Tag Archives: Mick Hales

May Blossoms

May 18, 2015UncategorizedChristine Hales, Kingdom Arts Ministry, Kingdom School, Mick Hales, prayer, Saint Vincent's ChurchChristine Hales

Dear Friends and Family:

“Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no wrong to anyone, so love satisfies all of God’s requirements. Romans 13:9,10″

This spring we are reaching out into the community now that the grip of winter is over. Our monthly Artists + Friends Community Potluck Dinner has been growing in many ways. Each month we have 45-60 people coming to share a potluck meal and art work with each other. There are performers, visual artists, ceramicists, writers, poets , and we all gather to share our true selves with each other and celebrate what joins us together.

Michael and I also met with some of our former students from Kingdom School for dinner and prayer: 8 adults and 5 babies under the age of 3! So much fun!

The Icons for Saint Vincent’s Church are completed and will be dedicated on Pentecost! May 24th 11:00 am service you’re all invited! It will be an exciting moment to see them unveiled!

Michael is going through a period of intense discernment to see where the Lord is leading him next. He has been exploring the opportunity for further training in Chaplaincy and is applying to Albany Medical Center to join the excellent program they offer there for Chaplains. He is also exploring the Lutheran denomination to see whether the Lord has a place for him in that stream. In the mean time we are beginning to see that our role within the artist community is really laying a foundation for ministering to a group which has often rejected Christianity but are seriously searching for a fuller meaning to their creativity and life. God has extraordinary ways of weaving peoples lives together after long intervals of time, so we connect again in a different context for another opportunity to be in relationship. As we know God is all about relationships, with Him and with other people. We seem to be in a season of growing many new relationships and it is very life giving especially in the artist community.

We feel an excitement that God is forming a cohesive plan, we do not see it clearly yet but it is as though it is being created around us. The former students from Kingdom School are all on new and exciting paths, many of them are going through interior growing and healing. God has a plan and we are so excited to be just one part of what he is doing in the Hudson Valley. Please keep us in your prayers and let us know how we can pray for you.

Love, prayers, and blessings from us to you!

Christine and Michael

www.christinehales.com

www.mickhales.com

www.americanassociationoficonographers.com

www.newchristianicons.com

Videos in February

February 10, 2015UncategorizedChristine Hales, icons, Kingdom Arts Ministry, Mick Hales, prayerChristine Hales

Hello Friends and Family:

Where we live is reminiscent of Siberia now – snow lasting for days, a brief respite then starting up again. Snowfall is now measured in feet and icicles are measured the same. Single digit temperatures. All of you in South Africa or Southern states, bask in your warmth and pray for us!

But we hardy ones in the North are working indoors on computer based activities :). Michael has completed two neat videos. The first one is called “The Armour of God”, made with our friend Tyler Slade. Here’s the link:

Michael feels like he is getting called back to working with video for the Lord. Particularly using the visual image with scripture in a contemporary style. There are many people who have not read the bible and really have little chance of coming across God’s word in their lives. Somehow, we need to make it available to them in a way which is dynamic and memorable, but not diluted. The visual image is powerful, so combining it with the word of God can cut through the tendency to reject the Bible as irrelevant in todays world. For ‘the Armour of God’ video he feels like it is for intercessors, prayer warriors as well as those who have never heard of the passage from Ephesians before. It reminds us that we are in a battle all the time and we need to use the protection God has given us to declare who He is- Lord of this nation.

We ‘ve also just returned from an Immanuel Retreat in the Washington DC area, hosted by our friends the Stalcups from ANGA and the Acanforas at Church of the Apostles. It was called The Immanuel Approach. It was great and our friends George and Jane Conger prayed us back home through a snow storm! We are excited about what God is doing in the Baltimore and DC area and hope to go down there again soon.

My exhibition in Lancaster PA was fun -God is always showing me what comes next! I’m looking forward to the Icon Retreat in NYC later this month and the Hillsdale Icon class is going well- the Albany class hasn’t met for over a month due to snow cancellations!

