Art in Worship

An Idea for Personal or Group Bible and Art Time

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Perhaps you’ve heard of it, but it seems as though I’ve seen it more and more. For those of you looking for a new way to dive into Scripture or express with a small group how a specific passage has impacted you, maybe you should try Bible Art Journaling.  It seems a great outlet for those who are artistically inclined and a new lens through which to approach scripture for those of us who are not as inclined in the arts.   

Here’s an example of some Bible Art Journaling from a German group.   

https://bibleartjournaling.de/challenges/challenge-archiv/seht-wieviel-liebe/ 

 

What if... a Proposal of Art...

​I've been to some fantastic farmers markets already this summer and the really good ones always have fresh produce, live music, clear signage, and really good art pieces. This experience got me thinking about how churches have a potential to host artists from the community. Maybe put in a little different terms, I wonder what would happen if we as the church took a major role in supporting and affirming the creative energies and passions of local artists for the building and good of our communities?

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Perhaps this idea could take root by first inviting artists out of your very own congregations to display their art in your buildings, to create art pieces based on your current teaching series, to display art at your next community meal​, to invite children to do chalk art on your sidewalks near your church or possibly even to host a community art event in your space. Who knows what the result of this type of investment in our communities could be? I do believe that when we call forth the beauty and God given creativity in the people around us the grace of God is often revealed. 

To get your own creativity going... Here's a link to a guide on organizing an art and craft event:​

https://meylah.com/meylah/6-basic-principles-for-organizing-an-art-and-craft-event​

Space for the Artists in your Group

It's easy to get stuck in a rut of offering the same methods and spaces to engage with God. Sometimes it's important to have some new ideas on how to create something which will open the door for others to engage. Here are a few ideas for how you might create space for the artists in your community to engage with whatever theme you are teaching these days. 

http://www.youthworker.com/encountering-god-celebrating-art-in-worship/

A Beautiful Gift and No Place to Give It.

I wonder how the story would go... A girl walking down the street with a great big box that is wrapped all nice and neat. She passes person after person who askes, ''What's inside the box?''  "Can I show you?" she replies. Time and again as she begins to unwrap the box, but the person says something like "I don't have time for this or I'm sorry I have to go." Finally she takes this box to the one place she expects to find appreciation for her gift, the church.  She sets it down in the middle of the lobby and begins to unwrap it, "You can't do that here" says the head usher. "You'll have to find somewhere else. So she takes it to a side room and begins to unwrap her gift, "I'm sorry young lady, you can't do that here" says the teacher of the Sunday School class who will meet in that room just 5 minutes from now. So the young lady takes her gift carefully to the sanctuary. This is the sacred space where she's met with God on many occasions. She takes her gift to the front corner of the space where there is some open floor. As she begins to open it the pastor comes over, "Excuse me young lady, but this is where the communion table must go, as this is the first Sunday of the month." The young girl takes her gift and leaves the church building.

What was the girl's gift? Is this a story that play's out in our church communities as people enter our spaces with incredible gifts and talents that don't fit the normal church model? Take a look at this article to discover what some of those gifts might be and how to make space for such people.  

http://www.relevantmagazine.com/god/most-ignored-gifts-church