Sumac Seasons

Leslie Anderson from Fremont Wesleyan Church in Fremont, Michigan brings us this season-changing design.

From Leslie: We are in a season of change. Our previous pastor is gone and we are entering a season of searching for a new pastor, re-exploring who we are and encouraging our congregation to continue (or to begin) to follow Jesus and to serve within His church. The trees and fall colors represent our season of change. The metaphor in the middle changes weekly. This week it is a boat as we talk about sacrifice. After Jesus told the disciples to cast the net on the other side, they caught a huge abundance of fish. This was their livelihood, and the catch would add great income. Jesus then asked them to leave that catch behind to follow him. We are asked what we are willing to sacrifice to follow Jesus.

The trees are large sumac. They are fairly light and have character. **Be sure to know how to identify sumac from poison sumac!** I stripped the leaves off the trees with gloved hands…. very easy. We stood the trees in Christmas tree stands. We had to screw the stands to the floor because these are not balanced like a Christmas tree! We then strung fake fall leaves into fishing line and held them in place with crimping beads. These were strung sparsely on the trees with many dangling as if falling. This gives great movement in the light. These are lit with LED Par lights in green, red and yellow. On this week, we lit the boat with 2 LED Pars and a blue spot. It gave the effect of water around the boat.