The second Video Michael has made is for my Icon writing classes. Here’s the link for that one:

We so much appreciate your prayers. We particularly need prayers for finances, good sales and commissions for me and for Michael, and a church we can be planted in. Our ministry has three community outreaches this spring and summer and we are praying about offering a weekly course as well. Our monthly prayer group is a good prayer furnace and we lift all of you up in prayer, that God blesses you with more of His love and kindness and safety in travel.

Until next month,

with love and prayers,

Christine and Michael

Identity Issues -in January!!!

January 24, 2015UncategorizedFlannery O'Connor, Kingdom Arts Ministry, Mick Hales, Saint James Episcopal ChurchChristine Hales

Dear Friends and Family:

How are you? I am recovering from a virus, it has been utterly freezing for months, AND we had to cancel weekend plans due to…yes, more snow! Not fun, but probably wiser for me to stay home and recuperate :). AND future plan!

I’m planning on finishing the large Icon commission for Saint Vincent’s in April, God willing. Just about to get on the board – Dorothy Day. So looking forward to praying with and about her and the amazing woman of God she was. Just started teaching a new Icon writing class in Hillsdale, and will be leading an Introduction to Icon Writing Retreat at Saint James Episcopal Church in NYC in February. It got filled up in the first week of listing it!

So, working hard to get through the winter, God has blessed me with some lovely insights about who I REALLY am, and who He REALLY is. He is so good! Our identity is in Him, not our Self. Flannery O’Connor talks about the “True Self & The False Self”, “Thank You for changing me, Lord, enabling me to slough off the false self that prevents me from becoming a true follower.” From ” The Province of Joy-Praying with Flannery O’Connor.”

“I thank you for the continual opportunity for rebirth that you offer to me through the examples of Your Holy ones.

Even St. Paul, who counted himself among the gravest of sinners, was struck from his horse by the force of Your love and was taught through blindness to see the need for a radical remaking himself. So Saul became Paul through Your mercy.”

These quotes from O’Connor are so apt when praying about the world crises, about poverty, about the powers that govern this world, and about our own individual lives. We can pray that God gives us His insight, and opens our hearts to continual rebirth and the life that is the most exciting and satisfying in Him.

A couple of other events we would love your prayers to cover: The Artist Community Potluck Dinner we organized in Hudson at the First Presbyterian Church was very well attended. We continue this month on Feb. 27 and are following loosely the “Artist Way, Spiritual Guide to Creativity” by Julia Cameron. So far it has brought good people together and I’m hoping for some nice friendships and people getting closer to God’s creativity.

ALso, Michael is working on his new video- it’s under wraps but a hint is that it’s about Ephesians 6! So prayers are appreciated for that too:

Michael here: I just want to add that when God puts an unction on you to do something there goes with it an excitement to get it done, to be in the creative process of doing it. That is how it feels with this video. I am excited when I get some time to work on it, the fact that I am a beginner in the field of videography does not deter me because I believe God wants this video to go out and go viral. The bible talks of how news of Jesus went viral when he was ministering, the news went person to person through all the countryside so everyone in the community came to see him speak and heal. The news of Jesus and what he does is still catching when it is done in a real and exciting way. There is nothing more exciting than watch God heal someone and that news travels fast and far, even now. This video is not directly about healing but it about being on God’s side and being equipped to stay in the fight. Because we are in a fight but God has given us the equipment to come through and complete the purposes He has for us. This nation has so much at stake at the moment we all need to have on the ‘Whole Armour of God’.

We love you all so much and always look forward to your emails and comments. Let us know how we can pray for you.

Love and Prayers,

Christine and Michael

Advent Waiting

December 9, 2014UncategorizedChristine Hales, church, glory to god, Mick Hales, philmont, prayerChristine Hales

Dear Friends and Family:

One of my friends has made his Christmas puddings and is now waiting… and we are all in the season of lighting candles and waiting. It is a Holy time, and we look forward to celebrating Christmas in a special way each year.

Looking back over 2014, we realize the direction that God is giving us and want to share that with you, our trusted partners:

Living in the Capital region which has the lowest churched population in America, we are recognizing the need for changing our strategy about how to bring the Kingdom to our region.

We realized that operating as a ministry we are competing with other churches and ministries for the same small group of people. Meanwhile, the unchurched remain disinterested or sporadically participating in ministry activities. Power evangelism needs to be adapted to reach a hardened and skeptical population.

