My Experience At Holy Hill And At A Church Service

The people saw a painting of Mary as a path of communication. The people of Siena, now visually inspired to pray for the well-being and peace of the city, were ecstatic at the sight of the finished altarpiece.

My first experience at Bridgetown church was very long overdue and very interesting. Most all of my friends and family all have been inviting me to Bridgetown specifically because they all really enjoy a specific pastor there that speaks on Sunday services. I never saw the need to go, mainly because of my night shifts are scheduled so oddly I was afraid of falling asleep at a religious sermon that I was not interested in embarrassing myself at and also not wanting to go out of my way to attend something that I was not particularly interested in. Bluntly writing I did not want to waste my time to go to something I wasn’t very excited about, especially when I do not know what to expect. This assignment did give the opportunity a bigger reason and I am glad to have been able to make such an insightful visit that I may not mind trying again in the near future.

The last sentence of the poem, ““There is still murder in your heart” (14), is a powerful claim that suggests that a routine consisting of prayer, communion, or hymn singing will not dissolve the sin of the heart. However, seeing this claim from a different standpoint, this can also suggest that this dull routine is convenient when it comes to preserving an appearance of purity and grace. There is an image in the middle of the poem, “light swords” (7), that possibly represents sharp members of the congregation trying to deceive the church authorities and God. Their comfort to the routine is remarkable because it does not really make a difference at the end; the only thing that truly matters is the masked life they are trying to keep hidden. Readers may consider the arguments presented in this poem as the truth reaching out to the contemporary church and its followers to improve their relationship with

In contrast, the Cuxa Cloister, as part of the Catalan monastery of Saint-Michel-de-Cuxa, allowed monks to contemplate at their leisure (accession number: 25.120.398–.954). There wasn’t a fixed time or schedule they had to adhere to in order to access the Cloister. A pleasant pink, this marble cloister is 2,743 x 2,377 cm. Created circa 1130–40, prior to the Chapel, the Cloister also monbs to immerse themselves in nature and consider Christ’s teachings before or after mass. Being at the heart of the monastery, the centralized location of the space made it easily accessible, and a popular space for monks to wash themselves and their clothing. Yet, this space isn’t just for tending to one’s physical needs, it’s also for one’s spiritual ones. Filled with heavy symbolism, the sculptures feature mermaids, animals with two bodies and lion devouring people, to symbolize tensions between good and evil. The space, while physically open is more concerned with opening the mind and letting in Christ’s teachings in a self-guided way. Similar to the Chapel, the symbolism in the Cloister, is a visual reminder of

Critics argue that such funds, which are often used for the purpose of constructing or decorating extravagant cathedrals, ought to be used solely for the benefit of the poor and needy. In contrast, Fr. Havens expressed that all things which are good and beautiful glorify God and He has given us talents of creativity and craftsmanship that we may glorify Him. In other words, places of worship are constructed and beautified so ornately, not necessarily to be lavish or to abuse donations, but because giving and doing one’s best represents strong devotion to God and willingness to remember Him always. Our best and most beautiful creations can emphasize God’s eternal capacity to create, to organize and create life and meaning where there was only unorganized matter

The Mormon service I visited, had a few similarities but also a few distinct differences from the Catholic service that I am used to. Before this particular Sunday, I had never attended a Mormon service, nor had I spoken to anyone who believed in Mormonism or the “Latter Day Saints.” With that being said, I was welcomed much more openly than I had originally thought. Before entering, I was approached by two members of the church; two young women (sisters) between the ages of roughly 19 to 22. I arrived about an hour before service, that way I could ask a few people some questions, but the two girls beat me to the punch. They initially asked me if I had visited before and I responded saying that it was my first time, and I was attending as a student observer, with no intention of converting, but would love to learn about the faith. They nodded and proceeded to explain to me the reasons as to why they believed so strongly, and also a bit of background information on the faith. One of the girls, explained to me that there has been a lot of skepticism about Mormonism due in part to the fact that Joseph Smith Jr, was so young and how his explanation of “Moroni” (An angel no one had ever heard of), and his entire religion and the scripture used, “Book of Mormon,” could have just been a part of his imagination. The other girl told me how she was beginning to lose faith a couple years back, but she then regained it, after she experienced her own tests, and was able to get passed her

Paolo de Matteis’s esteemed work The Adoration of the Shepherds is a large painting, depicting a classic Christian Nativity scene, that is displayed in the Dallas Museum of Art. In the piece, a dozen or so individuals surround the newborn Christ and his parents, gazing at him in admiration and paying him homage while animals look serenely on and angels assemble around the heads of the Holy Family. The artist employs several classic artistic elements in his painting, such as line, light, color, and shape, to draw the viewer’s focus directly to his intended point of emphasis, the infant Jesus.

