World Canvas Project: 2014

Monday, August 11, 2014

Prayers for peace and healing of the nations

Art, theology and reconciliation at Seattle University.

SEATTLE UNIVERSITY, SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY, SEATTLE, USA

We taught a class at Seattle University; School of Theology and Ministry that worked with the power of art, community and imagination in social change and reconciliation. Our intensive week created a space for imagining and reimagining our own stories in community. Through art and dialogue we shared our individual creative energy from a place of wonder while creating the essential dynamic of community. Together we created a prayer canvas that drew us into a taizé style worship service. The interfaith service was an invitation to share our humanity, prayers for peace and reconciliation.

Prayers from Guatemala

CLOUD FOREST CONSERVATION CENTER,

COBAN, GUATEMALA

We returned from Guatemala over the weekend, and wanted to share a brief email with you. The Prayer Canvas was a tremendous experience, and a highlight for the children of a local village school who participated with us. Our group brought a 6’ x 6’ canvas divided into small squares, as well as several tubes of paint, brushes, and pencils (that we left behind for the school).
We were hosted by the Cloud Forest Conservation Center, located outside of Coban, Guatemala. The local village had a 1-room school for about 30 students (9 preschoolers) and 1 teacher – from very poor families of Mayan descent who are farmers and laborers. In total, there were 21 students from the village school, 4 adults (teacher and 3 fathers), our group of 11 travelers, and 5 from the host facility/school including their founders and staff. It was a wonderful couple of hours as we prayed together, sang together, and shared our hopes and prayers through art. It was so meaningful and amazingly quiet as we wrote and painted shoulder-to-shoulder.

We wanted to thank you so much for sharing your idea with us, and allowing us to share ministry this way!

Intentionally, only about 1/3 of the canvas was painted. The leaders at the CFC were so moved that they wanted to share it with other visiting groups. They have a congregation visiting from South Carolina in July. We left the entire canvas at their facility – where (once dry, paint doesn’t dry quickly in the rain forest!) a portion will be cut off for display in the village school as a reminder of our trip. The remainder will be used at the CFC for other groups – and photos shared with Melissa and me (which we’ll continue to share with you).

I’ve placed some photos in a shared Dropbox – you should have just received the link.

God’s blessings… and again our thanks to Chuck and Peg.
Paul

Prayer Canvas

The World Canvas Project began its journey when I was the Artist In Residence at Luther Seminary. The prayers on the World Canvas Project are collectively woven together in color and word. Threads of individual petitions give rise to personal and communal creativity, hope and reconciliation. The finished canvases will either return to Luther Seminary or in the communities where new canvases have begun. Along with many congregations and communities, the World Canvas Project has been part of the East Belfast Mission and the Skainos Project in East Belfast, Northern Ireland; Holden Village, Ghost Ranch, Presbyterian Church of Ireland, The Minnesota Without Poverty, Luther Seminary, Global Missions, United Theological Seminary and the Summer Institute in Spirituality & Art. A second, third and fourth canvas has traveled to Mosul, Iraq; Andhra Pradesh, India; Palestine and Israel; Guatemala.