As the commencement date for starting this new ministry creeps ever closer, I find myself waking at odd hours of the night (and day sometimes - I am technically on holidays) with inspiration - a necessary ingredient for the budding artist (he says with tongue planted firmly in his cheek). So that is why I am posting this, my potential first newsletter article at 12:14am on a Monday....this had better not happen next month!!

For my birthday last year, Casey bought me a French Easel, a basic set of acrylic paints, various sized brushes, a couple of mediums (painting – not to be confused with the TV Drama) and three blank canvases. You see, for many years I had been threatening to take up abstract painting, but had never actually taken the plunge. Now, before all you artists get enthusiastic – I am very (and I cannot over emphasis this too much) amateur – but I am excited about the possibilities. For example, my very first 'painting' if we can call it that, which sits now in my lounge room on the easel was me seeing what colour the paints were, by painting odd shapes. Comments on it so far include, "hmmmm" and "That's [pause] interesting." However despite all that, there is something mysteriously spiritual about preparing, setting up, laying out the tools and staring at a blank canvas that is bursting with creative potential. I guess you could say the same thing about where we all find ourselves this month. Staring, as it were at a canvas full of potential. By no means a blank canvas, because as a Church you have been painting your story into the local community for over 20 years.

In Luke’s Gospel, the artist’s canvas of Christ’s journey had begun with divine inspiration of epic proportions, exploring the highs and the lows of existence, with Song, with Shepherds and Angels. By the time Jesus gets back home to Nazareth, he had his inspiration for the rest of his masterpiece. In Luke 4:18-19 Jesus is pretty much charcoaling in the design for the rest of his work. After unrolling the scroll of the prophet Isaiah in his local synagogue, Jesus reads:

The Canvas of Jesus’ ministry was spread out before the people, ‘This is what the masterpiece is all about, and now be witness to the creative genius of God.’ The rest of Luke’s Gospel gives us an insight into how this artistic genius fulfilled the words of the prophet Isaiah by creating a masterpiece of such impact that is continues to change and inspire the world today.

Now, I do not know what the canvas has in store for the community of the Mount Barker Church of Christ however I am really excited to be joining you and exploring this together. I look forward to getting to know everyone, hearing all your stories, sharing in your journey and experience of life and adding the next phase to the canvas of the Mt Barker Church of Christ as it seeks to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in this hills community.

Shalom - Sae.

I suppose I could also have explored that the reason painters (and I am now including my self that assembly - stop laughing) find such inspiration in the blank canvas, is for the same reason that God created so beauty 'ex nihilo'. Perhaps paintings see themselves as god-like in the creative process?? Hmmm, now that is something to explore with someone....

This entry was posted on Monday, January 21, 2008 at 1/21/2008 12:13:00 am. You can skip to the end and leave a response.