Ancient Modern Visual Faith

I'm taking a printmaking class

 at the College of William and Mary, 
in Williamsburg, VA.

 Some  interesting things were shared

 by the professor in his lecture.

In the Gothic period (11th, 12th century), 

when woodcuts were in their heyday in Europe,

 the black and white images

 depicting biblical scenes 

could be printed and sold cheaply. 

People took them home and colored them!

  They probably used natural dies

 made from things like onion skins or beets. 

They took the colored images 

with them on their pilgrimages. 

We saw a photo of an old suitcase 

with the woodcut attached to the inside.

The photo above is one of Durer's woodcuts.

 I guess nothing is new under the sun.

Submitted by Sally Beck- 
Journeys of Faith field reporter.

Mary Durkin- Nepal Mission Trip- Part 1

Reflections of a Midwestern Girl

 on a Mideastern Culture

This summer, Mary embarked on a courageous journey to Far West Nepal. The goal of the trip was to provide a teacher training workshop for approximately 200 teachers. The teachers in rural Nepal receive little to no training on classroom instruction or management. ServLife, a not-for-profit organization, based out of Indianapolis, Indiana, 

focuses their ministry and mission on Nepal and India.  ServLife sponsors an annual trip to Far West Nepal to provide training to the teachers that are eager to learn and grow in their teaching abilities. 

For more information or to donate or sponsor a child visit www.servlife.org  

Mary on the far right with her group

Q:  Where did you go during your travel?

Our team of 12 arrived at Kathmandu, Nepal.  We spent 2 days in Kathmandu adjusting to the culture and recovering from the 18 hours of flight time.  During that time, we also collaborated on our conference presentations and purchased supplies for our workshops.  

Then, we hopped another plane to Nepalgunj (which means Nepal City).  From Nepalgunj, we traveled by bus for 2 hours to Chisapani, which is in the jungle region of Nepal.  We held a three day workshop during our time there.  

Q: Who came along? 

Our entire team was assembled by Tim Kurth, assistant director of ServLife.  We were a group of 12 teachers variying from preschool to high school.  Our teachers live all over the United States.  Tim Kurth asked some of us personally to attend and some of us contacted ServLife with the desire to go.  Although we came from all over the United States, we had one thing in common, our love and passion for the Lord.  

Mary in the back with the blue headband.

 Left to her (in photo) is Jessi Fisher- A Lutheran school teacher 

at Cross Lutheran school in the Chicago Suburbs. 

She ws also a college friend from Concordia- Chicago

Q:  What was the purpose of the trip?

I believe the main purpose was to share our love and passion for education with the teachers of Nepal.  God’s purpose however was revealed to us in two parts.  The first revelation was that “to love your neighbor” means so much more than just the people on your street or in your congregation. 

It is all about relationships.

The second was that we can share the Gospel by first building relationships.  Currently, in Nepal it is illegal to proselytize, especially when it comes to Christianity. The country is predominately Hindu.   As a team, our goal was to lead a teacher’s conference.  As a team of teachers who love Jesus, our heart was to share that Gospel with the Nepali people.  Our prayer was that they could see Jesus in what we did and said without breaking the law.  Our focus was to build relationships in order to share Jesus.  

Mary holding the youngest orphan

 from the girl's home in Kathmandu. 

Her mother was killed in the earthquake last year.

Q:  What was one thing that was a total surprise to you?

So many things surprised me!  I think the biggest surprise was the incredible joy the teachers had for learning.  The Nepali teachers were so engaged in the training.  They are full of laughter and song.  They asked questions, lots of questions!  The part that was surprising is that these teachers are over worked, underpaid and have little to no resources. 

A Nepali classroom

 Their classrooms were concrete rooms with dirt floors.  Many teachers had over 50 students to one teacher.  The government does not regulate these things.  But the teachers were full of joy and wanted to know more.  They struggle with cultural oppression, poverty, monsoons, and unbearable heat but they have joy.  My prayer is that their joy will be in the Lord someday.  

Mary Durkin is a member at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church 

in Springfield, Virginia.  Born and raised in Illinois, 

she is a Midwestern girl at heart. 

 She is a wife to John Durkin, DCE and mother of 2. 

