Tag Archives: Hope

…”Whatever is Lovely

May 5, 2024chaplain, Chaplaincy, Icon Retreats, icons, non denominational ministry, Prayer ministry, UncategorizedChristian, christianity, Christine Hales, church, faith, God, Hope, icons, Jesus, Kingdom Arts Ministry, Mick Hales, ministry, photography, prayer, religionChristine Hales

Michael here: I have been spending time photographing Myakka State Park and using the old cyanotype process to print the images. It gives a very rich blue color print and after much trial and error I am finally getting results I likes. It also gives me time in nature, which I find so valuable to allow all the different people interactions which occur with ministry, to mellow. Christine and I try to have a walk on the beach together whenever we can, it is a wonderful way to process some of the incidents which have been placed on the back burner during the busy times.

I hold a service, with communion, in our Memory care wing at work once a week, it may be one of the most challenging and rewarding parts of being a Chaplain there. No two weeks are the same, except I know there is going to be interference in one form or another. I read the gospel, recount a story for the scripture, sing my heart out with, ‘Jesus Loves Me This I Know’, or ‘I come to the Garden Alone.’ We all sing Halleluiahs, from Handel’s Messiah, then have communion. It is so special to see the old fingers diligently receiving the hosts off a small tray and shakily holding a small cup of wine [ the best grape juice I can find]. Even those who appeared to be asleep, minutes ago, want to receive. It is a privilege to be able to step into their awareness with Jesus, as their memories flicker of church past. I make sure I pray for each one individually, before we all wave each other goodbye. For the present, I am blessed, because I get to leave the enclosure, for them that is not a choice.

So, when I am in Myakka Park photographing, I am so grateful to be able to enjoy God’s creation, where every single detail of His creative nature reaches past my comprehension. I give thanks to be amongst His nettles and dandelions, His oaks and thistles. It is too much to reason about or analyze, but to sit as a child and give thanks for the evidence of his extraordinary loving hand. It is when we step away from God that we lose sight of God and we need help sometimes, to find Him again. There are so many appalling happenings around the world it is hard for me to not dwell in them, but Paul’s letter to the Philippians 4:8 has a better way forward.

Christine’s Mexican Daisies that she grew from seed

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Another step forward for me this last month was making the decision to increase my time as voluntary Chaplain for the homeless day center here in Sarasota, Resurrection House. This gives me the opportunity to get to know some of the people better and hopefully be more of a presence for Jesus there.

Christine has had a busy month with a major show of her icons at the Church of All Angels on Longboat Key. She also has work in two other galleries in Sarasota. She delivered a beautiful icon of Isaiah, which was a private commission and beautiful work.

Christine: Yes, it has been a super busy time for me as well. The Exhibition At All Angels Church has met with rave reviews and one of the icons has gone to a new home. which always makes me happy! Also I’m so pleased that the large red painting of “Once and Future Queen” is on display at the Define Art Gallery- we are praying that it sells and it also goes to a new home!

I’m having some much needed electrical renovations done at the studio that will be a blessing, but at the moment it is very messy and loud and disruptive! I’m trying to keep working in the midst of it all though- I’m sure you know what I mean! I had my apocalyptic horsemen rejected for a show that was titled”uncomfortable”. I’m not sure the juror understood what the four horsemen meant! Life!

Thank you all for being in our lives, we love and miss each of you, but we know that we all have each other as we all walk on our individual and God given paths. May God bless your comings and goings and be with you at the close and beginning of each day. Please keep us in your prayers.

Love and prayers,

Michael and Christine

Michael’s photographs Christine’s Icons and Paintings

Expect Miracles

January 9, 2024chaplain, Chaplaincy, Icon Retreats, icons, non denominational ministry, Prayer ministry, UncategorizedChristian, christianity, Christine Hales, christmas, church, faith, Hope, icons, Jesus, Kingdom Arts Ministry, Mick Hales, photography, prayerChristine Hales

Christmas, for Christians, Christ’s birth, is one of the most significant happenings ever to occur in this world, it is on par with Jesus Christ’s sacrificial death and resurrection. And it is a miracle! A miracle that keeps birthing more miracles is one that we don’t want to overlook!

