Photo via calvaryabq.org

Beyond the stars: Outreach to the artistic communities

The Christian thinker, Francis Schaeffer, once said, concerning Christianity and the arts, “The Christian is the one whose imagination should fly beyond the stars,” reports Brian Nixon, special to ASSIST News Service.

If this is the case, Calvary of Albuquerque (located in Albuquerque, New Mexico) is reaching to the heavens.

Beginning in 2009, Calvary of Albuquerque has started an Artist Fellowship to encourage and support artist in New Mexico, one of the top art markets in the U.S.

According to their motto, the Artist Fellowship yearns to “Cultivate, Discover, and Inspire” artists in the greater Albuquerque area, “to create works of art and showcase their work in a loving environment, as informed by a Christian worldview.”

Co-director, Sandy Dunn, states, “We want to think and work outside of the box with this ministry, allowing people- who usually have trouble finding a place in the church- a voice to share their work and fellowship with other creative individuals.”

Sandy continues, “Many people with an artistic bent sometimes are pushed to the peripheral of the Church. Our aim is to reach out to all people within our community who want to use their gifts for God’s glory.”

During a recent interview on the Christian radio station, KNKT, co-director, Terry Willis, states, “art should come from the heart,” or as he clarified, “He-Art. It is His Art”

“Ultimately, Terry continues, “Art, when properly understood, is a gift from God to be used to inspire others and offer a glimpse into God’s creative acts.”

Terry should know; he traveled the world in a Christian-arts organization that used drama and music to communicate God’s love for the world. He now works in the ever-growing movie industry in New Mexico, deemed Tamale-Wood.

Likewise, Sandy Dunn is a “trash percussionist” (using everyday items such as dental floss) in the group Timbrel. As a percussionist, Sandy makes his own unique instruments to create complex rhythms and unique voicing.

The Albuquerque Artist Fellowship is not just about pastoral lectures. Rather, the Fellowship is set up around the artists. After 10 minutes of music, and a 10-minute teaching (“a moral and Biblical compass,” Terry states) the remaining time is turned over to the artists to showcase, discuss, and highlight their work.

The artistic mediums range from the visual arts, music, dance, acting, to the literary arts- screenwriting, playwriting, poetry, etc. Each artist, after leadership approval, discusses their art, and, at times, showcases it in live demonstrations.

Calvary of Albuquerque is just one- in a growing number of Churches- that is reaching out to the artistic communities.

Recently, there have been assortments of Christian arts related organizations that have received national press, IAM being the most prominent.

IAM (International Arts Movement) was founded by world-renowned Japanese-American artist, Makoto Fujimura.

Not only does Fujimura sit on the Nation Council of the Arts here in America, and is a graduate of prestigious art schools in America and Japan, but was deemed, “Daniel of the Year,” by World Magazine.

According to Makoto, “IAM began as a ministry that stood �?in the gap’ between the church and the arts communities.”

Furthermore, Fujimura states, “IAM has been preparing [it]self to be an effective catalyst for re-humanizing our culture with a direct impact on the world of the arts.”

Case example of having an “impact on the arts,” IAM sponsors, “Encounter Conferences.” This year’s conference (February 26-28), features U.S. Poet Laureate, Billy Collins, and philosopher, Nicholas Wolterstorff, among others presenters.

Calvary of Albuquerque, like IAM, seeks to reach-out to the artistic world with grace and compassion, giving a voice to creative people within the Christian church, and an outlet for those who yearn to use their gifts for creative thought, wonder, and for God’s glory.

As IAM mission states, Christians should come together “to wrestle with the deep questions of art, faith and humanity in order to inspire the creative community to engage the culture that is and create the world that ought to be.”

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TAGS: USA Christian thinker Artist Fellowship Christian worldview movie industry

[01/30/2009]

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