Over the past year, Kingdom Arts Ministry has been involved in building Pastoral relationships through Michael’s involvement with the Capital District Ministers Association. He has also been the guest speaker at several area local churches, regularly brought meals to the elderly through the meals on wheels program, and been a strong supporter of the local “Community Spirit Day” that attracted over 250 low income local families to hear the Gospel message preached through Teen Challenge and local churches. The message was mingled with free food and entertainment for the children and held in our Town Park.

Christine has been reaching out to artists in the capital region and has a strong desire to create more community events for artists. Last Spring, she partnered with the Columbia County Arts Council and the Hudson Chamber of Commerce to produce an exhibition and performance of local artists meeting the business community. She has also started an Artist Way group –a spiritual program of development for artists, in our home. She is working on a large commission of eight Icons of modern saints for Saint Vincents Church in Albany, as well as leading Icon retreats in Saratoga and an ongoing Icon writing class and fellowship at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Albany.

Waiting for 2015, we realize that we are laying foundations of relationships that we can partner with over the next year to find ways to collaborate and bring a culture of God and honor to our region. We are so grateful to all of you who partner with us financially and in prayer. Without your help we really would not be able to do what we do. Our world is certainly in a difficult time and challenging in so many ways. We draw strength and joy from your prayers and support. You are instruments of God’s help and a source of His provision for us. Thank you!

Next month we will outline our direction as a ministry for 2015. We have already been laying the groundwork and it promises to be both exciting and challenging!

Thank you and we love you, Please pray for us that we stay close to God’s plan and hear His voice clearly. You are in our prayers daily too.

Love, Christine and Michael

Giving Thanks in November

November 13, 2014UncategorizedChristine Hales, church, Columbia County Arts Council, Global Awakening, Kingdom arts, Mick Hales, personal transformations, philmont, prayer, Prophetic artChristine Hales

Hello Friends and family:

The fall has been so beautiful – I can’t resist sending you some photos of what it’s been looking like around here. A great place to live if you’re a painter or photographer :).

We attended the ANGA Retreat this fall and met some great people- Betsy and Sam Stalcup have a ministry called Godhealstoday and we are looking into partnering with them for teaching and prayer ministry events in the new year.

We are focusing on local prayer partnering opportunities and are happy with the relationships God is bringing to us. Last night we had a prayer meeting in our home and prayed for Philmont, Claverack and all the families within our area. We plan to meet regularly to pray and share about the ways God is answering our prayers.

THe Albany Icon class I teach is growing into a prayerful community of artists that are growing in their understanding and technical skill in Icon writing. The Healing Icon Retreats in Saratoga have been really wonderful. Action packed for two days, but such a joy to see people concentrating in prayer and fellowship for two days.

At Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Albany, we will be giving workshops for their Holy Spirit Weekend, November 21 & 22 ,.My workshop will be “The Joy of Prophetic Painting”. This will be a hands-on workshop and all are welcome. Michael will be teaching on deliverance.

Often we have no feed back for how our prayers have helped others. At the ANGA retreat sitting at our small group table was someone we did not know and he surprised us by saying Michael had prayed for him in Brooklyn nearly nine months before and he had received healing from a very painful nerve condition. Sometimes we get to hear what God did when we reached out to others but often that is not the case. Michael loves to pray for healing for people and yesterday he had a visit to NYC and got to pray for three different people for healing, one in an elevator and two on the streets. The reactions initially are surprise that someone would offer to pray, then always real gratitude and then the comments like ‘I feel peace, or warmth or soothing just happened’. The last person he prayed for last night said ” Wow, thank you so much for your prayer. I really felt something and I’m Jewish!’ What Joy God is!

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is Good! His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 136:1

We give thanks to the Lord for you all and keep you in our prayers.
Blessings and love,

Michael and Christine

October Blessings

October 12, 2014UncategorizedChristine Hales, Global Transformation, Kingdom Arts Ministry, Mick Hales, propheticChristine Hales

Dear Friends and Family:

The beauty of a Hudson Valley fall is upon us! And with that, so many artful things to do that we keep hopping from one opening to another. Yesterday was Arts walk with my new Ezekiel making it’s debut on Warren Street. The link to my arts/Icon blog is here for more of my art information.

