff, leaders, and worship team, who are always working hard to improve the worship experience here at Crozet UMC. I am grateful to serve and grow together in faith through meaningful and Spirit-filled worship for all.