Dear St. Lukers,

Preparations are well under way for “Take pART” 2019, A Festival of the Arts! Part of Building C is being transformed into an art gallery with over 35 pieces of art created by more than 20 Central Florida artists (half of whom are not yet St. Lukers). Over 100 people have already pre-registered for one of our free workshops, including Salsa Dancing, Spice Painting, Paper Crafting, and the opportunity to see what goes into creating one of our theater shows. Materials have been gathered and projects are being prepared for the Make & Take area, where you’ll create your own art pieces and take them home! And, nearly 50 volunteers are getting ready to welcome the community to our campus for this occasion.

But I have a secret to tell you… this event is not just about art! What we hope to build is a community. A space where curiosity and creativity are celebrated, where people can try new things, explore their gifts, and make something new: not just art, but connections, friends, memories, and a difference in the lives of those who need to know that God’s love is not just for people who go to church and call themselves Christians, but for everyone in every place at all times. In other words, this festival is about evangelism, about sharing the grace and love of Jesus Christ with all people, regardless of whether or not they fit a particular mold.

God has uniquely gifted each of us with talents and abilities that we can use to transform our community. For many, art is the means by which they communicate, express their emotions, and even worship. Earlier this week, the Connect Team wrote down prayers for this event. Prayers for the people who will enter our open doors, prayers for our core values to shine through our volunteers, prayers for people to find a safe space to express and create, and prayers for someone to find a home in St. Luke’s. Will you help us lift up these prayers? And then, will you share this invitation with someone you know that needs to experience this kind of love?

Pablo Picasso is quoted saying, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he [or she] grows up.” So, tell your friends, neighbors, and family members to come remember what it was like to be a child, to get your hands full of paint and glue, and to be excited to learn something new at this free indoor event from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 29! Food will be available for purchase and all proceeds will go to create more events like this in the future. Finally, new this year, artwork will remain in the Welcome Hall for worshippers to enjoy on Sunday.

I hope to connect with you on campus soon,

Liz

Click here to read the full Weekly Update