We have been praying for peace in Syria and the Ukraine, asking God to dispatch His angels to protect the innocent and bring miracles to His people.

In Icon class last week, we read of the Celtic Saint Connaire the Pious who, while she was praying, all the churches in Ireland appeared to her in a vision. It seemed that a tower of fire rose up to heaven from each side of those churches. There’s more to her story, particularly about her petitioning for a women’s right to a Holy burial to St Senan.

“You are persistent said Senan.”

“Well then,Cannaire replied,”Will I get what I asked for? Will you give me a place to live on this island and the Holy Sacrament of Eucharist?” HIs answer was yes! She wasn’t afraid to petition with persistence and that is what we are doing now for the middle East. Petitioning persistently with prayer. (The Connaire story comes from the Celtic daily Prayer Book put out bu the Northumbria Community.)

Michael has been visiting many churches and praying with Pastors in our area. He is seeing more and more pastors and leaders being repositioned, moving from one situation or church to start something new, often not knowing what is next but believing that God has called them out of where they had been. He has also discerned that the governance nature of Albany as Capital of New York state, has many feeder influences from other constituents which do not want there to be a spiritual change in Albany which requires a different form of intercession. We are praying into having a local prayer community in addition to the outreach we do in Albany. We plan to launch a prayer gathering in November and another one in January . We very much appreciate your prayers for God’s wisdom and guidance.

God has been blessing us both with many new friendships and opportunities to meet people who are not churched. That is where we feel led, to use the Celtic model of Evangelization that calls for formation of relationships and friendships first. It is wonderful and we are kept pretty busy with it all

I was blessed to present my drawings for the eight large icons for Saint Vincent’s Church in Albany today. They are going to be a beautiful blend of old and new. So excited to begin the painting now! Please do keep us in your prayers -we can feel them and you are in ours!

Love,

Michael and Christine

“He walks with God who speaks to God in prayer,

and brings to Him his daily care.”

www.mickhales.com

www.christinehales.com

www.iconwritingclasses.com

www.newchristianicons.com

www.newchristiaiconsblog.com

Graduation and Pentecost!

May 14, 2014UncategorizedBristol, Christine Hales, Kingdom School, Mick Hales, Pentecost, prophetic, Rodney Howard BrowneChristine Hales

Hello Friends and family:

Last Friday night was our Kingdom School Graduation at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, Colonie, NY. Our speaker was David Graham, a youth minister with Victory Church in Albany.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9Ew73YeNmQ We are so happy to have been able to watch our students grow in spiritual maturity, understanding, and experience. They are all interns with the youth ministry at Christ the King Spiritual Life Center in Greenwich, NY. Summer Camp will be very blessed this summer by their work with the youth!

Michael participated in the National Day of Prayer rally on May 1 in Catskill. Here’s a link to a short video. So important to pray for our country, and for other countries.

We were blessed with a visit from Pastor Dr. Tom Litteer and his beautiful wife, Marilyn. They will removing back to their native Iowa so we wanted to have some time to show them our part of New York before they left. We visited Thomas Cole House in Catskill and also Olana – Frederick Church’s mansion in Hudson.

I gave a talk at WAAM-Woodstock Artists Association Museum this month on Icons and contemporary art. It was well attended and I think people were excited to think about Icons alongside artists like Chagall, Matisse, etc. The exhibition of icons at St. Gregory’s Episcopal Church in Woodstock was very well received too. I was invited to speak there twice, and we blessed the icons when the exhibition was over.

My Pope Francis is above!

“Blessed is the person who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” Jeremiah17:7 My drawing of Lincoln:

Bristol 2014 Pentecost Celebrations

Our friends in Bristol are still carrying on Revival in GB, and we are so happy to see how it is developing and growing.

Michael met Rodney Howard Brown recently in Baltimore and ministered in the streets with him and his team. Rodney is spending time in Washington DC and putting his prayer focus on Congress and the military. Here is a link:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rodney-Adonica-Howard-Browne/31553452437

Until next month, here is a blessing I would like to give you:

“I bless you with a strong sense in your Spirit of standing on the solid rock of God’s faithfulness and timing. I bless you with unshakeable confidence that your Father is in charge of your circumstances. I bless you with allowing your Father to replace your burden with His faith, your disappointment with His hope, your doubts with His love. ” ( excerpts from Arthur Burk”s “Blessing Your Spirit” book.)

