Soul Sanctuary

Draw it, Paint it!

Using artwork

to deepen and express our faith

Throughout all 2,000 years of Christian history, art has served three purposes:

To deepen our faith

To express our faith and ultimately

To put our faith into action.

CHILDREN

Children are continually learning to differentiate themselves from their siblings, their parents and their teachers. We must support them as they navigate their individual faith journeys. Children need to be reassured and encouraged in their understanding of God, Jesus and the Spirit.

They need to feel safe and protected in the communities in which they live and play.

Older children are more aware of the world around them. They may want to choose “greener” art projects. Try to be as environmentally conscious as possible with your materials and the disposal of the leftovers. Ask for help in sourcing your art supplies from the congregation!

If you have the space, Art Zones can be a helpful way to organize your Arts and Crafts in church.

Children are naturally curious, inventive, creative and imaginative! Allow them to express themselves while keeping a safe environment for their creative and artistic expressions.

Children’s art projects can be both solitary as well as collaborative.

Children enjoy praise and affirmation so offer them the encouragement that they need.

Art Theme Ideas in the Church

All arts and craft projects in the church can be an expression of any number of different themes! Here are just some ideas.

§ The liturgical year (Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Ash Wednesday/Lent/Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost, Ordinary Time).

§ Art that helps to express or enliven storytelling.

§ Art that helps to express or enliven a Biblical lesson.

§ Larger themes such as Love, Sharing, Helping or Friendship.

§ The different names of Christ (Trinity, Gardener, Treasure, Prince of Peace, Servant, Waiting Father, Healer, Fisherman, Carpenter, Teacher, “Anam Cara” or Soul Friend, Living Water, Prophet, Friend of Children, Eternal Life, Bread and Wine or Host, Light of the World, Comforter, Alpha and Omega or the Beginning and the End).

What can you come up with?

ART IDEAS FOR CHILDREN

1. CARTOONING (Handout)

2. RUBBINGS (Rubbing a pencil on a paper over top of an item.)

3. 10-MINUTE “CROSS” PAINTINGS (On paper or T-shirts, make a cross with masking tape and colour the negative space, then peel the tape away.)

4. FINGERPRINT ART (Using Bingo Dabbers.)

5. SENDING HUGS (Fabric Scarves made out of traced handprints.)

6. “I AM A BEAUTIFUL CHILD OF GOD” POSTER

YOUTH

Youth need to be heard, acknowledged and included - especially in the church community!

At this stage in their lives, Youth are integrating all that they have learned growing up and are now ready to challenge and question the discrepancies they may encounter in their faith community. Youth are the “prophets” of the Christian community. They may see a disconnection between what Jesus “teaches us” and what we - as a community - do, in our faith practices. Do not be surprised if they call us to account for our actions! Youth believe in social justice. Ask them what they are passionate about.

Youth need to speak, move, engage and express themselves. Give them space!

Youth will do individual projects from time to time but generally they prefer to do things together as a group. Remember that relationships are the most important thing for Youth.

Youth are extremely comfortable with technology. Consider using video, digital photography, Photoshop, Mp3 music recordings of their own music, Blogs, and YouTube as inspirations for Youth creative projects.

Just a note - please don’t call them “young people”. They don’t call others “old people.”

Youth often feel judged harshly by certain members of the congregation. Encourage people to see beyond Youth’s appearances such as their clothes, their hair, their tattoos, their piercings and their make-up. Listen to them. Hear what they have to SAY. Ask them what they really feel about things and that them answer with an open mind.

Feed them - spiritually AS WELL AS physically! Youth need to eat!

If we respect Youth as the Emerging Adults that they are, they will feel safe enough to share their joys and concerns with the greater community.

Consider having a Youth Impact Moment in the service giving them a voice using their creative or documentary videos, poetry, art or drama.

We can learn so much from the Youth! Continue to help to support them, in as many ways as you can!

ART IDEAS FOR YOUTH

1. THE PERPETUAL PRAYER BOOK (A booklet cut into three sections – horizontally - with three parts to a prayer – one part on each third of each page.)

