Tag Archives: Saint Vincent’s Church

May Blossoms

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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._MG_3602_MG_3617

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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!

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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.

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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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spring is Finally here!

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Hello Friends and Family:photo

What a long harsh winter! It’s only been this weekend that we have started to have some warm weather.  Finally starting to see crocuses and daffodils.  I used the long indoor hours to complete the large Icon commission for Saint Vincent’s Church in Albany.  It’s been rewarding and a great experience to “write” the images of saints who are inspirations in terms of social justice and caring for the poor.  There will be an installation sometime in May – will be sure to let you know about it._MG_1560

Spring is a perfect time to be thinking about the Celtic saints, particularly the way they saw God in nature. I love that Saint Brigit was known for blessing the dew of May and would leave a cloth out overnight to catch the Holy dew fall.  So beautiful when someone’s prayer life is that strong. Brigit is the next saint I will be doing an Icon of!photo

We went to the Voice of the Prophets conference last week and it was great to re connect with so many friends and some of our students. We realized that we are the only members of our organization in this part of New York. That’s a drawback because we would prefer to have others we could do ministry with!

Michael has been going with local pastors to host revival activities in Columbia County. They have about 6 dates throughout the spring and summer. Michael is sponsoring the August 1 Tent Revival meeting here in Philmont. He is arranging for a worship team and speakers from Baltimore to help out with it all.photophoto

Our ministry has been hosting the Artists + Friends Community Potluck Dinner on the third Friday of every month for four months now. Each night we have many artists come to share a meal, show slides of their work, and build a community of creatives who want to help each other grow.  It’s exciting and we hope you can all keep us in your prayers.  Really stepping out as a ministry into the community and building relationships outside the walls of the Church.

We need your prayers and your support in all these endeavors! We are so glad you are in our lives, and that we can count on your prayers – it makes such a difference. We love topiary for you too!

Stay in touch, love and prayers, Christine and Michael

www.mickhales.com

www.christinehales.com

www.americanassociationoficonographers.com

www.newchristianicons.com