Christmas, as a holiday celebration, can be mostly a family gathering that centers on gifts, food, decorations and carols, with a nod to Christ’s birth and a sprinkling of good wishes.

Keeping a healthy balance between those two sides of Christmas can be a challenge, but attending Advent services, reading the gospels pertaining to the birth of Jesus, they all help build an anticipation to what really is the most earth shattering reason for joy!

I always have to add to it Christmas celebrations with my own birthday on Dec. 24, and this year a memorial service, a Christmas Eve and Christmas Day service and then there is New Year’s Eve ….and it becomes something one is just glad to have come through!

My Nativity Icon at Church with myself and a friend looking at it!

But when we stand back and review the big picture, nothing else, so far, can be compared to Jesus Christ’s presence as a human being on this earth, fully human while still being fully divine.

The concept that God could have a son, to some, is fully outrageous or just plain folly. The concept of God as a trinity being in the form of a person, is equally difficult to absorb. That Jesus Christ came through a virgin’s birth and the supposed King, was born amongst animals, just goes against all reason.

And yet, for two thousand years Christmas has been celebrated and it’s significance held high through many different cultures and nations.

God is still working powerfully around the world, even when our clarity of who Christ, the Holy Spirit and God the Father are, or correctly, is and how we relate to each Person of the Godhead.

Christine and I just returned from a Global Awakening Retreat, fortunately held close to our home. It was an opportunity to look into each of the Persons of the Trinity and their interconnected indwelling. There was some excellent teaching and times of refreshing with powerful worship.

I got a word from the Lord, which has resonated through me since it dropped into my mind during a long period of holy silence, at the end of a days’ worship. ‘Stop looking back, Michael. Look toward me, your Lord.’ As I consider the many different messages in that word; of discipline, intimacy, direction, authority and security. I thank God that He loves us.

Christine’s News

We had our daughter and her family- husband and two sweet little daughters visit for the week after Christmas. Lots of fun family times and getting to know each other and bond together as a family. Michael took them to see the flamingos at Sarasota Jungle Gardens, and their other grand dad took us all for a boat ride to midnight pass! So very much to be thankful for!

I have begun two icons of early Christian Martyrs, Felicitas and Perpetua. Also getting ready to bring two large paintings to the Define Art Gallery for a February exhibition. I’ve been asked to be secretary for the Women Contemporary Artists Group I am a part of, and I’m still learning the ropes on that one. But I’m as excited as I’ve ever been to continue exploring the type of paintings God has called me to do. This year you will no doubt see some of the new work and I will look forward to your feedback.

Until next month, stay warm, and close to God. You can’t go wrong that way!

God’s Extravangance

December 1, 2019chaplain, Chaplaincy, icons, non denominational ministry, Prayer ministry, UncategorizedAdvent, America, art, Bible, Christian, church, Episcopal, Florida, Global Transformation, God, God's love, Healing, homeless, Hope, icons, Jesus, mission, photography, prayer, religion, Revival, Thanksgiving, WorshipChristine Hales

“The heavens declare the Glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork .” Psalm 19:1

The Sheer Extravagance of God

Going through a month’s snaps to find images which represent our lives for the last month, I always have to include some close ups of plants I have noticed and delighted in.

The thought, ‘the sheer extravagance of God’, came to me as I picked one of the blooms from a Floss Silk Tree which flower here in November. The trees become huge masses of pink flowers before their leaves form. Their trunks have large thorns like medieval armor.

God is extravagant not only in the beauty of what he has created but also in the huge variety. My mind is astounded and gives thanks this Thanksgiving for how God provides for us so well.

