#58-The dimming of the sanctuary to watch a video/slide show in service

Not to be confused with the dimming of lights to create an intimate atmosphere to feel the Holy Ghost more in youth service during worship (future post), the dimming of the lights in the sanctuary during service usually occurs at a relaxing point in the service where everyone is encouraged to take their seats....The dimming of lights then occurs just short of causing the sanctuary to be pitch black.

Usually what is about to take place will be a video or a slideshow reflective of some concurrent presentation to inform or to persuade. Such presentations include but are not limited to:

• Missionary Video (future post)
• slideshow of a church resident's trip to some foreign land
• A clip from a movie/tv show relevant to the sermon
• A drama team's interpretation of a song
• A sign language team's interpretation of a song complete with glowing sticks

But that is not what is important to this post....

What I am concerned about is solely that weird anticipation/excitement that grows in your body as the lights dim....

It's been going on since childhood...

And essentially, as best I can identify, this excitement is the anticipation that you are not only being allowed to relax during church itself but also that you may end up being entertained within church itself. It's not that church is not entertaining , but the entertaining that happens when the

lights go out is more like the entertainment you observe when you sit down to relax and watch a movie.

Seriously, I still feel immaturely giddy deep inside my soul every time I see the giant screen being dropped down and the lights are receded at my church, and a 5 minute presentation of the country of Sri Lanka begins to play on the screen.

The feeling as the lights are dimmed during church is very similar to that of the sound of the last bell you hear as school lets out for Christmas Break.

My posture and mood go from the serious demeanor of trying to get me some God to being transformed completely to chillin out and relaxin complete with slumped posture like I was Archie Bunker/Al Bundy..

I would not being doing justice in this post if I didn't mention the great temptation the darkening of the lights brings as it is an open invitation to fall asleep during church because most likely no one will notice...

So if you do not give into the invitation of the temptation to nap during church (should it be present), you will most likely be the first one to look around as the lights are elevated to catch any other perpetrators that succombed to the gods of napping.

Sufjan Christian Song for Sufjan Stevens Week (see Post #53)-
"Vito's Ordination Song" (Someone needs to play this at their church)