The Parish Traditions of Grace Episcopal Church
Faith and the Arts Presentations
Several years ago a Faith and the Arts Committee was appointed to increase the
role of the performing and visual arts in the life of Grace Church. Committed to the
mutual influence of faith and the arts, this committee provides a
variety of opportunities for the enhancement of faith through the visual
and performing arts.
The initial
presentation, in 2000, was the performance of a cantata God Moves in a
Mysterious Way, and a setting of the Holy Eucharist, Reflections of Grace, both
written by Bonnie Duckworth, a musician and composer who is a member of the
parish.
The second major performance occurred on the Feast Day of St. Teresa of Avila in
2001.
At the Still Point of the Turning World, was composed and written by Bonnie
Duckworth and Barbara Presnell, a poet and writer, who is also a parishioner.
In 2004 the congregation and community were blessed by the presentation of
Bonnie and Barbara’s second composition, The Journey Home. A second presentation
was hosted by First Baptist Church in Lexington.
Since the initial performance, the events have involved increasing numbers of
performers and musicians from other churches. As collaboration with other
congregations grows, so does the ecumenical experience which was envisioned from
the outset of the venture.
On Saturday November 5, 2005, the Faith and the Arts Committee held its first
visual art exhibit called Reflections of the Divine: A Celebration of Sacred
Art. The purpose of the exhibit was to spark imagination regarding sacred
images, show new possibilities for such expressions, and to provide resources
for the use of sacred art in churches and in personal devotion. Pictures from
the Reflections of the Divine exhibit are below.
October 15, 2006 Barbara and Bonnie presented Tapestry: Of Sun and Shadow.
Once again people from the community were involved; musicians, choir members
and readers.
During the season of Lent,
2008, the Faith and the Arts Committee presented a Lecture series
entitled "Art, Spirituality and the Church". Speakers were:
Sunday, February 10 - Dr. John Hutton of Salem College - "The Transition
from Pagan to Early Christian Art"
Sunday, February 17 - Father Demetri Kangelaris of Annunciation Greek
Orthodox Church in Winston-Salem - "Orthodox Icons"
Sunday, February 24 - Dr. Katherine Amos of Wake Forest University
Divinity School - "Devotional Art from a Global Perspective"
Sunday, March 2 - The Rev. Hal Hayek of St. Anne's Episcopal Church in
Winston-Salem - "Liturgical Adornments in Worship"
The final Sunday in Lent the committee presented an exhibit of religious
art collected by Grace Church Members Don and Anne Rives.
Below: Pictures from the Reflections of the Divine exhibit
The 'Visio Divina : Concept & Practice'
exhibition at
http://ecva.org/exhibition
showcases
seven Episcopal communities across the United States where the visual
arts
nurture people's spiritual lives:
- Christ Church Cathedral in St Louis
- The Shrinemont Center in the Diocese of Virginia
- Grace Episcopal Church in Lexington
North Carolina
- The Philadelphia Cathedral
- Trinity Church Copley Square in the City of Boston
- St Paul's Episcopal Church in Macon Georgia
- St Mary the Virgin Times Square, NYC
"The Holy Spirit speaks many languages, among them the language of art
in all its forms."
With these words, Frank Tracy Griswold, 26th
Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church opens our
understanding of what
the role of art in a life of faith might be, and what it might become.
Visio Divina has its roots in the classical method of contemplative
reading known as O Lectio Divina. With its gentle pace, and quiet
setting, the
practice of Lectio Divina opens scripture up for us, in such a way that
we might come into its very heart.
The Art and Soul Café at Christ Church Cathedral in St Louis uses visual
arts, music, poetry and dance to dissolve old barriers that have often
divided people of different faiths.
The Art and Soul Retreat at the Shrinemont Center in the Diocese of
Virginia nurtures the creative life through the visual arts in an annual
week-long
retreat centered on worship and community.
The Artist-in-Residence program at the Philadelphia Cathedral brings
contemporary artists into the cathedral community, stretching the
believer's horizons, and challenging the faith community to think in new
ways about old
truths and familiar stories.
The Faith and the Arts Committee of
Grace Episcopal Church in Lexington North Carolina involves artists,
performers and musicians from other churches in their community. There
they are finding that as collaboration with other congregations grows,
so too does the experience of ecumenical unity.
Faith on Tap at Trinity Church in the City of Boston is an ongoing
program that exposes young adults to important life topics, and provides
in its
speakers concrete examples and testimonies to the translation of
Christian faith into Christian action. In Spring 2006, awarding artist
Bradford Johnson was their featured speaker.
The Friends of Music and the Arts at St Paul's Episcopal Church in Macon
Georgia supports a host of programs, including the Midsummer Macon
Summer Arts Camp.
St Mary the Virgin Times Square has a Visual Arts Committee that
sponsors regular exhibitions and lectures in the parish hall, where
guests of the
parish often find something to chat about, and a reason to linger.
The Episcopal Church and Visual Arts Visio Divina program is designed to
explore and identify the possibilities of spiritual formation as it is
revealed through the visual arts. And, to assist others in developing
Visio Divina programs by sharing program models and resources.
For more information, visit
www.ecva.org
