The congregation has always been involved in the creation of the church and its beauty, from quilting the banners, painting the artwork, singing and playing the music, to even building the building.
Creativity has been a part of the history of Emmanuel since our building was originally founded as a mission parish of the American Lutheran Church, when members of the congregation built the church we worship in today. The sanctuary has a simple Scandinavian feeling of beauty, dominated by its A- frame pine ceiling. This mid-century, modern sacred space provides amazing acoustics for our musical offerings.
Every Sunday, Emmanuel has fantastic music led by Edie Emerson at the Piano. Our services use a combination of music from our Lutheran and Episcopal traditions as well as from the wider church. We take joy in the seasonal choir offerings presented to our church by our volunteer choir. Feel free to ask our musicians about joining this group, as we are always looking for additional voices to elevate the prayer and praise of the people of God at Emmanuel. To listen to recordings of our music, please visit our YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/@emmanuellutheranepiscopalmaine.
Fiber Arts: Banners and Quilting
Emmanuel has some great fiber arts, a lot of which we have created over the years, along with many beautiful banners and altar frontals we have inherited from both Lutheran and Episcopal churches in our history. Over the years, we have also hosted many quilting events. We continue to use our artistic talents to offer glory to God through a beautiful riot of color and pattern presented through the fabric arts of our yearly liturgical cycle.
Nancy Merrill shares her Women of the Bible Quilt. Each panel of the quilt represents a woman from the biblical narrative depicted through color and design.
Lenten stations of the Cross
Throughout the season of Lent each year, Emmanuel displays stations of the cross. These are artistic depictions of the day of Jesus' crucifixion. Through these images, we are encouraged to journey with Jesus from his judgment before Pilate, through the streets of Jerusalem, to the cross and the grave. This simple but beautiful storytelling method is a seasonal offering that enables us to enter into the journey of Christ's passion.
Stations of Creations-Season of Creation
Artwork created for our Church during Season of Creations and hung with care for all to enjoy!
Last supper window
The Stained glass window of the Last Supper from Saint Mark's Episcopal Church in Augusta is a lasting Legacy of the artistic beauty of one of our ancestral communities that existed in Augusta for several hundred years. The Eucharist is at the heart of our weekly worship at Emmanuel, and like this image is a reminder of the last supper Jesus shared with his disciples. Upheld in a halow of lavish blues, this image gives our central act of worship its original intimate setting, with Christ’s disciples gathered close around him as he blesses bread and wine.
The Crucifixion by Carl G. Nelson
Depicted in Nelson’s vivid style, with darkened sky and blocks of blood red, this image of the crucifixion of Christ is disturbing and disjointed. Capturing the pain and the suffering of Christ's final moments and God’s identification with humanity in our deepest suffering. The crucifixion shows the lengths God’s love is willing to go to save all of us and this painting captures that exstream drama of God’s committement.
Rock of Ages by Carl G. Nelson
Depicting a large rock sitting in the middle of the wilderness, this image captures the immovable nature of the presence of God as the rock of ages. With subdued colors and strong horizontal elements, it captures the solidarity and firmness of God‘s presence within the world. Just like the ancient rock it depicts, and paradoxically, like a ship sailing on a high sea.
Christ the King by Carl G. Nelson
A vivid depiction of Christ wrapped in a military robe and topped with a crown of thorns. This is Jesus mocked and despised at his final judgment before Pilate. Cubist, colorful, and dramatic, this painting presents the jarring pain of Christ in this moment of the miscarriage of justice. Yet he is willing to look out in love upon a world that would judge his message of mercy with violence. This is Christ with us when we are at our worst.