Christmastide

We're in the midst of Christmastide. Christmastide is what we can call the period of time from Christmas Eve to the 5th of January. Some know it as the Twelve Days of Christmas or Yuletide.

My boys walking to the "star of Bethlehem, PA"

During this week the studio is relatively quiet. Activity that fills me instead tends to be eating an unusual amount of cookies, savoring the Christmas cards that have come in the mail from friends far away, and keeping the coffee pot filled for unexpected visitors. My family also takes a few days to travel to to see my husband's family in Bethlehem ....Bethlehem, Pennsylvania that is! As we approach Bethlehem, PA we see a star hovering above the mountainside (I kid you not!). Even though this star is a man made out of steel and lightbulbs I always marvel at how far away we can see it as we drive into town and wonder if this feeling of amazement is what it was like for the magi.

Of course we don't really know what it was like that first Christmas therefore we've been artistically interpreting it for many years. Here is a unique painting called The Star of Bethlehem by Sir Edward Burne-Jones depicting the Adoration of the Magi  with an angel holding the star of Bethlehem. 

This painting is the largest watercolor of the 19th century and was created as a design for a William Morris tapestry. There are many theories about the star that led the magi. Regardless of what you believe the star is or was on that first Christmas it is a sign of God's presence in the miraculous and mysterious story of Christ's birth. As Matthew told us in 2:9, And there, ahead of them, went the star...it stopped over the place where the child was.

May the Love of Christ

shine brightly on you during Christmastide 

and throughout the New Year

Preparing for Christmas

As I was fretting about my "task list" in preparation of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day I stumbled upon Psalm 97. This scripture has helped me be more settled. Therefore I'm sharing this video interpretation while bidding you a blessed Christmas filled with hope and joy! Merry Christmas...

Christmas Bells

In the Book of Exodus (39:1-31), it is explained that the high priest in the temple was to wear a gown that had a bottom trim of pomegranates--a symbol of seeds and new life--and bells. It is explained quite clearly that the bells will allow those in the Temple to know when the high priest is coming, and when he departs. Today our Christmas bells are not necessarily a warning to any dark force...but they are a joyous announcement of the fact that the Holy One is coming. And today the pomegranate can be a reference to the church the crown on the top en-robing the seeds or the people.


The priests' garments were reportedly rich and splendid. The church in its infancy was thus taught by shadows of good things to come; but today the substance is Christ, and the grace of the gospel. Christ is our great High Priest. May the pomegranates and bell trim on this new prototype design stole be a reminder of the good news! We're testing the waters with this design by offering them here for pastors and here for deacons on eBay this week. We'd love your feedback even if these two stoles are not destined to your mailbox.

A Recipe for the Season

We're always looking for and thinking about how the visual can connect us with God's Word. Here's a recipe that would be fun to do with children while you talk about the Christmas story. I can visualize using some of those "I wonder" kind of questions to generate a stimulating conversation--I wonder what swaddling clothes are?, I wonder what Mary was thinking when baby Jesus was born?, I wonder if baby Jesus cried?, etc. We're sharing this from The Frugal Gourmet Celebrates Christmas by Jeff Smith.

It's hard for us to resist a good cookie!

Babes Wrapped in Swaddling Clothes

Makes 4 1/2 dozen

The dough

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 1 8 oz. container sour cream
• 2 egg yolks (reserve the whites for the meringue filling below)
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• confectioner's sugar

Combine the flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in the butter until grainy. In a small bowl, combine the sour cream egg yolks, and lemon juice. Blend the sour cream mixture into the flour mixture. Knead together to form a smooth dough. Place the dough on plastic wrap and pat it into a 6 x 8-inch rectangle. Wrap and refrigerate 2 hours, or overnight.

The filling

• 2 egg whites, reserved from the making the dough
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup walnuts, chopped fine
• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually whip in the sugar to form a meringue. Whip until the meringue holds soft peaks. Fold in the remaining ingredients. Dust a rolling pin and the counter with flour. Roll the chilled dough out into a thin (1/8 inch maximum) rectangle on the floured counter. Trim the edges so the rectangle measures 24 x 15 inches. Cut the dough into 3-inch squares and dust with confectioner's sugar. Place a rounded teaspoon of the filling in the center of each dough square. With a tiny bit of water, dampen two opposite corners. Fold the two opposite corners over each other and press the center together lightly. Place the cookies on a nonstick baking sheet and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Of course, if you prefer to stick to "non caloric" visual images on fabric you can see our selection of Christmas stoles here. It's not too late to place an order....shipping is always 2-3 business days USPS priority service.

