A beautiful altar always enhances the worship experience. Now that we see the altar through a camera lens, altar design is even more important. We asked Hyosang Park to tell us her she decides to arrange what we see on the altar. Working with the altar guild and the worship committee, she considers the sermon topic, the seasons and the church year, and the color of the floral arrangements.
“I am not sure most people recognize this extraordinary ministry,” says Judy Miller. “Hyosang creates such beautiful altar arrangements and puts so much thought, time, and detailed handmade touches into them.”
“Sometimes I quickly put together the altar table on Sunday morning,” says Hyosang. ‘But there are some Sundays that I prepare arrangements weeks ahead of time. For example, in the photo above, I looked for days in many web stores to find lamps to illustrate Pastor Ginny’s sermon on Thy Word is my lamp unto my feet, and Ginny helped me decide.”
“To create the altar for Thanksgiving Sunday in 2019 (on the right), I stopped my car many times on the side of the roads, to harvest beautiful reeds. Dana Dreibelbis and Lori Pantaleo also brought beautiful fall plants for me to use.”
For World Communion Sunday 2019, shown at the top of the page, Lori Pantaleo shopped and gathered the different breads and the fabrics shown. “Lori and I got together on Saturday to decorate the table. After taking a few pictures we took it down since we wanted to have fresh bread on Sunday morning. Yes, we redecorated the table Sunday morning. “
Creating Lent/Easter arrangements took few more steps then other Sundays. “First, the Worship committee voted on using white, pink and purple colors on Easter Sunday,” Hyosang explains. “Pam Nugent talked to our florist to find suitable plants for Easter. Meanwhile, my cockatiel laid 7 eggs in February. So, I decided to use a bird nest that Dana Dreibelbis gave back in 2019.
“Ideas started to float into my head, and I began putting things together in my mind first…… 1. bare tree branches, 2. empty bird nests, eggs in the nest,” says Hyosang. Cherry blossoms made out of crepe paper were glued on after Maundy Thursday service.
On Friday, following Hyosang’s color requests, Judy Miller brought pink and white tulips, pink Hydrangeas, solid deep purple pansies, and white pansies with a deep purple center. “I was so pleased by the spectacular finished arrangement,” says Judy. “Stunningly beautiful.”