This special issue of the BTS highlights artwork created and shared by the people of ACC during our Prayer, Worship and Art Night, so if you missed it you can still enjoy what was created… but sorry the cookies have all been eaten!
Heritage
By Launa Grunau and the People of ACC
When we, as members of God’s kingdom, sew the small things that are given to us, like the farmer in the parable, we will see growth that is life changing and life giving. We, as the church, become a safe place for families to nest and nurture. We provide shade and shelter, strength and sustenance.
As all of our families are grafted into the vine along side each other we become a spiritual family. This becomes our family tree. This becomes our heritage, generation to generation. Just like in a natural family, the family tree is ever changing; new people are added by marriage, birth or adoption, and people leave too. But at any given time you can look at a family tree and tell where you have been and where you are headed. Even though our church is changing, growing, being pruned, grafting new people in, this picture tonight is our snapshot. 1 year, 5 years, even 10 years down the road, we don’t know what this tree will look like, what new leaves will be added, which ones will be gone, but we can look at this and see our heritage, where it started. I hope that in the years to come we need a much bigger canvas to hold all the thumbprints.
God made a divine appointment for you to be a part of something bigger than yourself. He wants you to be connected to the Vine and to his Kingdom, offering the small seeds of your life to Him and to His people so he can grow an abundant harvest.
(This piece will be on display this Sunday where you can add your finger print to our heritage tree)
Seize My Heart
by Rebecca Varpness
The idea for this piece came after the night of Seth’s second surgery. When we got the news that a second surgery was inevitable because the infection was threatening his eye and making its way towards his brain, I began to unwind. Jesus seemed distant from us in my family’s time of need, and I found myself unable to stay strong for my son. I retreated to the hospital’s serenity garden and mustered the strength to say to God, “Help us to reflect your glory through all of this.” It’s hard to reflect God when we are controlled by our worry; I had to let the worry go and let God fill me with his peace. Instead of anger, I had to receive His joy. When I became willing, even in my weakness, God did what I couldn’t, and he was faithful to answer my prayer. Family and friends arrived to wait with us, pray with us, and even laugh with us as we waited for the second surgery to end. Before I realized what I was thinking, I knew that Seth was going to be okay because even in this unexpected place Jesus could be felt and seen in the hospital that night.
The next day I realized that Jesus had made his presence known through the loved ones who had visited us that evening as well as throughout our entire stay. It was as if each visitor allowed us to see that “The Visitor” was with us the entire time. Thus, the mask represents Jesus, who brought his presence and his peace to us through our community of friends and family; that is why his face is made of their visitor bands.
On the mask I covered up the right eye as a reminder that Jesus was not unfamiliar with my son’s sufferings. It is likely that on the cross Jesus’ eye was swollen shut from the beatings he received for our healing… including my son Seth’s healing. On the mask Jesus is not wearing a crown of thorns, but a crown made of the tubes from Seth’s IV. During the two--week ordeal Seth endured 20 pokes from near daily blood draws and IV treatment. This crown of tubes is a reminder that “The Visitor” also spilt his blood, but he did so that we could be with him forever, whether in Heaven or in Room 612.
This piece was made by ACC’s Neal Maddox, who is only 11 year’s old!
Look for the sparrow, the lion and the lamb hidden within the artwork.