The Advent Candle

One of my fondest memories from my childhood is family worship around the Advent wreath (thanks Mom!) Each Sunday in Advent we'd light the candles, read scripture, sing, and sometimes even do a craft. The rhythm of this ritual was carried into my family when I became a parent. 


It's enriching to learn of other family's traditions. I recently heard a variation of the candle tradition... You will need a tall candle. Mark it with 24 short lines from top to bottom. Each day during Advent find a few quiet moments with your family when you can light the candle and let it burn from one notch to the next, read an Advent thought or piece of scripture for the day, and say a prayer together. This quiet time as a family would be a lovely counterpoint to getting swept up in the extravaganza that society has turned the birth in the stable into.


This photo is of my children from nine years ago. It seems like yesterday to me. I can't believe how fast the years have gone! . It's times like simple, family worship during this season of preparation that help me slow down and stay focused. What are some of your traditions?

St. Andrew

St. Andrew's Day is celebrated by many on November 30th. We're inspired by Andrew and have created a stole that helps tell his story so we may learn from his example. A few facts about Andrew:

• he was one of the Twelve Apostles and a brother of Simon Peter. He was a fisherman by trade, who lived in Galilee
• The original fisher of men (Mt. 4:18-20) Andrew made no excuses--he just followed immediately. 
• Andrew accepted John the Baptist's testimony about Jesus and immdediately went to tell his brother AND he was eager to introduce others to Jesus.

A seventh century church tradition tells that Andrew is believed to have died on a diagonally transversed cross, which the Romans sometimes used for executions. The cross St. Andrew was crucified on has been adopted as the national flag of Scotland. The blue that is typically associated with Andrew stands for the sky.


Andrew is one of those that make me think of my actions. Do I follow immediately or do I have a list to get through before I do for Christ? Do I actually take others to see Jesus? 


Carrot Top Studio's stoles representing saints and celebrating special days can be found here.

Christ the King

Pietro Lorenzeti, Christ Before Pilate

"...for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth." Jesus, in John 18:37b


We celebrate Christ the King this coming Sunday and this passage from the book of John and the  artwork by Pietro Lorenzetti are most appropriate to examine at this time. First, a look at the art. The artist was Italian and the painting was completed at the onset of the Renaissance. 

• what reaction do you have to the soldiers by the way they are dressed?
• what emotion is the Jewish leader depicting?
• Pilate is seen nervously twisting a tassel on his mantle. What does this say about his thoughts and actions?
• Looking at Jesus' posture and gaze what does this articulate about this moment?

Secondly, I am not a theologian but I am drawn to this bit of scripture and I will share a snippet of my thoughts. Pilate seems to recognize the truth when Jesus tells him that He is a king. But Pilate is also an example of one that choses to ignore it. He was willing to please both sides. Preparing for Christ the King focused on worship this Sunday makes me more conscious of whether I move through my days following the truth or playing both sides. This is a great example of how I appreciate cycling through the Church year calendar for these special days and seasons to be a reminder of the lessons I need to continually hear and learn from. And may it be also with you!

A Tribute to Dorcas (and Button Day)

Today, November 16th is officially recognized  as "Button Day." It's not because it's cold outside and you need to button up nor is it an opportunity to tell someone to button up because they talk too much. It's a tribute to that small disk or knob that you use to close your garments. The button is at least 3000 years old and was originally just used for decoration. Intrigued for more information? You might like to read about the National Button Society.


Learning these bits of trivia has led us to the story of Dorcas (also known as Tabitha) and the need to design a ministry stole with buttons on it! This green stole is perfect for remembering the work of those that sew for the needy the way Dorcas did.  Acts 9:32-43 teaches us that Dorcas made an enormous impact upon her community by sewing for and helping the poor.  There's no way Dorcas could "push our buttons" other than to motivate us to focus on the gifts we've been given and figure out how to best use them to further the kingdom.


Find this stole and other stoles recalling saints and special days here on the Carrot Top Studio website.

