A weekly blog of Creative Ideas for Leading Worship
Digital Storytelling
Our Church in Pictures – Seeing God in the Everyday
Discover how everyday photos can become a tapestry of grace.
Worship is both an art and a craft, blending spiritual sensitivity with creative imagination.
Here’s an idea that brings these elements together – turning everyday moments into shared spiritual reflections.
This activity invites congregation members to supply one or two recent digital photos that, for them, represent God’s presence, a moment of grace, or an act of service. These images are then compiled into a short, unscripted photo montage, (perhaps accompanied by reflective background music), and shown during the service.
The result is a collective glimpse of the “everyday divine” that weaves together the lives of the congregation into one shared story.
Why Embrace Our Church in Pictures?
1. Finding God in the Small Things
God is not only encountered in grand gestures but is also present in the seemingly insignificant moments of daily life. Asking people to capture these moments deepens awareness of God’s presence in their routines and relationships. A photo of sunlight on a garden path, a shared meal, or a neighbourly kindness becomes a testimony of grace.
This activity cultivates mindfulness and gratitude, extending worship beyond Sunday into every pocket and purse.
2. Fostering Community and Connection
Worship is fundamentally about connection – with God and with one another. Sharing personal glimpses of grace creates a “handwoven cloth of meaning” that builds unity and shared identity.
Seeing a friend’s photo of a quiet prayer corner or a neighbour’s snapshot of serving at a foodbank fosters empathy, mutual understanding, and the recognition that we are part of one whole, strong family.
3. Engaging Through Visual Storytelling
Visuals speak powerfully in worship, capturing the imagination of all ages. A photo montage is an act of storytelling through image, prayer, and reflection – a creative way to connect scripture and faith with the realities of contemporary life.
Making it Happen: Practical Steps
To introduce Our Church in Pictures, preparation and clarity are key:
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Invite Participation – In the two Sundays leading up to the service, invite congregation members to provide photos that show everyday moments where they see God at work. Photos can be taken on smartphones, digital cameras, or tablets, and emailed to you.
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Curate Thoughtfully – The role of the curator is to weave these individual images into a flowing tapestry. Compile the photos into a simple PowerPoint slideshow. Consider adding background music to enhance the experience.
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Place it in Worship – The montage works especially well during a Community Time segment, just before the Prayers of Intercession, when joys, gratitude, sorrows, and concerns are shared, or as part of an Introducing the Theme moment.
- Keep it Simple – All that is needed is a projector, a screen, and the digital images gathered from the congregation.
Worship That is Fresh and Rooted
This digital storytelling activity becomes a living testimony to God’s ongoing presence in our lives.
It invites your congregation to see and celebrate the divine in their everyday world – and to discover that their ordinary lives are woven into God’s extraordinary story.
Ngā mihi
Philip