Art as a Spiritual Activity
The Arts & Spirituality Ministry provides opportunities to explore our creativity, and to experience and share our spiritual journey through creative expression.
There is a special relationship between art and spirituality. The arts have always been integral to religion. Sacred pictures, symbols, dances, chants, hymns and tunes have been used in rituals, in places of worship, and as aids to prayer and meditation in every religion. The arts seem to be natural vehicles for expressing or connecting with God. The arts can transmit our central beliefs and values of our religious faith. At Good Shepherd Episcopal Church the various Arts and Spirituality Ministries are a good way for an individual to strengthen one’s faith and to express it in a spiritual dimension. This creative expression and reflection provides tools for engaging others, as well as a sense of replenishment and joy for the individuals who participate. Community participation is encouraged.
Whether one joins one of the ministries primarily as a personal quest or to share in the fellowship of fellow artists, participation facilitates expression and strivings of the soul. The mediums of fiber, paint, paper, plants or film can be an appropriate channel for expressing and developing spirituality. The artist can use symbolic weight and the significance of various colors, textures and shapes to communicate the deepest thoughts, ideas and prayers.
Have a dream or idea for a new Arts and Spirituality Ministry? Share them with us. Contact Kathy Marcel, Chair.
Fiber Arts Group
You are welcome to join a fiber group meeting on the second Monday of the month at 10:00 am in the undercroft. Bring your knitting, crochet, sewing, handwork and your lunch. No dues, no agenda, probably no program, just a community gathering of fiber folk. You might pick up an idea or two. Invite your fiber friends.
Anne Wolf, Coordinator
Knitting and Prayer Shawl Ministry
This group meets the 4th Monday of each month at 10:00 am in the Dogwood Room. See the full description under Healing Ministries.
Kathy Wright, Co-Coordinator
Mary Anne Koos, Co-Coordinator
Writing Group
Think of this...we take a word "prompt" such as the word shoes, friend or books and this word triggers our group to write on that weekly prompt. We then share our stories at the next class, where you are asked to speak on your subject for 7 minutes. This exercise allows us to drive into our memory in different ways. We have also discovered that this establishes a sense of being safe, caring and just having a lot of fun together.
Kathy Wright, Coordinator
Stamping
The stamping group had a spectacular year in 2023. We met once a month and made four cards with a variety of sentiments. A “Christmas Card Buffet” was held in September, twelve cards were made and lunch was provided . Attendance during the year varied from 6 to 20. Due to a number of reasons the leadership has decided to take a new direction in 2024 and will retire the card class. Many thanks to the leadership and all who participated.
Photography
Photography entitles one to see into the sacred in Creation. Our world is afire with the Glory of God. Photography helps us find our way back into nature. Photography also helps those of us with natural deficit disorder. Discover the beauty that photography can bring about in your life!
Storytelling
Storytelling is vital for all of us. It is a means to preserve family history, inform and entertain others, share values and visions, and build our heartfelt reflections, discoveries and imaginations. From introducing ourselves, seeking a new job, relating family stories, entertaining others and making career-long presentations, stories help people build confidence, focus on what is important and be aware of listener reactions.
Kanute Rarey, Coordinator
Have a dream or idea for a new Arts and Spirituality Ministry? Share them with us.
Contact Kathy Marcel