Cleaning For Advent and Christmas

I'm fully aware that Advent is right around the corner because  I personally look forward to seasons of preparation and our Advent ministry stole stock is turning over at a brisker pace than usual (thank you!) Because of the nature of this business I live by the church year calendar. Despite this I must confess that my pulse raced when my daughter pointed out the count down to Christmas calendar on eBay. This made me realize I could no longer ignore the Christmas banners that were sitting in my workroom. This poor set of white and gold textile art from my home church suffered from a water leak dispersing some nasty rustiness upon them. Carrot Top Studio typically recommends clear baby shampoo as a gentle spot remover but this seemed to require a more creative cleaning solution . After some experimentation, I can share a new "insider tip" that a combination of hydrogen peroxide and cream of tartar appears to be the answer to removing rusty water stains. Cleaning is not one of my natural gifts so this kind of thing amazes me.

But here's another tidbit....white stoles need to be replaced more often than any other. What can I say--white just shows the dirt! So maybe in the next week before life spins at a different pace you can look at your stoles, paraments, banners and vestments and see if you're in good shape for Christ the King, Advent and Christmas. These special days and seasons should be about preparing our hearts, caring for others, and worshiping the Lord--not wondering if the stain  on your white stole will show while you're leading worship! Blessings for your ministry.

The Harvest

I love going to the farmer's market. I'm a bit of a foodie so I adore the fresh local produce to cook with but I'm sure the attraction is also the vibrant palette of colors....just like I respond to color used in the textiles in worship! Last night I was particularly struck by the variety of colors in the apples. So many different kinds of reds, greens and golds!

The bounty of the season and the harvest make me think of the Shakers who are renowned for having pioneered the packaging of garden seeds for sale. Did you know that they produced seeds in great quantities in the early 1800's and the Shaker business was recognized for its quality products. Seed salesmen worked routes extending well into the Midwest by the 1830's. The seeds were gathered during the growing season, packets were printed, cut and pasted by hand. Once filled, the packets were placed into wooden Shaker seed boxes which were then placed for sale in stores by salesmen working routes into the Midwest or by mail order to the southern states. The Shakers celebrate the harvest with this hymn....

The Harvest

Our support we'll gather in.

For the harvest time is come.

Now to reap we will begin

Will you all now help us on?

Twas by Christ the seed was sown.

Now the harvest does appear;

Now the crops are fully grown.

Reap, o reap, get every spear.

The second thing that struck me at the farmer's market last night were the hands that passed me the produce that I was purchasing. Time after time these hands seemed so strong and weathered. They were a symbol to me of the hard work that it takes, to bring the food I often taken for granted, to the table. I am thankful for the vast amount of choices God has provided us, for the bounty we have and for the many hands that it takes to grow the food we eat. At the end of harvest season many cultures take a moment to be thankful. Here in the United States we of course call this holiday Thanksgiving. Carrot Top Studio celebrates the harvest with this stole embellished with pumpkins, gourds, corn and apples. The falling leaves add delightful detail to this stole. Wear this stole to lead worship as we come together in unity to be thankful for so many things.  


The stole front is crafted from acreamy white cotton blend. The produce is appliqued and finished with machine embroidery and is accented with hand painted falling leaves. It is lined with the same fabric as the front and is interfaced for added body. Stole is 49" long measuring from back of neck to the bottom of the hem on one side.   It measures 4 1/2" wide at the hem and tapers to 2 3/4" at the neck. 

All Saints Day

All Saints Day is the celebration of those who have contributed successfully to the creation of the kingdom and is traditionally celebrated on the fast approaching date of November 1st. As a church we remember and honor all the Christian faithful, both known and unknown.  Reflecting on the lives and examples of the saints has been a widespread practice of Christians since the earliest days of the church. 


