I have jokingly said that I try to have as few meetings as possible. Of course, that's wishful thinking and, truth be told, many important details cannot be taken care of unless there's a gathering of minds with the goal of putting a plan into action. In this regard, I'd like to share with you the work I'm doing with three committees, two of which are new.
The first is the Iconography Committee - me (chair), Malcolm Smith, Linda Kees, Martha Gyllenhaal, Keith Gruber, and Kent Cooper. This committee is charged with the task of identifying key areas in our new building (both on the school and church side) that present opportunities for distinctive New Church symbolism. In this committee, we discuss thematics (what doctrines, key New Church ideas, could be represented in the building), and we discuss suitable mediums (stained glass, existing logo/seal, paintings, murals, etc.) with the goal of commissioning an artist or two (or three) to do the actual artwork, the iconography.
The second is the Naming Committee - me (chair), Kiri Rogers, Kirsten Huff, Kurt Asplundh, David Childs, and Greg Henderson. I know, it's not a very exciting name, but let me explain the work it involves. This committee is charged with the task of identifying areas in the church and school building that lend themselves to “telling our story” to honor our New Church history, both in terms of individuals and the community at large. We have a brand-new campus, a new "canvas" if you will, to tell our story. It's an exciting project because we want our schoolchildren to know how we got to where we are today, and we want the same educational opportunity for the broader Bryn Athyn Church community, plus visitors. Mediums we may use are small, tasteful plaques and historical markers, in memoriam or donor bricks/paths, graphic timelines along a corridor, photographs, quotes, etc.
The third is the Building Dedication Committee - me (chair), Kiri Rogers, Kirsten Huff, Phil Feerrar, Reed Asplundh, Jim Adams, Fauve Nash, and Nina Dewees. This committee’s work will be done in a few short weeks as we prepare for the Building Dedication (September 20), but I mention this because there are important details to consider. We have many people to thank for making this new building possible, and it's an important moment in time to call the community together to re-dedicate ourselves to the spiritual purposes on which this church and school were founded.
The work of the first two committees is going to take time. It’s just a start. I will keep you posted on the progress, and please feel free to reach out to any of the committee members listed if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions.