Wednesday, July 01, 2009

The Art of Faith: Awkening Your Senses to the Wonder of God

If your faith has flat-lined, if you're bored with church, if you're weary of words -- then come and recharge your spirit by participating in The Art of Faith workshop that Beth Booram and I are co-leading this fall in Indianapolis.

Using a creative blend of artistic elements, contemplative exercises, and interactive activities, The Art of Faith will breathe fresh life into your soul and awaken all your senses to the wonder of God!

The Art of Faith workshop helps people of faith learn how to experience a daily round of beauty through their five senses and the fine arts. Its purpose is to enlarge our souls in a way that cannot happen merely through participating in a weekly worship service. The workshop's aim is to introduce participants to experiences of the God who created us soul and body – and to see our bodies as transmitters of spiritual wisdom and experience.

This is a workshop where participants don't just talk about meeting God, instead they experience the Divine in ways that are sensory and participatory, using various artistic mediums to help them encounter God. The content and presentation are highly creative, utilizing artistic elements, contemplative exercises, and engaging interaction.

The first "Art of Faith" workshop will be held Saturday, October 3, 2009 from 9:00am - 3:00 pm at Trinity Church (6151 N. Central in Indianapolis, IN).

Sessions include:

  • I. Sensual Spirituality: Awakening All Five Senses to the Wonder of God
    Activity: Touching, Smelling, Seeing, Hearing and Tasting the Divine
  • II. Picturing the Face of Jesus, The Face of Welcome
    Activity: Art Contemplation and Imagining Prayer
  • III. Paying Attention in Love
    Activity: Interactive stations
  • IV. Picturing the Face of Jesus, The Face of Compassion
    Activity: Collaborative art

The Art of Faith costs $35 if you register before September 26. The cost rises to $45 after September 26.The registration fee includes snacks, lunch, materials, and four workshop sessions. Online registration will begin soon and space is limited.

For those of you who don't know Beth, she's is an exceptional communicator who has authored a number of excellent works, including The Wide Open Spaces of God and Picturing the Face of Jesus: Encountering Christ Through Art.

I hope you'll join us on October 3!

-- Brent

PS We hope to take this "show" on the road -- so if you know somebody or someplace you think would be interested in hosting "The Art of Faith" please let me know!