It's interesting to note that Philip Melanchthon, Martin Luther's most important colleague in the Reformation, wrote of three ways that Christians should honor the saints:  The first is thanksgiving.  For we ought to give thanks to God because He has shown examples of mercy… because He has given teachers or other gifts to the church… The second service is the strengthening of our faith; when we see the denial forgiven Peter, we also are encouraged to believe the more that grace truly super-abounds over sin, (Romans 5:20).  The third honor is the imitation, first, of faith, then of the other virtues…  (Apology of the Augsburg Confession,  Article XXI, paragraphs 4-6)


I certainly can't argue with Melanchthon's suggestions! Here are a few more:

• recall family, friends or neighbors that have died...tell stores you remember about them. Light candles for them and say prayers of thanksgiving for how they touched your life.
• create a family tree. This can be done with your family and is a lovely way of telling the story of past generations to your children. This also could play out with a church congregation, Bible study or small group...ask members to chose someone from the Bible that they find inspiring. Write the name on a card. Have participants take time sharing what they have learned from this person's story. Place the cards in a time line or a family tree.
• embellish your worship space and wear stoles in white. As the Book of Revelation bears witness, God's saints are those who have ...washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:14) 
• sing or meditate on the hymn For All the Saints written by William Walsham in 1864. This hymn is a commentary on the phrase "I believe in the communion of saints" from the Apostle's Creed. An interesting note about the tune of this hymn is that it was first rejected as being "jazz music." It's nice that we got past that! The original hymn had eleven stanza's. Here is the first:

For all the saints, who from their labors rest,
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed,
Thy Name, O Jesus, be forever blessed.
Alleluia, Alleluia!

* the stole illustrated here is from the Carrot Top Studio Haiti collection. The Haiti collection is a series of ministry stoles embellished with hand dyed silk from La Femme de la Croix in La Croix, Haiti. Fifty percent of the proceeds of these stoles is donated to this ministry. See the collection here.

Stoles are Teaching Tools

My young adulthood found me teaching art in Houston, Texas. That's me in the picture on a field trip with students to the contemporary art museum. If you can get past the kelly green shirt (oh, the 80's!) and the permed hair (why did I waste all of that money?) you'll see the smile on my face showing that I was really enjoying the teaching! I took pleasure in finding teachable moments in everything I did. Today at Carrot Top Studio I see a lot of similarities with ministry and have always thought of clergy stoles not just as a representation of leadership but also as a teaching tool. The colors and symbols on a stole, if they connect with worship, reinforce the Word and the moment.


I babble on like this to introduce a new concept for a stole. This summer one of our clients had an idea for an Advent stole that would engage the children (and adults) of her congregation during the children's moment because it would have interchangeable images that would help tell the story of the long awaited Messiah.

This project was a challenge and a good bit of time was spent figuring out the logistics of trying to make a stole that involved Velcro parts that maintained a level of integrity. We feel that this concept has great possibilities! The stole starts with four symbols of Old Testament prophecy: the snake (Genesis 3:15), the crown (Psalm 2:6), the tree (Isaiah 11:1) and the stone (Psalm 118:22). Each week during Advent a symbol is removed to reveal candles set in evergreens to represent Christ coming as the light of the world and God's everlasting love for us (the evergreens.) The star cross on the chest of this stole references the Christmas celebration we are preparing for. The inside of the stole has pockets for the symbols when they are not in use...this is not a time of year to be disorganized!See the entire stole here. If you have time we'd love to hear what you think...email us! 

Can the Church Celebrate American Craft Week?

A stole with a unique design-
Inspired by Matt. 6:26

October 1-10th is American Craft Week. I like "craft" defined as: An occupation or trade requiring manual dexterity or skilled artistry. This is not a celebration that Christians and churches should ignore. Scripture makes it clear that God is interested in craft/art. If this is a new thought, you might enjoy delving into Exodus 26 where much detail is shared about the particulars of the tabernacle. Throughout the history of the church, art has been crafted for precise purposes such as Communion serving pieces, calligraphy in Bibles and even the architecture of a church building. 

Carrot Top Studio of course focuses on the art and craft of textiles (particularly ministry stoles) to aid worship. In our case we apply the definition of craft as: making or constructing something in a manner suggesting great care or ingenuity. We aim to offer a clever, unique product that has evolved from the original purpose for a stole.The story goes that the stole originally derived from a kind of liturgical napkin called an orarium. Some think it is linked to the napkin used by Christ in washing the feet of his disciples, and is therefore a fitting symbol of the yoke of Christ, the yoke of service. Today the craft that comes from our studio supports those in ministry that make a visual connection using color and symbols for those that you minister to.


Do you ever question what art or craft is for?  I like to apply author Lauren F. Winner’s quote for an answer: “God reveals himself to us—if only we take the time to linger.” So I encourage you to linger in spaces where you happen upon art and craft and be moved by how the artists react to the world around them. You might also pray for the artists. And last but not least, help the church to identify artists in your community and push their gifts outwards to share their creativity on a Sunday or as beacons of Christ’s light as their serve outside of the church building. So, I wholeheartedly say YES we can celebrate craft week...worldwide.


*pictured green stole can be found on the Carrot Top Studio website here.

Hope Rooted in Promise

A beautiful, early fall day on a college campus last weekend found me to stumbling upon this sculpture--

He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. Isaiah 25:8 (The artist is unknown to me. I am sorry I cannot give him credit.)


In the studio we are preparing for Advent. When I read scripture, such as this passage from Isaiah, I never cease to be in awe of connections made between the Old and New Testaments. I shouldn't be amazed because of course Gods plans and actions are all bound together! So we look forward to welcoming the baby Jesus at the end of November when we prepare our hearts for Christmas. This of course starts the cycle of the church recalling Christ's life and leads us to Easter when we remember that by his death the power of death was destroyed. I believe this is what Isaiah 25:8 refers to. 


This verse from Isaiah is an example of how God gives us visual images to help us relate to his message. "He will swallow up" is probably a reference to a whirlpool or violent, turbulent situation in the ocean. I don't know about you, but that presents a very scary image in my mind. Thankfully this image is presented to us so we'll know that God will abolish death and He will triumph. As we follow God's example of including an image to emphasize a point I wonder what you are planning for Advent? Will your worship space entice our senses with purple for royalty or blue for the heavens that we aspire to? Will you include hung banners, Bible book marks, or processional banners in these colors? Is your stole ready...cleaned and pressed? Maybe this year you'll wear a different stole for each Sunday of Advent with symbols that match how we move through the teachings of the season. And we know you won't neglect the visual possibilities when sharing the "children's moment" in worship. This is a great teaching time that usually speaks to everyone in the congregation--not just the children. Perhaps this is when you teach about the symbols we often take for granted during Advent such as the candles, the evergreens, or the Jesse tree. 


As we all prepare for Advent, I'll leave you with some thoughts from William Dyrness, professor of theology at Fuller Seminary..."paying attention to visual elements need not distract from the central elements of worship—preaching, prayer, singing—but can enhance and accompany them with a kind of visual continuo. Heaven is often pictured as a place where all our gifts will be given over to the eternal and joyful worship of God. In this respect our worship on earth can surely anticipate that celebration."

Shall We Fight On?

In Happy Valley with my dear daughter.

Sometimes our minds are nudged to think about faith in the oddest places, aren't they? Last Saturday while visiting my alma mater I had one of those moments. I know most of this audience doesn't bleed Penn State blue and white the way I do, but maybe you'll hear me out anyway. 


My thinking all started as we settled into the football stadium and sang our National Anthem and the Alma Mater. The Beaver Stadium crowd takes this seriously and they sing with much gusto--even those like the gentleman behind me that can't carry a tune! So I was thinking, when we join together in worship do we sing the Doxology this way? Do we sing praises and thanksgiving like we really mean it? 


Additionally, people that are Penn State fans tend to be very enthusiastic, hospitable and welcoming. For example, Penn Staters tailgate like no others. The cars line up in make shift parking lots for miles around the stadium. Regardless of the weather and regardless of whether they even have tickets for the game or not, they spend the day in fellowship. Tailgating involves sharing a meal, catching up with old friends, making new friends, and setting aside the demands of daily life. So my analogy is that as Christians I wonder how often we take the time for this type of fellowship and hospitality? Tailgate enthusiasm is like a magnet. Moreover, since I was a student 20+ years ago I've witnessed the tailgate area around the stadium grow and grow. Does our faith have this type of magnetism? And what are we doing to grow the Church?


Finally as the Carrot Top Studio owner/artist I can't resist also making a visual connection in this line of thought. Penn State events prompt most everyone to be decked out in blue and white. Most everyone joins in the enthusiasm and wears it with pride. They call it spirit wear for a reason! This makes me remember the first game a friend's wife tailgated with us. She was not a Penn State graduate and having no idea what she was getting into she mistakenly wore red to the game...the opposing team's color. We of course love her regardless of this misfortune but she wanted to be part of the spirit and has since then accumulated blue and white in her wardrobe for such events. You know the passages about putting on the armor of God (Romans 13:12-14)?  I'm not talking about t-shirts that proclaim our faith, but I'm wondering if our actions and deeds proclaim that we are Christians. And, is what we are wearing--what people see-causing others to come along side of us? 


