From Charleston to Boston
We went to Charleston two weeks ago to thank the friends who sent us off to start Dandelion. We invited them to partner with us in evangelism through art in our neck of the woods. Our form of evangelism is both to Christian and non-Christian alike. Even (especially) the Christian is skeptical and wounded in heart – in that way we relate to those who do not yet know Jesus… we all need a Healer. So, our Charleston friends helped us illustrate the first part of God’s message to his wounded and skeptical creation: I know every part of you; you are worth it to me; I know your name.
“This is what the Lord says,
He who created you, Jacob,
He who formed you, Israel…” (Isaiah 43:1a)
Little did we know that the Church of the Holy Cross would go through yet another change the following week – their rector (and our former boss), Chris Warner, was elected Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic. It’s an exciting development and one that brings with it uncertainty. The timeliness of this promise rang true. He will see us and them through the unknown. We invite your prayers for Holy Cross and for Chris and his wife, Catherine, as they take on this big call. We also invite your prayers for all the churches in the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina who are relocating because of the settlement with the Episcopal Church.
We settled our girls back at home with Sean’s mom, “Mimi,” watching them. I have to say, the family watching our girls is just as important as the speaking we did in Boston! While we were gone, a carbon monoxide alarm went off at home (false alarm). Mimi, an experienced mother of 7, rolled with it. It just so happened that Rhyan’s homeroom teacher biked by just when the fire trucks arrived! Hugs and funny stories about our cats eased the mood. Way to go home team! We heard the story as we set up at our Anglican Diocese in New England Clergy Conference, “Reawakening Conference.” Bp. Andrew Williams had chosen Kate’s painting, “Creation” as the conference artwork.
Creation, Kate Norris, 2021, oil on canvas, 84”x60”
The Diocesan Youth group, under the Rev. Canon Craig Vickerman, joined us to help us illustrate the rest of the verse that inspired “Creation.”
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.”
Isaiah 43:1
Close Up, Kate Norris, 2022, oil on plexiglass, 72”x144”
Inspired by “Creation,” I made a close up version of the thumbprint to use with groups. I envisioned the participants from Long Island throughout New England naming their pain in paint. Then the Lord’s fingertip bringing healing to each of us (imagined by the white on plexiglass).
In our creative sessions, we held up a big white piece of paper. Each participant came up and tore off a piece, which became their canvas. They painted where they felt torn. Some meant to paint pain but instead painted where they felt “worth it” and special to God—in nature, in beauty, in the color blue or red. We began the time as strangers and we ended sharing very vulnerably. One young man splattered his red-painted hands on the paper and said, “This is where I give it to Him.” Another said, he felt like the Biblical judge, Sampson - a sinful man whose grace-covered weaknesses position him to topple pillars of the enemy. Another really needed this creative space just to nurture herself before she went into a week of caring for an ill and difficult family member.
These laments and praises were re-assembled into a collage. They represent the places where we need the Lord to reassure us: “Do not be afraid,” for “I have redeemed you.” This torn creation is not the end. He will keep his promise. Jesus’ death on the cross secured our redemption; his resurrection from the dead secured life beyond the grave for us too. The white close-up fingerprint on plexiglass imagines his touch in our pain. As we put the collage behind the fingerprint in the final blessing, you could hear the congregation internalize His promise a little more, “Oooo.”
I noticed as I painted “Close Up,” that there was an arc above the knot in our fingerprints. It reminded me of a rainbow. It reminded me of the promise God made to Noah after the flood—“I set my bow of light in the sky…” I remember mercy over judgement. He has imbedded a rainbow in all of our thumbprints. I heard the Spirit speak to mine, “I remember my promise; and I will keep it.”
Sean got to share a song from his recent EP, “Waiting for the Tide.” Bp. Williams used it to illustrate Elijah’s prayer where he had given up and was in a place of isolation, fear, and dryness…feeling left…like one stranded waiting for the tide to rise. The Lord did meet Elijah, powerfully. He met all of us in that conference. We are grateful to Bp. Williams’s encouragement that creativity is a mark of the Holy Spirit. He has been one of our greatest encouragers here and a partner in sharing the Gospel.
We hope to take this Gospel-creative-space around New England. We will take you with us.
With love,
Kate and Sean
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