One of the stories this month was of a woman in my bible study class deciding that she wanted to give back a turkey to the homeless. She had as a child received a Thanksgiving turkey because her family was poor and she wanted to give back, now in her seventies, and she could afford it. She asked if I would help her get the turkey and deliver it when the time came. Well she talked to friends about what she was doing and slowly more people came alongside her donating for turkeys.

Well, the outcome was we bought 565lbs of turkeys and delivered them for Thanksgiving to a charity called Turning Points in Bradenton. It was God’s extravagance, each time we thought we had fulfilled the money collected, there was still more left over and we returned to the freezer to pick out some more turkeys!

Christine completed a commission of our Lady of Knock, a five by three foot painting for a school library, which was shipped out this month. The story of a vision appearing to a group of people in the Irish town of Knock, is reported by the Roman Catholic Saints website, as:

‘The apparition in County Mayo in Ireland of Our Lady of Knock is reported to have occurred on the evening of August 21, 1879, the vigil of the octave of the feast of the Assumption. Those who witnessed the miracle ranged in age from five years old to seventy-five.

The apparition was described as follows: “Our Lady was wearing a large, brilliant crown and clothed in white garments. On her right was Saint Joseph, his head inclined toward her and on her left Saint John the Evangelist. To the left of Saint John was an altar on which stood a cross and a lamb.” Standing only a few feet off the ground, the Blessed Virgin wore a white cloak and was described by witnesses as being incredibly beautiful. She wore a bright golden crown, and appeared to be praying with her eyes looking toward heaven with her arms bend in front of her with her palms facing inward.’

For Christine, this commission has been yet another wonderful opportunity to learn more about the different ways God has interacted with His church. The different streams of the church have such a rich history of how God has chosen to make himself known. It is different for all of us and we cannot judge another’s experience, only give thanks again that God cares enough to find different avenues to connect to us, His whole church. I am sure that everyone who reads this blog could give an example of how God has made himself known to them. Perhaps through a vision, or a healing, maybe through the audible word of God, or just that quiet thought which suddenly appears in our minds which we KNOW we have to listen to and act on.

In November one of the big events is Veterans day. Michael had the role of leading the service which was really well attended. So many people had served America in one of the five services and each one had a photograph of them dressed in their appropriate uniforms many years ago. For Michael it was a lesson to not look at the elderly as they appear today, but remember how active, dynamic and handsome they were when they were younger. We owe a huge debt to those who have gone before us and spent some of their best years fighting for the values that made America great. Now many are truly disheartened by what is happening in this country today and feel helpless as to what to do.

The only answer I can offer is for there to be an outpouring of prayer for healing in this nation and righteous leadership.

Jesus prayed that the church would not be divided. In many ways the church has been divided and the country is divided and it is ripe for a fall, as Jesus warned in Mathew 12:25.

Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand.’

PRAYERS FOR OUR NATION

Let us pray for this nation, without calling on the ‘spirit of politics’, which continues to be an idol against the Holy Spirit. “Make thy face to shine upon thine servant; save me for thy mercies sake.” Psalm 31:16 May God ‘s face shine upon our country and save us for His mercy’s sake.

As Christians we are called to be active Christians, not waiving that assignment to politicians. The spirit of politics may cover itself with the talk of righteousness but not the walk, as is being revealed now. ” Be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the Lord.” Psalm 31:24

Sending you all our love and prayers,

Michael and Christine Hales

Mick’s Photography Christine’s Icons Christine’s Icon Prints

Practice!

July 1, 2019chaplain, Chaplaincy, icons, non denominational ministry, Uncategorizedart, Florida, Healing, Hope, icons, Jesus, Mick Hales, ministry, photography, prayer, religionChristine Hales

Dear Friends and Family:

Confession of St. Peter Icon by Christine Hales

Christine completed the large St Peter icon commission and Father Keith Owen collected it by driving down from St Peter’s Church, Lakewood, Ohio. It underwent a quick installation to coincide with the official opening of new buildings for St Peter’s Church on Pentecost. Now she is working on some smaller icons, St Camillus and the Holy Face of Christ. It is a very different process of icon writing when the size is a lot smaller and she finds that it is always good to have a change.