On November 22nd I went to Brooklyn Tabernacle with my best friend and her mother. I knew prior, going to this service would count as legitimate performance so much so that I could write a review on it since firstly, I remember whilst watching Obama’s 2012 inauguration ceremony on television that this church choir performed and phenomenally at that. I also knew the gist of what to expect in view of the fact that the two that I attended the church with, regularly attend Brooklyn Tabernacle’s Sunday service.

The Cathedral of Saint Paul lies in Downtown Saint Paul, MN, where hundreds attend mass daily. This 102-year-old Cathedral’s Neoclassical-like double stone pillars separate two outer doors and a main door. This main entrance is double door with a Roman vault sitting on top. The massive size of the Cathedral makes the doors look unproportionable. The entrance for the people is below the low vault, but the door for the spirit is through the above colossal vault. Inside, each door has a Roman vault above it, near tangent to the wall itself, shaping the doors below appear larger. The gold handles on these doors shape a Holy entrance, an emphasis of the importance of attending mass. The squares on the dark finished wood create a character for the

I'm known to living inside my own head. It's as if Vincent van Gogh's 'Field of Poppies' became an identical replica to associate itself as a good day for me. It's hues of remembrance and vibrancy allow my mind to feel at ease and for me to appreciate the good on the other side of life. On the other hand, I'm still trying to center my mind and emotions where its universal treatment frequently turn a van Gogh painting into a tenebrosi portrayal of Caravaggio's realistic observation of humans, which is often emotionally violent and provocative and a distraction of the feeling of numbness. To this day, my own interpretation of 'The Conversion of St. Paul' is ecstasy-filled, yet terrifying to speak about without getting too in my emotions.

In my second field experience, I’d decided to go to a Baptist church. However, I did not come from a religious background. Although I am not completely in the dark when it comes to religion I have learn about different religion through friends and books. Therefore, I thought this would be a great opportunity to finally experience a service and put my ignorance aside. Meaning the assumption and expectation I had of church service. Furthermore, it provided me the opportunity to challenge myself and my own biases I have towards going to church. Once I went to church I was surprise to see so many black people, for the first time since I moved too Greensburg, I was actual able to see a room overflowing with individual who looked just like me, my first emotion was excitement and enjoy. Some of my expectation, was something I have learned from my mother. My mother always told me that “black people churches last longer”, with this in mind I was prepare to be there for a long time. However, to my surprise it did not last as long as I’d expected it to. My overall experience, was warming, peaceful and positive.

St. Peter Claver was a humble looking church, without the towering spires or detailed architecture that some churches possess in order to fill you with worshipful awe. In fact, it would have been almost unrecognizable as a church if it were not for the relatively small silver cross that hung above the door, not even raised above the line of the roof. Walking into the church did not change the sense of humility that the outside professed. Dark wood lined the walls and floor, and made up the pews. It felt almost like stepping into a cabin that had been built in the 1970’s. Along the walls there were small portrait sized depictions of the fourteen stations of the cross. Unlike St. Agnes’s eye catching and baroque decorations, St. Peter Claver’s artwork almost blended into the background, and was not immediately visible. It appeared that the artwork mirrored the nature of the building itself, almost as if the church wanted to dispense with frivolity and maintain its focus on the practice of its faith.

From the moment I stepped into gallery 305 I felt some sort of connection. The timeframe of the artwork was relatable, the setting was familiar, and the feeling was purely magical. The sounds, oh the sounds, they reminded me of my church back home. It was angelic music, soft and heartfelt. It was the kind of music that drew hearts in, as it drew mine back in the days. It was the same music that gave me a feeling of encouragement to carry out the ways of God; the same music that made me want to repent from my sinful ways in business and day to day wrongdoings. The walls were tall and the ceiling had tinted windows. On the sides, there were glass windows made of numerous beautiful colors. They had images of people in them, just like the windows had back home. Many of the images on these glass windows were of people I knew, priest, pastors and saints. Gallery 305 felt like home from the moment I stepped in. It depicted the common holy church for

"Let us adore forever / The Lord in his good things made. / Let us adore for-ever / The Lord in all that is." (H 50,1). Adoration of God is a constant refrain in Montfort; he invites the Christian community to adore the Lord always because He is God and reveals Himself in His gifts. Montfort reunites profound elements of adoration that aid in the discovery of an authentic spirituality.

In my life I have never been a person to attend church or religious ceremonies. I have gone twice to church and I personally didn’t like because I think that one doesn’t need to go to church to worship god. I believe that as long as you have faith god would never abandon you. My experience in the Jehovah`s Witness ceremony was very interesting because they are very similar to Christianity but their believes are different.