 Mary has been teaching for 17 years,

 16 years serving Lutheran schools.  

She currently teaches for Fairfax County Public Schools. 

Psalm 27 Devotion

Visual Faith Sketch Notes-

Psalm 27

notes from The Message

Psalm 27 -

 Inspire Bible

I had been working on Psalm 27 devotions

 in the past couple of weeks.

Thinking about the words, 
praying over them,
praying with them. 

Then, Natalie Hartwig sent me

 the following devotion last week.

We call that God's timing. alright.

     

Your face, Lord, I will seek

Psalm 27 concludes with two very powerful verses:

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

In the year of Our Lord, 2016, when friends get together to catch up on the years past they pull out their phones and share pictures of those they love. Children, grand-children, siblings, mutual acquaintances, pets, even lovely bits of the earth – these and many others are stored in the cloud to be summoned forth for admiration and joy. But our ascended Lord, the very one who ascended into a cloud (Acts 1:9), He is not seen in those pictures. Let’s think about this and the current fascination with visual faith and devotion. Let’s start a digital brainstorming session of ways we can create, encourage, and support opportunities to share our joy in Christ with each other.

• Instruct your group to bring their own favorite picture of Jesus to a meeting. Spend time sharing with each other why that particular picture is your favorite. Then use your phones to take pictures of the various portraits and have your phone guru (read grand-child) arrange your pictures so that a picture of Christ is always the first one that shows up.
• Dare to use a hymn tune or praise song as your ring tone on your phone.
• Use your favorite Bible passage or hymn verse in your auto signature.

Now it is your turn. Go ahead, get creative, add to this list of personal witness tools. How will you share the face of Christ with those you meet face to face?
                                                                      Natalie Hartwig

This Bible Journaling was done in October 2014.

 I love this Psalm. I come back to it regularly.

The way God's Word works is that each time 

there might be a different section

 that moves my heart.

I contacted artist Sally Beck and she had 
 a couple of drawings for Psalm 27.

 Children's New Living Translation

The images can be found here to download and print.
Psalm 27 image
another
Psalm 27

Thanks to Natalie Hartwig and Sally Beck
for these resources.
They would be a great way to gather a group
for a study, some creative thinking
 and an introduction to Bible Journaling.
There are all sorts of ways to engage
 in Visual Faith exercises.
This is one view.
What are YOU up to?

Psalm 27 Visual Faith
 done by Connie Denninger

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Sarah Speaks- Southern Region

Aaron and Sarah Speaks 

with Evelyn

Sarah shares a bit about her job:

Online Community Coordinator

Fountain of Life Lutheran Church & Preschool
Kernersville, North Carolina

Staff for: 1 year 7 months

Much of what I do for our church and preschool is just ensuring our publications are cohesive with each other, visually dynamic, and informative. Overseeing website, social media platforms,and email communications are my main day to day tasks. But, this also includes my passion for things techie and developing an online community. It is important to foster growth in this ministry since so many church members may or may not be able to come every Sunday, but want to stay connected.

What brings me JOY? 
My 3 year old daughter, Evelyn. Watching her grow and change everyday is such a blessing to witness. Our family time and traveling has brought us alot of joy this summer too. 

What is the Holy Spirit doing in my life right now?

I feel like the Holy Spirit is leading me to try new things. Our family is in alot of transitions: ending old things and being open to try new things. God has provided us a lot of comfort throughout these changes. I love knowing He has a vision for our lives.

Thank you to Sarah for highlighting what might be a new staff position

 in many of our Lutheran Churches. 

 Developing community online and highlighting a digital presence

 is still fairly new in creating Kingdom connections.

Christy King-Soul Spa Retreat

The Soul Spa Women's retreat 
was held in August, 2016.
A Ferry Ride is how you arrive
 at the Retreat Site.
The retreat was at Chanco on the James.
chanco.org

The Women's Ministry of

King of Glory Lutheran Church, 
Williamsburg, VA hosted the event.

Christy King shares a

 bit of the encouragement 

she had for those who attended:

"God wants us to spend time with Him.

 Look at the lamb in this photo... 

how adorable!

 That’s God’s response when we draw close

 to Him and spend time with Him!

 It is in this place we find rest for our souls."