2. SPIRIT LOCATOR WHEEL (Draw a circle. Draw pie slices like spokes in a wheel. In the slices write or draw the places you find Joy in life.)

3. CONSOLATION ~ DESOLATION BAG (Have a small mesh or see-through bag with a light coloured stone and a dark coloured stone. When contemplating a question ask yourself: Will this bring me Consolation [the light stone]? Or, Will it bring me Desolation [the dark stone]?)

4. DIGITAL HAIKU (Have the Youth take digital photos of what is on their minds and have the write an Haiku to go with them. Have them put up their artwork in the church to initiate discussion.)

5. PRAYER FLAGS (Using large Post-It notes or cloth have the Youth write down their joys and concerns and attach the prayers to a string. Hang the Prayer Flags up in the church.)

6. PRAYER BEADS (Make four knots spaced about two inches apart on a string or a shoelace. Use the ACTS acronym [adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication or intersession] to help with the prayer practice. Instead of knots, beads can be used.)

7. VIDEO DOCUMENTARIES (Have the Youth ask each other - or the members of the congregation - if they wouldn’t mind answering a few questions such as: Who is God for you? Where do you find God?)

8. ONE SYLLABLE WORD – POEMS (Using only one syllable words write a sentence describing their own circumstances.)

9. SIX WORD MEMOIRS (Using only six words have them explain where they are in their faith journey.)

10. “BOOK OF AWESOME” TICKETS FOR THE PEWS (Have them write on a piece of paper what is “awesome” for them about God. Place the papers in the pews for people to take home to reflect upon.)

ADULTS

Adults maybe facing profound challenges at home, at work and in their community. They may be coping with elder parent care issues as well as concerns for their younger or mature children. Art and creative work that allows Adults to explore the complexities and joys of life are often the most meaningful.

Adults can be reflective or meditative about their spiritual lives. Poetry and guided meditations in a suitably creative and comfortable setting can help to facilitate the Adult’s faith journey.

All Adults have their own unique and complex theology. Each person’s theology is formulated by a person’s own unique life-experiences (and their responses to them) along with whatever Christian Education they were offered throughout their lives.

Some Adults may be more comfortable with a “literal” approach to art and creativity whereas others might be more at home with symbolic or “abstract” expressions of their faith. All Adults will have their own approach towards artistic expression. It is important to affirm all people’s faith journeys.

Some Adults may be looking to gauge their individual circumstances and situations amongst their peers.

It is possible that some Adults maybe reticent to try new things especially when it comes to creative expression.

Some Adults have never been “told” that they can question their childhood beliefs. This can be unsettling for some. They may not want to “fail” or be singled out as foolish. Allow for self-direction. Understand that - just like Children and Youth - each Adult will have her or his own learning style.

Allow people to “tell their own stories” in their art expressions. There are no “right” or “wrong” expressions of a person’s faith journey. It is what it is.

Tread lightly. Ask lots of questions. Check in. Go slow.

ART IDEAS FOR ADULTS

1. THE “MOUSE TAILS” MINISTRY (Using string or wool braid 6 inch “tails”. Give these tokens of appreciation and recognition to all of those quiet “church mice”, who might otherwise go un-noticed!)

2. NEW LYRICS OLD TUNES

3. DRAWING WITH WORDS (Instead of line drawing, use cursive writing to “draw. Try drawing a heart or a cross with words.)

4. FINGER LABYRINTH (Draw your own! Look on the Internet for many different patterns.)

5. HANDMADE “COUPONS OF SUPPORT” TO OFFER THE YOUTH AND CHILDREN (Write down what you would be willing to do for the Children and the Youth Group as a whole or individually. Ideas such as: I will make Pizza! I promise to try not to judge you! This coupon invites you to a meeting of the ____ Committee where we would appreciate your feedback! I will buy soap and sponges for your Car Wash Fund-Raiser! Just make sure that you sign your name and follow through!)

6. DEFINITION VISION (If we were able to look up your name in the dictionary what would it say? How would you want to be defined?)

7. “SmoKe and SaLt” A Literary Theological Art Journal (Using this resource as a reflective tool, ask your group, how might I use art, photography, or the written word to deepen my faith?)