Hello Friends and Family:
Michael has been photographing for a book called ‘City Green’, on NYC parks and gardens, and he came across an art piece by London based artist Martin Creed called ‘Understanding.’ The piece is located in Battery Bridge Park on one of the reclaimed piers now reclaimed for a park. The word ‘Understanding’, spelled out in 10 ft high letters, is lit by red neon lights and rotates on an eye beam at changing speeds.
It is of course begging the question of, ‘Understanding’- what? The artist leaves that to the viewers designation.
In this time of access through the internet to amazing amounts of knowledge it seems as though to have ‘understanding’ is a comfort and necessity for people. People tend to seek to understand God, rather than believe in God. Our rational minds demand understanding before we will allow belief. God, however, is in a spiritual world as well as the physical world we are conscious of through everyday life, he does not call us to understand him but he does call us to believe in him.
Jesus came that we could, through faith in Him, have a relationship with God.
Michael has made a short video which explores these ‘Two Worlds’. Our lives can be so busy that we often forget there is a spiritual world in action all the time and we are participants of that world, whether we are conscious of it or not. The video is intended to open up questions for people about the spiritual world and what Jesus Christ gave to each one of us by his willingness to go to the cross.
Christine led an icon writing retreat at Holy Cross Monastery which was very fulfilling for all the participants. The retreats are full of learning not only about how to write [paint] an icon, the symbolic aspects to the different steps in the ancient process but also to undergo a personal prayer journey while immersed in the creative process. People came considerable distance for the retreat and the monastery was the perfect location to remain in an atmosphere of prayer.
Here’s a video he made that weekend:
The artists dinner continues to be a wonderful opportunity for artists to share their lives and experiences. Our ministry, Kingdom Arts Ministry, is involved with the creative nature of God and of man, how creativity is part of God’s heart and can open doors for us to be in relationship with him. This month we celebrated the artist dinner with a cake, inscribed ‘We Are Art’. Artists often have to live on the outside of society even though in the truest sense the artist’s role is to reflect or guide culture.
We ask for your prayers for artists and their role in our culture. We need your prayers and support so much and are so grateful we have that!
Sending you our love,
Michael and Christine
Kingdom Arts Ministry 