Christine Hales' Icon Studio — Christine Hales’ Icon Studio

Photography

I had a quick trip to NY and Newport, RI for photography. The Newport job was in an extremely interesting property which has follies, grottoes, fountains et al. All very personal to the owner of the property. He has created all this over the last 20 years. I was fortunate to have just a short hail storm otherwise it was beautifully sunny window in a very wet spring and many beautiful photographs were had!

Chaplaincy

One of the people I visited this week with my Chaplaincy work told me that having a good singing voice takes continued practice, it is not something one keeps unless it is exercised. It was obvious to me once she had said so but I had never thought of that before. I used to sing in a choir at school but now find it hard to carry a tune through the length of a hymn.

There are so many aspects to ministry that one needs to keep on practicing so you do not lose them, which becomes a loss to you personally and also to those you are ministering to.

1 Timothy 4:14-16 says this perfectly.

¹⁴Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.¹⁵Practice these things, immerse yourself in them,^[^c^] so that all may see your progress. ¹⁶Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.

God’s Calling

Yesterday I presided over a memorial service in a Baptist church. It was for a man I had ministered to, prayed with and watched him go through the slow stages of going from life on earth to everlasting life. It was all part of the work I now have as a Chaplain in an old people’s community. I love what I am doing; teaching, praying, visiting, preaching, studying the word and caring for people in the last chapters of their lives. Quite often they have experienced very full lives and been highly trained and educated. I make many mistakes and I so often feel inadequate, but I believe God called me to that work and yet I still often hear God calling me in my head, ‘Michael, Michael I am calling you.’

I reply ‘take me Lord, what are you calling me for?’

It comes again, ’Michael, Michael I am calling you.’

Am I still not engaged as God purposes? Is there more?

Then I realize, of course there is always more. God always has more than we can imagine. What I need to pray into though is to hold fast the gifts God has given me and to keep exercising them. There is a destination to keep my eyes on and not turn around to look at my past; like a ploughman holding steadfast his course exercising his skills till the end of the furrow. God will direct my path if I keep exercising His gifts and loving Him.

Luke 9:62. Jesus said to him, ’No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’

So please keep us both in your prayers as God continues to work His will in our lives that we would truly know His purpose and destination for us.

With His Love, Michael and Christine Hales

Mick’s Photography

Christine’s Icons

Prophetic Words

February 28, 2018icons, non denominational ministry, Uncategorizedart, Christian, church, God, Healing, homeless, Hope, icons, Michael, ministry, photography, prayer, religion, Revival, ThanksgivingChristine Hales

Dear Friends and Family:

To have people pray over you as they are being led by the Holy Spirit is a life giving experience. The words they say often go deep into our hearts and resonate in our minds. Where do the words come from, which just remain with one, as if they dropped out of heaven? That is exactly where they come from. The Holy Spirit is speaking.

That just happened to Michael and the word given was that he would be ‘winsome’ to draw people to the Lord.

He had to find a Merriam-Webster dictionary to define ‘winsome’, it was not a word he was familiar with, as ‘generally pleasing and engaging often because of a childlike charm and innocence,’ some words related to winsome were listed as, ‘hopeful, optimistic, rosy, animated, lively, sprightly, vivacious and beloved.’

He recognizes these are aspects of his personality which he can have when fully activated in a leadership role but quite often take a back seat in day to day life. The child like nature can be a sword that cuts through pride, fear and unbelief and the activation comes through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

We all need words of encouragement spoken over us, whether it is a prayer situation or while we wait for a bus. We know the tongue has the power to build up or destroy. What is spoken over us as children can affect us our whole lives. Working with people who are homeless is an opportunity to speak good words into their lives no matter how brief the interaction. Just asking ‘How are you doing today?’ is a recognition of their humanity and a bridge to normality. If they have been sleeping on the streets their priority is food, the chance of a shower and to get their clothes washed. The material provisions we take for granted; a bed, shelter, food, washrooms and clothes are essential for everyone. But just as significant is a good word spoken into their life, a word of encouragement and of joy. After all Jesus Christ called us ‘beloved’, and he was talking to all of us.