At a Penn State sporting event we sing the song "Fight on State", but I'm not in the stadium today. Today I say fight on Christians. I sign off to go sing my praises loudly and with passion, to be open to whom I can show hospitality to, and to dust my armor off. Join me today in these tasks....and if you're ever looking for a Penn State tailgate let me know because I'd love to have you over! Fight on!

Book Review-Part Two

Sofonisba Anguissola, Self-Portrait, ca.1556

I've wrapped up my summer reading and I'm here to report on the second half of For the Beauty of the Church. Each chapter is written by a different author and I found this refreshing to have so many viewpoints within one text. If you missed our, you may read my last post here. And now some more points that were interesting to me:

• "there are two kinds of people in the world: people who are artists and people who are supposed to support them. We should figure out which you are and do it with vigor." Isn't that a lovely notion?
• artists aren't the easiest bunch to shepherd. They need patience, prayers, and love just like everyone else so that their gifts can be nurtured.
• the arts are not buttons to be pushed just to enhance a sermon. The arts in worship should bear witness to Christ in a way that artistic creativity can flourish.
• "a full, gospel vision for arts ministry is one that attempts to nourish a wide spectrum of the arts, both inside and outside the church building." Christian artists are needed to work in the church and there need to be those that work in the marketplace. This is not just about Sunday mornings!

Lastly, whether you are an artist or are an arts supporter this book is a recommended read for the content and for the bibliography at the end of each chapter....the generous and intriguing lists will keep your bookstand full for quite some time! 

In the afterword the book's editor, W. David Taylor has written a lovely list of prayer requests for artists and pastors. He ends with "may each of us remain faithful to the calling God has placed upon our life and upon the life of our church. And may it give us great joy." I recently have been thinking about the differences between a vocation and a job. With the exception of the drudgery of keepings the books, I think most of what I do in the studio is vocation. Having found my way to being an artist for pastors and churches gives me great joy. For this I remain thankful and am appreciative of God's patience with my endeavors as I attempt to serve. 

For the Beauty of the Church, Book Review-Part One

Summer allows me some extra reading time for both pleasure and for professional growth and development. One of my selections this summer was For the Beauty of the Church edited by W. David O. Taylor. This is a really unique book...I haven't stumbled upon too many others regarding church and art and how they connect. Here are some things I found interesting to ponder from the first half of the book...

• how can art serve to deepen and challenge our corporate worship? Artists should think specifically about how their art strengthens the communal dimension of worship.
• the best liturgical art expands our awareness and experience of the church as a functioning corporate body that transcends time and place.
• liturgical art should deepen the relationship between God and the gathered congregation.
• liturgical artists should be able to get feedback from the congregation such as, "your song, your poetry, your dance helped us to pray, to hear God to know and love God."
• thinking about Exodus 15:2 (The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.) how can an artist beautify God with praises?

The first half of this book is making me think I need to revisit the last chapters of Exodus beginning with 35 where instruction was being given to bild the Tabernacle. I know that, because of Jesus Christ we no longer need a temple to be The Church. But what can artists, pastors, and those that worship in community take from this Old Testament wisdom? I leave you with this thought and will look forward to posting about the second half of this book next week. 

Lectionary Art: Eating Meals

If you follow the Lectionary you probably know that one of the text's this week is the story of Jesus at a Pharisee's house. It is found in Luke Chapter 14. This story speaks to me because I'm a bit of a foodie and absolutely love it when our house is full of people sitting around the table for food and conversation. I'm thankful that there are so many Biblical examples that involve scenarios around sharing a meal because I can relate to them. Luke shares this story so we can see that service is more important than status and that the table is open to everyone. Here are two master art images that illustrate this lesson...

Tamalada, Carmen Lomas Garza

Making tamales is an experience of food and gathering of people around a table...often for a special occasion. Everyone is welcome! Everyone has a job to complete and no job is more important than another. The tasks are all required for the end result to occur. 

