Installment_003

Principles

This is a first draft, and bear in mind that I’m a person who has no problem trying out a brand new recipe when guests are coming over for dinner. I’m really no good at breaking these down, so here are some thoughts and learnings from our collective experience with art ministry projects.

• The work must be tied to the liturgy, season or holiday.
• The space inside our church is dramatically large, so when it comes to the scale of a project, you almost can’t be too assertive. Think big. Ten foot wide mobiles, eight foot wide wall hangings, eighteen foot banners are not too big for our space.
• In designing a space, keep the eye moving UP, always.
• It’s not about you.
• It’s all about you (the committee). Maintain spiritual grounding through prayer, open discussion and love for each other. This is more important than the results of your work.

Establishing a Committee for Art Ministry

Rather than trying to lay out general principles or methods, I’ll just tell you, specifically, how I did it.

Personnel

When I was first formulating the idea, and when it was approved by Session, it was announced in the various church information channels, of course. But I didn’t do a “call for volunteers” which I find is rarely an effective way to gain support for a project. I did targeted recruiting; I walked up to two or three people who I knew had the necessary talent and skills and made a personal appeal for them to join. One was a fabric artist and clothing designer, and one was a mechanical engineer who could work creatively in almost any medium. Four years later, they still form the backbone of the committee.

Budget

We didn’t know at first what we would need, never having done this before. We got an initial grant from Session of $2500 for the year. We always keep an eye on cost, and we are all good shoppers, as well as recyclers. Since we buy material in bulk we shop the internet where we get the best deals. Scrounged materials (a great deal of cardboard is discarded by the company I work for) are also used.

Schedule

• Make a schedule and keep to it. Our schedule is 7:00-9:00pm every Monday night, with additional day-long workshops added for major installations such as Advent or Lent.
• Figure that any work is going to take a lot longer than you think, from two to ten times longer.

Plan

• Brainstorm, share ideas, use scripture and the internet as resources.
• Research what other artists in this genre have done, and see what other churches are doing.
• Keep everyone busy. Our worst problem is when we have more hands than work to keep them busy.
• Keep an eye on newcomers and remember this is a training exercise. You, the experienced member, are responsible for welcoming them and guiding them throughout the process.
• Share food. Share fellowship. Go on road trips. Be honest with each other.
• Enjoy the ride. If it’s a chore you’re not doing it right.

installment_002

This is a project that is long overdue. Who is this for?

This is primarily for the members of FPCH who follow in the work of art ministry. It will make an attempt to catalog and explain and provide instruction in the workings of the structures and major installations. Perhaps it will also serve as inspiration for those in other churches who would like to start their own AM group.

I’ll also share some of the major learnings of the AM committee from its inception in summer 2011 until the present. At this writing, summer 2015, we have been in practice for four years. In the meantime, feel free to post, comment or ask questions on this blog. Or show up in person at an Art Ministry Monday night workshop if you just want to see how things work. No obligation.

INSTALLMENT 001

≡ When I started the Art Ministry at First Presbyterian four years ago, the church was in need of healing. Perhaps it was given to us in response to that need. Since then it has attracted numerous members – young families in particular have been uniformly vocal in their support and enthusiasm for this arm of worship. Continue reading →

Probably one of our more elaborate installations, Pentecost is as it should be– over the top. Flaming. Overwhelming and joyous, startling and spectacular. Our fabric installation on the rear wall and the fabric over the main window constitute walls of flame, not the destructive kind, the inspirational, warm, life giving fire of the Holy Spirit. Likewise the hanging banners envelop the entire sanctuary with their bright colors, nearly touching us in our worship gathering. The medallions on either side of the main window are painted representations of the dove that descended on Christ as he came up from baptism by John the Baptist. They are meant to signal change, redemption, a new beginning, and a surrender of our old way of life as we become new members of god’s family and walk in our new life in the Lord.