Worship Symbols

Worship played a key role in the life of the Trondheim Assembly. Liturgical texts and songs can be found in the Assembly Worship book “Gloria Deo” (CEC, Geneva 2003, 222 pages), a short account of the worship events is given in the first section of the CD, “A Narrative Report”.

Here we want to record the four symbols which accompanied the morning prayers followed by bible study groups. The symbols were given to each participant as a gift and a souvenir of the Assembly.

 

The first symbol, hand made by a volunteer from Trondheim, was an illustration of the Gospel story of the paralytic of Capernaum (Mark 2). Two wooden sticks and a rolled piece of paper represent at the same time the paralytic’s mat and a Scripture scroll – the Bible as a source of empowerment. Jesus’ healing words are written on the bed/scroll: “Stand up, take your mat and go!” 



The second symbol, a gift from the Russian Orthodox Church, is an icon of the women at Jesus’ empty tomb. The icon reflected the worship theme of that day, “Jesus Christ, the Resurrected Reconciler”, and was accompanied by an ancient Orthodox hymn: “When the Women disciples of the Lord had learned from the angels the glad tidings of resurrection… they spake exultingly to the Apostles: death is no more, Christ God is risen…”



The third symbol was a small Armenian cross in obsidian, a lava stone. A gift from the Armenian Apostolic Church, its meaning was explained during the morning prayer by Father Abel Manoukian (see the text in the “Sermons & Meditations” section of the CD). 

 

The fourth and last symbol was a bookmark with the image of an old key (1715) from Trondheim’s Bakke Church. The key recalled the story of Lydia, the first European Christian (Acts of the Apostles 16), who opened her house to receive the apostle Paul as well as the newborn Christian community of Philippi. “Take this key back to your church”, was the final invitation, “as a reminder that we are called to be inclusive and welcoming communities”.