• how does your family celebrate special occasions?
• how do you include everyone in your family whether they are a blood relative or not?
• why do you think the artist chose such vivid, happy colors for this painting?

Mother with Baby, a Child Placing Bread in an Oven, Hablot Browne 

Artist Hablot Browne sketched a child serving by helping with the bread baking. This is fitting for our Biblical text because it can cause us to think about who is able to serve.

• how do the simple colors and loose lines make you feel? Do they enhance or detract from the story the artist is telling?
• examine the facial expressions. What do they imply about the scene and everyone's level of "status" at this frozen moment in time?
• how old do you need to be to serve? How do you serve in your home? 

Faith, Hope and Love

Finding the batik fabric on this stole, knowing we have several more weeks to honor Ordinary Time, and recently reading a reflection on 1 Corinthians 13:13 (and now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love) led us to create a new stole focused on this passage.


I appreciate the study notes for this passage that are in my NIV Bible. The author shares: In morally corrupt Corinth, love had become a mixed-up term with little meaning. Today people are still confused about love. Love is the greatest of all human qualities, and it is an attribute of God himself. Love involves unselfish service to others; to show it gives evidence that you care. Faith is the foundation and content of God's message; hope is the attitude and focus; love is the action. When faith and hope are in line, you are free to love completely because you understand how God loves.


We have messages of love all around us. Some are positive examples and some are not. At the forefront of my mind is the flooding in Pakistan and the apparent lack of support these people in need are receiving. It seems as if Americans showed their love in a different way when there was an earthquake in Haiti last February. Secondly, while in the studio this week I've been listening to the novel Glass Castle. It's the story of children raised by parents who had issues with alcohol, sexual abuse and neglect but the children unconditionally love their parents who really short change the love back at them. The children shouldn't have to be more mature in their loving than the adults. They are a positive example. Lastly, my oldest child becomes a college freshman next week. I'm having to lean on my faith, hope AND love on this one. I'm so proud of this young man that leaves his heart open to listen for God's guidance, and I have faith that while listening he has made great choices for his future. And now I am leaning on my faith, and hope and God's love as I prepare for this next stage of parenting. We wish that this stole will be a visual reminder of love being more than an emotional high; it is a conscious choice, a continuing commitment as we chose to nurture that love so it can grow.

What Others Have Said about "Church Art"

A few bits of wisdom to dwell upon from those who have gone before us on the topic of "church art"...

We are able to feel and learn very quickly through music, through art, through poetry some spiritual things that we would otherwise learn very slowly.- President Boyd K. Packer, 1976 Devotional Speeches of the Year

When I was teaching (yup, that's a very 80's looking photo of me) I tried to implement activity for all learning styles into my lessons (as the quote above implies). Now I have also come to understand that this applies to people of all ages and carries into worship and the work we do as the church.

The invention of the arts, and other things which serve the common use and convenience of life, is a gift of God by no means to be despised, and a faculty worthy of commendation.- John Calvin

I recently stayed in an old monastery turned inn and was delighted to see the baptismal font still on the premises. It was literally simply elegant. It served as a reminder to me of church art that is functional and has a common (yet special) use. The simplicity of the font drew a vision in my mind of the water being poured from a shell....a wonderful specimen of art gifted from God's natural world. Maybe Calvin would have appreciated this?

Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.- Thomas Merton

Art can be complex and deep in meaning or simple and superficial...such as these fabric banners seen this summer at Laurel Mountain Christian Camp. They are a simple use of color and line to evoke the feeling of joy for the Lord that is felt by these campers as they worship in the mountains away from their city homes. With the aid of the visual and the art in the music the children find themselves and lose themselves all at the same time as Merton suggests is possible.          Photo credit: Ian Gallo.

Christian art is by no means always religious art, that is, art which deals with religious themes. Consider God the Creator. Is God's creation totally involved with religious subjects? What about the universe? the birds? the trees? What about the bird's song? and the sound of the wind in the trees?- Francis Schaeffer

Did Schaeffer mention the bird's song? You might recall reading about these babies born above our back door. We're proud to announce that just months later the nest is being used again and each morning I am greeted with the song of hungry little ones. I thank God. 

Arts in the church can be many things. How are you and  your congregation doing?