“I'm wondering if you have a digital photo of worship at your church - something that is more recent that somehow communicates the core of your worship expression. It may be a photo of the meeting space set up for a special event, or it may be something else. It can be very simple. A "window" into worship at your church.”

Well, Eric, it is something else. And not a very simple answer, but what you choose to post after you digest my digression can be very simple. The following is just background, you can pick and choose “your view” from our pew. Please don't post this as a whole! Total Overload!

Your email started me thinking about what I see, versus what participants see. Does familiarity change “the view from the pew”? And more importantly, it leads me to wonder, “Can God be viewed from the pew”?

My son has always said that red is always different, never the same format or style, so actually red is always the same because it is always different. Interesting view point. Has red become “common”? Has exploring worship become mundane?

So often we are so comfortable in our home town setting that we miss some of the best parts of our city. People from all over the world probably see more of the highlights of Chattanooga than we do. As part of worship, we, as a group, looked at TripAdvisor's top 10 places not to miss right here in the “scenic city”. There were some places on the list that we didn't even know existed! Some Chattanooga visitors stated in their TripAdvisor comments that they have traveled over three hours just to eat at the #1-rated restaurant, St. Johns. I love good food, yet I've not dined at this premier establishment run by Chef Daniel Lindley, a James Beard Award nominee 2009 and 2010, a mere 2 minute (if you have to wait for the traffic light) drive from where we worship.

After a lively discussion, we read Mark 6. Jesus in his home town. It is a sobering passage and an opportunity for critical assessment of our own spiritual mediocrity. Then I explained your request. A photo, (and I added or a drawing, poem . . . ) of their view from the pew. I suggested that their response could be literal, figurative, emotional, spiritual or, well--no limits on definition of the task.

We had several visitors that afternoon. I was interested in what their “view from the pew” would be. Three of the visitors were present when we started at 2 pm with a delicious home-made Chinese meal complete with egg rolls and spring rolls. They came from a culture of weekly church attendance and had been “invited” to red by a friend. Four of the visitors came around 4 pm, they had heard through the “grapevine” that red has good food. Hmmmm, spiritual or physical? They ate the few crumbs that were left and I ordered out for a platter of Jimmie Johns sandwiches to be delivered. They didn't have a history of church culture. They missed the “Bible” study, but I don't think they missed an encounter with God..

Color! Julie and Julio said, “The first impression was so much color! We noticed the red congas in the hallway”! Later when I asked the other group of "evening" visitors they also replied, “Color! When we walked in, we saw so much color everywhere. It looks so comfortable and intriguing, full of surprises, warm and friendly.”

No one mentioned “food” even though there was not a grain of rice or a crumb of Jimmie John's left.

The “regulars” snapped pictures, some wrote “snowball” poems, and 7-year old Will drew a picture of a “wild goose”, then asked me to take a picture of the “wild goose” flock that we painted and have flying by the front door. Here are a few of their views. So take your pick—which would be your virtual view from the pew?

Drew's view from the pew: The red light. The light means a lot to me because I helped install it. I see a blood drop.

Jen's view: The lights. Modern Ikea, Retro eBay, lots of different styles and shapes of light.

Joelle's view: "Do You See The Point" --"I do!"

Matt's view: The Faces. "Whisper" I remember painting the "earthquake" face. It was the weekend after Katrina. Chaos. Calamity. New Orleans. Where was God? He was not in the earthquake, He was not in the fire, He was not in the Wind. But He was in the whisper in the cave. The whisper in the dark attic above the rising storm surge waters. This is what I see from my "pew".

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Will's view: I see the Wild Goose!

"Wild Goose" flock that we painted last March. They fly from the wall and from the ceiling near the front door.

John's view: "i, I did not know" It is one of my favorite pieces of worshipart. It reminds me that God travels down. God is here. i want to know. We created this on Christmas red 2004.

Heather's view: Wait! What's this? A new look At an old concept Bible stories retold in art Food for body and for Soul Colors and words breaking past our walls Inner walls built to function through our days But we forget that there is more to see Open eyes are windows for warm light to fill me

Jessica's view: "Beyond Zebra" My favorite worshipart. God is beyond imagination. God is real. Pay attention! When you hear the clippity clop of hooves in Central Park, look! It might not be a horse, it might be a Zebra!

Larkin's view: The "people" near the bathroom. (Paul Prodigal and not in this photo: Roxy Prodigal)

Eric's view: #1 El God will bless planet altered creating community

Daniel's view

Cheryl's view: Children, tired. Storytime and "nap" in the gallery. Refreshing

Dell's view: Keyboard! Harmony. Color. Music. Worship.

Sarah's view: red God's red bricks of red one trail in red a room filled with red shinning lights, brilliant gleams of red mosaic people, one mission, love shades of red different colors, yellow, blue and pink, all red zebra, ladder, geese, cups, talk of our God in red Are you ready to meet the Universe King at red? Father, Son and Holy Spirit words dripping red one God, one mission, love shades of red open arms life anew in red brilliant white from crimson red dare to believe red cross blood red blood red red

My view: "Prodigal God". Do you see Him? This picture has a long but rich and multi-layered story. It is part of the "Prodigal God Saga" of reds from January 2009 to April 2009, which included Roxy Prodigal, Paul Prodigal, and the Elephant Parable. It is the most precious gift from an intimate God given in real-time. Do you see Him? Once you see Him, you will never be able to look at this picture without seeing Him. You will never walk in to this place without seeing Him. Yes, God is that much in love with you! You are adoRED!   This is not a retorical question, Eric! Do you see Him?