So when you see homeless person put on that ‘childlike innocence’ that can cut through fear and remember they are also the beloved.

We have the perfect example when God spoke over Jesus Christ encouraging words, [Mathew 17:5]

He was still speaking when, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”

Christine has had a busy month giving a talk to the Church of the Redeemer about icons and what is happening with iconography around the world. She has also had a commission to write a large icon of St Patrick for a church near Palm Beach. She had a wonderful meeting with the priest of the church and several members showing initial drawings and discussing aspects of St Patrick’s life and ministry. The Celtic way of evangelism through building relationships with people and inviting them to come alongside the Christian life was modeled by St Patrick. This is a very wonderful commission for Christine and her heart is really in it.

Michael’s new book, City Green: Public Gardens of New York, will be published in March and he is excited to see it out.

Please keep us in your prayers and let us know how we can pray for you.

Sending you love and prayers,

Christine and Michael

Mick’s Photography site Christine’s Icons American Association of Iconographers

Hope Rocks

August 31, 2017non denominational ministry, Uncategorizedaddicition, church, Hope, prayerChristine Hales

Hi Friends and family:

Perhaps the most profound way in which our own awareness of the vulnerability of life dawns upon us is when suddenly we are surprised with the news that a friend or family member has just passed on.

Even worse than that, is to find out they took their own lives.

This is however happening more and more often with the opioid epidemic which is ravishing our communities. It is happening within people of all ages, all classes and in all locations. Drug overdoses has become the leading cause of death in America for those under 50, more than are killed by guns and car accidents together.

Joseph DeFino, a teacher in Saugerties, NY, had lost so many of his students to suicide he felt compelled to try to bring the community together and place a paradigm of HOPE before people and not Despair. He organized a festival, ‘Hope Rocks’ bringing together people and agencies involved with recovery in a festival like situation. There were four stages with rock music that was being played by different bands. There is no doubt in my mind that this was a breakthrough initiative. A humble beginnings to what could become a portal for awareness for people who suffer from addiction that there is hope. Also for those who are not addicted but have lost family members to this disease for them to receive healing as well.

I was able to attend the festival for two days and met and prayed with many parents who had lost their children through suicide. Even years after the loss the wounds are still deep. Many of the parents now work actively in some of the recovery or suicide prevention organizations. As I talked with I found many needed prayer to be able to forgive themselves. This can be the deepest regret that people were unaware of the nature or presence of addiction in friends or family.

Addiction is a disease and needs to be recognized as a disease by society, not hidden under the carpet as a moral weakness. People do recover from addiction if they are able to get help. There is a huge place for Christians to pick up the role for healing and helping, not only those who are addicted but their family members as well.

Just having an AA meeting in the basement of a church does not go far enough for the church bodies’ responsibility in this area. As a national crisis we all need to be aware of who and how we can be helping. The Holy Spirit is well able to direct healing prayer, especially for forgiveness. Forgiveness is often the key. As God’s representatives we can open the door for forgiveness to happen, and then very often physical healing can follow.

Forgiveness, as we know is foundational in the prayer Jesus gave us to pray, ‘ Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us’. It is also foundational in the twelve step programs of recovery, step eight in AA says, ‘”Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.” That list can often include ourselves and is often the last person we approach after a fall. Certainly it is Jesus will to forgive when we have an honest desire to change. Jesus came that we could live life and live it more abundantly, more than we can imagine ourselves. That paradigm is so opposite from despair. Despair is from the devil, life and hope is from God. For those who are caught up in despair we need to show them the life and love of God in a humble and beautiful way and ask, ‘Can I pray for you?’

That’s all for this month. Christine and I send our love and prayers to you all. Be sure to read her Icon blog for her news this month.

Love and prayers,

Michael and Christine

Mick’s photography website Christine’s Icon Website