The following is part of an informational email from the Director of VineArts in Boise, Idaho about The Creative Church Conference being held at Vineyard Boise July 13-15. This conference is near and dear to my heart and I want you to know about it. I'm on the leadership team for VineArts and am on the planning team for the conference. I will be co-facilitating a couple of breakout workshops and painting live a couple of times during the conference. We're looking to have the conversation with creatives, with pastors & ministers, with lay leaders, and with anyone who is open to embracing the arts within the local church. Please read on and click on the links to find out what I'm referring to...
July 13-15 at Vineyard Boise
Boise, Idaho
Creative: The way you are made, in your Father's image.
Church: Where two or more are gathered in Jesus' name.
Arts: Creative ways to play and express.
Ministry: Doing small (mini) things to bless others.
Conference: A time to learn and share.
If God made you creative, are you intrigued to know why? If you are a leader, do you have a heart to bless artists?
As far as we can tell, an arts ministry conference is a fairly new concept for discussing ways the visual arts, writing, poetry, film, and theater as well as dancing and music can be natural applications of worship, processing, prayer, and outreach by the local church. Many denominations and sizes of churches are registered to attend this inaugural conference in Boise, several from other states and some from outside the United States.
At The Creative Church in Boise July 13-15, Scott McElroy (author of "Finding Divine Inspiration") and Manuel Luz (author of "Imagine That") will discuss why beauty matters to God, and why art needs to matter to the Church. Rory Noland (author of "The Heart of the Artist") will gently examine some of the hazards that come with being artistic and ways to overcome those hazards. Dave Blakeslee (Pastor & Potter) will suggest ways artists and pastors can relate with each other. Our workshops will explore creative applications of ministering through the arts and practical lessons learned from mistakes. Please take these opportunities to share your knowledge with us!
Read about our speakers and the schedule.
We feel this is the beginning of something beautiful.
Think of a creative person who needs this conference, and let them know about it.
Our heart is to bless YOUR local fellowship. Our hope is to offer The Creative Church again in 2014, repeated as a biennial conference for years to come until nobody needs it anymore. May God bring the day when "the arts" and "beauty" cause people to think of the church. That time has begun. Please shape the foundations with us.
Registration is $75.
Register here.
partial scholarships are available.
For the hotel discount and free shuttle between the Boise airport, hotel, and conference, click here.
We want you here. We NEED you here.
May God bless you and the creative works of your hands.
Jessie Nilo
Director of VineArts