Come to Me, 
all who are weary and heavy- laden, 

and I will give you rest. 

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, 

for I am gentle and humble in heart, 

and you will find rest for your souls.

 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Matthew 11:28-30

Judy Olver leading some Journaling time

"Music and visual arts are powerful tools

 for drawing closer to God (literally!)

 and resting in His glorious presence. 

Put on some instrumental music 

and close your eyes. 

Rest in his presence 

and open your spiritual eyes.

 See what God shows you or tells you."

"I am a worship music leader 

and a preschool music teacher. 

I have my preschoolers do this exercise;

 get quiet, lay down, and close their eyes,

 as I play some quiet music and tell them

 to see what God shows or tells them. 

They love it and come up with some amazing

 pictures and thoughts!

 Most of them see Jesus playing with them

 or a rainbow river!

 They say they hear God
 saying to them, “I love you”!

 This has become their 
most requested activity,

 even over dancing with scarves

 or playing the drums!"

"Music is a powerful tool to connect with God.

 We all have those songs that really speak

 to us about a time in our life and how God

 has been there for us. 

Visual arts are my new favorite tool

 to respond to Him.

 I’ll put on some quiet music and start

journaling scriptures and drawing pictures

 from God’s amazing Word to us."

Retreat Team Leaders:
Left to Right- Teresa Olver, Judy Olver, Christy King, 
Susan Bookless, and Faith Staples
"At our women’s retreat we had many times

 of “suggested” rest and journaling.

 It is hard to find time daily to spend

 with God and journal.

 So we had many sessions practicing

 this amazing discipline. 

I encouraged the women to get a lamb

 or other reminder of how much
 God loves each of them.

 When we spend time with Him, 

and record or journal our experiences- 
we find rest in Him!" 

We give thanks for Christy King, M.A. Worship Studies

 and her heart for Music for the Soul.

 She serves at King of Glory 

Lutheran Church and School, Williamsburg, VA.

Collaborative VBS Projects

The VBS participants of all ages were excited

 and amazed to see what happens

 when a group of individuals works together.

The mosaic of Jesus Walking on the Water 

began with a pencil drawing on a foam board. 

Colorful magazine pages were torn

 and matched with the corresponding spaces 

on the drawing.

 As more pieces were added the mosaic

 started to take shape,

 until finally, everyone could see Jesus -

walking on the water!

Cave Quest VBS

at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 

Springfield VA.

Lots of young children.

Craft time with multi-age participants,

An Innovative and inexpensive 

approach to "craft-time",

and a move away from "kit".

Torn magazines sorted by color 

to make large Collaborative art projects.

The art graced the narthex as it was completed

and then were used as Visual Faith Art

 for the closing worship service.

 The Cross Collaborative was created 
with about 130 individual
 crosses carefully designed by each child. 
 Large craft sticks were used.

 Students could make one to take home
 and one to add to the group art.

When the students saw the finished projects

 they had helped to create- 

they were delighted and surprised. 

All one together- 
united by the cross of Jesus.

Great Job- 

Bonnie Hughes and Joen Schultz-Art Directors

 and helping staff.

CAVE QUEST complete.

With one heart and voice.

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From Paper to Heaven- A Young Poetess

The Unforeseen Path 

(Inspired by Psalm 23) 

by Erin O.

As I walk through a long

Winding road, darkness

Overtakes it.

I shudder as fear overwhelms

Every inch in my being. 

Suddenly, I am touched by an

All surpassing warmth. 

A light touches the place 

Where my feet meet the earth. 

Though I fear nothing. 

The light takes hold of me 

And gently carries me to 

A placid stream.

I drink and my soul is 

Restored. 

I find myself at a breathtakingly 

Exquisite banquet, prepared 

For me, I am later informed.

I sit and mine enemies

Look upon me with 

Scornful eyes.

However I fear nothing,

Because the light is 

By my side.

Erin is a junior in high school.
 She enjoys writing in her free time.

 Music brings her joy 
(because it helps her to really relax). 

 At the moment her life feels 
a bit like a whirlwind of chaos,

 but the Holy Spirit is working in her
 to bring peace in her writing. 

 Erin will be a contributing writer 
for Journeys of Faith

 as a young author-
posting From Paper to Heaven.