4Real Forums: Piano bench as altar?

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Topic: Piano bench as altar?

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CrunchyMom
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Posted: Sept 10 2007 at 12:40pm \| IP Logged

I am planning my first presentation for CGS on Friday, and my plan has been to use our piano bench as the altar. Its a good height, size, etc...

Now, we don't have a lot of space at all. We live in a small row home in the city, and we have spent a lot of time decluttering to make it peaceful and feel more spacious; so, I pick and choose carefully the clutter that comes in. As I begin homeschooling (my oldest is three, so, I am beginning gradually) I am trying to see what can do double duty, etc...

Is it okay that the altar be something else when not being used as the altar. As I am studying the presentation and the emphasis on an altar being special and not just another table, I appreciate that. I also am trying to keep our environment ordered and uncluttered, and one more thing (like an altar) that can't do double duty is not appealing.

Would it be harmful to the spirit of the presentation to use the piano bench that will return to being a piano bench when not being used as an altar?

JennGM
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Posted: Sept 10 2007 at 12:45pm \| IP Logged

This is your atrium, and your presentations. There are no hard fast rules. You create the environment that works for you, and your double duty sounds very practical. Truly you are applying "Real Learning" to your catechesis.

You can explain to your child the difference. They do grasp the concept.

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Jennifer G. Miller
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Celeste
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Posted: Sept 10 2007 at 12:53pm \| IP Logged

I've used our piano bench as an altar before. . . .

Celeste

JennGM
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Posted: Sept 10 2007 at 1:05pm \| IP Logged

I was actually wishing I didn't have a padded bench so I could use your idea! I don't have an altar yet. I have all the mass articles but the altar!

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Jennifer G. Miller
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PDyer
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Posted: Sept 10 2007 at 1:19pm \| IP Logged

The kids use the coffee table as an altar, and I give most of our presentations there as well.

The way we use our materials has evolved over time. Currently our Mass kit is stored on the bottom shelf of a unit of five shelves in the great room, with our Mosaic books, other religious books we're reading at the moment and the current CGS presentation in a large red box. The shelf immediately above that holds a stand up crucifix, a picture related to the devotion of the month, a small double picture of the Sacred and Immaculate Hearts and a lit (at 9am -- or thereabouts -- every morning!) candle.

Before this setup I was using an old TV cart as an altar, keeping everything stored in it, in the learning room. But I found the altar wasn't getting as much attention as I would have liked, and the kids wanted to use the coffee table for saying "Mass". So I moved everything into the great room. This setup is working much better for us.

Hopefully soon I'll need to adjust again to find an appropriate location for a finished tabernacle!

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Patty
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Meredith
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Posted: Sept 10 2007 at 1:54pm \| IP Logged

We are using a nice low folding wood TV tray. It's quite ample for everything to fit nicely and I really like for the dc to prepare their altar kneeling. So far it's worked great, and I love your piano bench idea, should be wonderful!

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Meredith
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AndreaG
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Posted: Sept 10 2007 at 1:59pm \| IP Logged

I use a doll size table (like American Girl size) for the altar and a small wooden stool from the craft store for the credence table.

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Andrea
GrayFamilyCircus
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