Icons

Icon: an image, a representation, an enduring symbol.

At Minter Lane in the fellowship building, we had a wonderful artwork by Talmage Minter showing a large oval bread with one piece cut out symbolizing the community supper. Though somewhat controversial, putting it in the fellowship building was better than putting it in the sanctuary. Because you see, our fellowship does not believe in icons or symbols.

In Exodus 16 God commands Aaron to take a portion of manna and place it before the Lord to be kept for generations to come. Aaron put it "in front of the Testimony" (v. 34) that it might be kept. Again the Israelites were reminded of the daily blessing of God.

When Minter Lane remodeled the sanctuary several years later, a beautiful blue cross was hung above the baptistery. As the cross was pulled up on the piano wire, shadows of two other crosses appeared behind it. It seemed to those watching that God was saying, "This is right; I like it." What a moment! I will never forget it.

As I look around at Highland every Sunday, I see our cross hung with purple, I see a cross sitting on the communion table, pictures by Jack and Jill Maxwell on the walls,and pictures drawn by children adorn the back walls. I am glad we are finally getting the message that icons are ok as long as we don't worship them--in fact, they are badly needed in this visual generation.

I highly recommend Henri Nouwen's Behold the Beauty of the Lord;
Praying with Icons. It helped finally liberate my rational mind and brought me to a new way of walking more closely with God.