Please keep us in your prayers – we can feel the blessings everyday from your prayers and you are in ours,

In His love,

Christine and Michael

Month of Snow!

February 12, 2014UncategorizedChristine Hales, Global Awakeing, Mick Hales, prayerChristine Hales

Dear Family and Friends:

Does our blog always coincide with a major snowstorm? Since we have one once or twice a week now, it is very likely! I’m including some snow photos this month for our friends and family in the UK. I’m even painting snow landscapes!!! Never before, but now one has to find beauty in the snow!

We are expecting 8-12 inches tomorrow and we had that x2 last week, so today we will go to Hudson and celebrate our twenty year wedding anniversary, then get ready to get some serious work done in the snow tomorrow!

Here are a few photos of an outreach of our Kingdom School at the Schenectady soup kitchen last month. We love our students and so much enjoy our worship times together.

Michael has been visiting local area churches each Sunday as well as continuing to develop relationships with other Pastors at the Capital District Ministers’ Fellowship.

We will be meeting with our mentors, the Litteers, soon. They pour so much wisdom into us – we are so blessed.

I’m excited about painting – a gallery in NJ just sold a large one and I expect to curate an exhibition in Hudson next month. It’s part of a project building relationships with local businesses and the CCCA to promote and value artists and their value as economic stimulators. I believe that my church right now is the art world and I am having fun carrying the atmosphere of heaven to folks who might not otherwise get to experience it.

This cross is in our back garden and you can see the deer tracks running through!

I’m teaching an extra icon writing class here in Philmont and that is a joy. Here is one of my egg tempera portraits of Nelson Mandela. I’ve been reading his biographies since Christmas and have learned so much about the spiritual walk through him. His strength and ability to keep his eye on the goal is inspiring.

He reminds me of the words of Saint Paul:

“You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.” 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7 Mandela was educated by Methodists in his youth and I believe that early faith and education was a foundation for his ability to persevere and uphold his belief in freedom for all people.

Our prayer requests this month center around our need for more relationships with people who are excited to love and serve God in this area. We look to the Lord for direction and discernment and we give thanks for the blossoming of our careers in photography and painting to be all that God has destined for them to be.

Many thanks to all f you who support this ministry with your gifts and prayers. You are daily in our prayers,

Love, Michael and Christine

Michael’s Photography website:

www.mickhales.com

Christine’s Painting Websites: www.christinehales.com

www.newchristianicons.com

Radical Generosity

January 11, 2014UncategorizedAlbany, Bill Johnson, CCCA, Global Awakening, GSSM, iBethel, Mick Hales, New YorkChristine Hales

Greetings Friends and Family:

While it is sad taking down the sparkly Christmas decorations and all the holiday get togethers are now in the past, it is also exciting to dig in, once again, to WORK!! We are so blessed to love our work. Work certainly is not easy, but it is stimulating and interesting to research new icons, begin drawings, prepare for the new school semester for iconography and Kingdom School and visiting new clients.

Last night in Kingdom School, we watched a talk by Bill Johnson from Bethel Church, Redding, CA. It was one of the most important talks for me in a long while. In it, he shares about how walking in power attracts rejection. He talks about how to respond and he also talks about Daniel and his ability to have favor in a very hostile environment. Radical generosity was demonstrated when God sent His only son to be born in a manger to bless a world full of sinners. Bill is such an inspiration of one who holds a vision for Revival locally and internationally and who demonstrates the ways of effective and honorable leadership. We are so thankful to be part of that Apostolic Network and look forward to the day that more of that is alive here in the Albany area.

God is inspiring me to paint icons the way He is showing me now, and that is allowing me to evolve an individual style. It is so exciting partnering with God – highly recommended way to go! This small Christ study and the Saint Benedict icon are on the path to what I’m developing. I Can’t tell you how exciting that is to see where He will take it. I feel the way my little granddaughter must have felt the other day on her first sled ride in Boston!

