May 23 2009
Sunday Blues? Try a Liturgical Banner!
By Allie Maylett
Director of Liturgical Dance, Décor, and Ferns
St. Roberta Parish, Lancing, MI
Is your congregation slow to respond? Do parishioners seem resistant to liturgical involvement, or distracted by that boring old tabernacle? I bet I know what the problem is—not enough banners!
Liturgical banners are a great way to brighten up any opening procession; a neon pink set of butterflies dancing on a vibrant green background will soothe the soul and prepare the mind for worship. And if you’re working with an older church, a well-placed banner can effectively block mega-depressing statues of saints in various stages of death. You can’t go wrong with a little bit of felt and a whole lot of “Yay, God!”
Try one of these at your parish’s next Guitar/Zither/Kazoo Mass:
-Flingy Banners
Flingy banners are attached to the ends of flexible poles and tossed back and forth as the procession makes its way up and down the aisle. These are best composed of nylon or hemp—preferably hemp, due to the charming odor the material emits during the waving.
Be creative with your flingy banners! One parish I know of in Nebraska attached open vials of red glitter to its flingy banners for Pentecost, resulting in an exciting shower of Holy Spirit sparkles for the parishioners fortunate enough to sit on the ends of the pews. However, take care that flingy banners with doves or sparrows on the ends are not flung too closely to open flame. (I would explain further here, but the pending lawsuit prohibits elaboration.)
-Banners Involving Wine and Wheat
These are a must-have for a First Communion! If you’re short on cash, try visiting your local grocery store or wine shop for discarded cartons or posters. I tried this for St. Roberta’s First Communion last year — these blessed second graders and all their parents, siblings, and godparents entered the church to find images of Boone’s Farm, Thunderbird, and Wild Irish Rose greeting them from the altar. It was a true triumph of ingenuity and liturgical art.
-Seasonal Banners
Where to begin! I once saw a banner with an image of Christ crowned with thorns on one side and happy and smiling on the other—what better way to communicate the message of Lent and Easter than with a sad Jesus/happy Jesus banner, flippable as the season dictates?
Advent and Christmas offer endless opportunities; two years ago, our congregation was hailed by a “Kringle Countdown” series—“Four shopping weeks until the Feast of Christ’s Nativity!” “Two shopping weeks!” and so on. When Christmas arrives, try thinking outside the banner box… but not too far! Don’t stray from your nylon! This year, I am planning on a life-size inflatable nativity scene, which the children should love.
No matter how you festoon your worship space, never forget that your banner should be as bright, eye-catching, and potentially mesmerizing as possible. Your creation will be sure to keep the congregation’s attention exactly where it should be at all times!
