When exploring alt. worship i often talk about creating a place to encounter the numinous; a place to encounter the otherness of God. The physical environment that we are in can be an aid to this, and hence the use of images, ambient lighting etc. create this kind of environment. The environment is intended to be beautiful.
I've just spent a bit of time thinking about the importance of poiesis in regard to mission - Poiesis is describe as the 'imaginative creation or representation of evocative images.' Bosch says, that people do not only need Truth and Justice but they also need beauty. Often in the debate between the priority of truth or justice we miss the profound need for beauty. I think that alt. worship, at it's best, tries to do this...