I now have an icon blog and will be teaching two additional classes this winter in order to fund a project I have in mind for next winter. I’ll be giving a demonstration of icon writing in Troy later this month at the Art Center as part of an opening reception for an exhibition of my and my students icons which is part of a larger three gallery show. I’m looking forward to all the new people to share God’s love with!! Yippee! How different from when I used to have artist openings, BC (Before Christ :)). I always have had Christ in my life, but being transformed is another story. As you know.

My wonderful, spirit filled husband is taking three of our students to the Pursuit Conference in PA this month – they will have an amazing time! He is also working on developing new clients and navigating promotion in the social networking world. His website is always developing and looking stunning.

Michael’s birthday was Christmas Eve, so we went to the Boston Ballet for the Nutcracker Suite and then on to Trinity Church in Boston for Christmas Eve serve. Truly a night to remember.

For Christmas we were blessed to share christmas stockings in Boston on christmas morning with our lovely daughter in law, Kristi, brilliant son, Mark and beautiful granddaughter Carwen. I made Yorkshire puddings in honor of Michael and the UK!

In ourselves, we are experiencing the value of having had the Global Awakening training with it’s emphasis on healing both inner and physical. We have studied under the best teachers and are exploring how to bring that to the Albany area next year. We so much appreciate your prayers for God’s hand to be upon us not only for provision, but guidance and direction and fruitful partnerships.
There’s so much more I’d like to share but give us a call, write or get together with us. We love you and miss you,

Michael and Christine

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

October Pumpkin Time!

October 23, 2013UncategorizedArise Bristol, burning hearts, Christine Hales, Kingdom Arts Ministry, Michael Hales, Mick Hales, mission, prayer, Prophetic art, RevivalChristine Hales

“I love the Lord, because He hears and answers my prayers. Because He bends down and listens, I will pray as long as I have breath!” Psalm 116:1-2

Hello Friends and Family:

Just as October draws to a close, our Kingdom School students are preparing to travel to Baltimore for on site street ministry training from the amazing Burning Heart Ministry with Jay Baylor. Michael will be leading two of our second year students and four first year interns with a very full schedule of ministering to the poor and taking the Gospel to the streets in Baltimore, MD. We fully expect miracles to take place, so more on that next blog!

Kingdom School is going well, with merging second and first year students for many of the teachings, but each year having a separate curriculum and reading list. Only God could have orchestrated this combination but we are gratefully enjoying the interactions of our new group. Great people, all in Love with Jesus!

My iconography teaching is going well – loving the students and the devotion to prayer and sharing the Presence of God in icons. We have now formed the St. Luke’s Guild of Iconography with a FB page and lots of great photos of icons in progress. We are an ecumenical group of artist who share a similar vision for God’s Kingdom and how icons play a part in experiencing and bringing the Presence of God into our daily lives.

I’ve been blessed with the honor of having the Catholic Missal publication for 2014 using my Christ in Glory Icon. Michael has had an article recently in New York Cottage and Garden Magazine and we are having fun getting our images out into the world. Seed! Because God is in everything we do and we want more and more people to receive Him through images. The stealth method of Evangelization!

Second year students have just finished reading Danny Silk’s “Culture of Honor”and it is a must read, having to do with creating a culture amongst ourselves that allows us to make mistakes, repent and stay in relationship to God and each other. “Remember, the Old Covenant was an external covenant, a system of controls to keep sinners in line. But the New Covenant is an internal covenant for sons and daughters who, because of their new nature, can be trusted with the responsibility to govern themselves and have access to the power of self control through the Holy Spirit”. Isn’t that good? There’s so much more worth sharing – I hope you can get a copy of the book, too.

Our prayer requests for this season are: For more good clients for Michael’s Photography, for good galleries to represent and sell my paintings, and for our Kingdom Community to flourish, grow and multiply. We pray for wisdom to take all the steps God wants us to take to further His Kingdom in the realms He has placed before us.

Please pray especially for our team going to Baltimore, that they experience God’s Holy Spirit healing people today and that they bring that with them wherever they go!

We earnestly desire contact with each one of you, so please keep in touch and know that you are in our prayers, also.

Much love,

Christine and Michael