The Pilgrimage to Laity

The past few years I've traveled with a group of art ministry leaders from VineArts Boise to a remote location in Texas to attend the annual "Retreat for Pastors and Ministers to Artists" held at Laity Lodge by arts pastor David Taylor. This year was my fourth consecutive year traveling to the four day retreat and like each one before it, I've come back filled and inspired and encouraged about my role as an art minister.

The pilgrimage to connect in community with other arts ministers from around the States and the world each year is not an easy one. When I say that, I mean that there is a lot of time, money, committment, and preparation involved with the decision to attend (and not just on an individual basis, but also on a team basis). Like most conferences, seminars, retreats, and other meetings where there is travel, transportation, accomodation, meals, and session times involved...there is a registration cost (this particular retreat registration includes the cost of accomodation, meals, and sessions) along with the cost of flights and car rental and any meals outside of the time at the retreat.

One reason why I'm even bringing this up is to make note that as a traveling art minister (who isn't being paid for this particular aspect of what I do and am completely reliant on my art sales through my art business) the journey to Laity Lodge each year requires trust and faith that the financial and time committment will be covered. The other reason I bring this up is that, unlike my other art ministry travels that take me solo to other countries or states where I connect through creativity by partnering with pastors, missionaries, or friends who are already reaching out to their communities in relationship, this particular trip is embarked upon with one or more arts ministers from the VineArts Ministry in Boise. So the trip is contingent on schedules and finances of the entire group going. We each pay our own registration costs but work together to fundraise for the travel expenses through the VineArts Ministry.

One creative way we do this is to make fresh salsa together as a team and sell it to raise money for the trip. The totals of sales help to determine if our trips transportation cost will be met. The salsa has always been a big hit with supporters and we spend numerous days advertising, creating, canning, and selling the homemade cilantro lime salsa (a family recipe of one of our leaders) each year. The committment to this fundraiser has become a valued experience for those leaders planning to attend Laity and even for those leaders who won't be attending but enjoy the collaboration and will ultimately gain from the collective learning that Laity provides those who do attend. 

I enjoy being able to travel to Laity with leaders from the VineArts Boise arts ministry each year, as it allows not just for an individual experience but also for a collaborative experience. The act of prepping and planning, traveling and partaking, sharing and debriefing together, allows for a richer, deeper, more meaningful experience along the way. The shared experience enhances and encourages each of us as we endeavor to minister to artists individually and collectively.

I want to also quickly mention that though this is titled "Retreat for Pastors and Ministers to Artists" and though there certainly is emphasis on respite and renewal, this is not a vacation. It's a deliberate intimate gathering of Pastors, Ministers, Priests, Missionaries, Theologians, Scholars, Directors, Producers, Musicians, Singer/Songwriters, Artists, Poets, Writers, Dancers, Sculptors, and many other creatives and practitioners who have a commonality to care for the hearts of creatives within their communities (inside and outside of the church). People travel from all over the States and other countries representing numerous Christian denominations and organizations specifically for the opportunity to learn from each other regarding their work with creatives. It really is a very unique gathering of individuals and a very sacred time carved out for those who attend.

Each year there are different featured speakers and artists scheduled to share based on a predetermined theme or topic. In years past we've been honored by speakers like Poet Luci Shaw, Iconographer Frederica Green, Music Producer Charlie Peacock. This year the topic was "Being Caretakers of the Imagination" and the featured speakers were James Smith- Professor of Philosophy and Adjunct Professor at Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI. and David Taylor-pastor, artist, author of "For the Beauty of the Church". The featured artists were Artist-Jay Walker; Professor of Art at Seattle Pacific University and sculptor-Roger Feldman; Painter-Jim Janknegt. The featured musician was Director of Worship Arts, Trinity Presbyterian Bifrost Arts-Isaac Wardell.

I won't go into details here about what was shared and discussed during this particular retreat (I need to wade through my notes and the files in my head and heart first) but I do want to say that the conversations and the connections at these retreats have been and are priceless to me. They seem to naturally set the tone and theme for my year. It takes me months, even years to process all that I experience at these retreats. I've learned to allow myself the time to do this. And I've learned that what was taken in on one retreat may not make sense until another...this is the process of allowing myself to dip into the deep wells of all that I've experienced at them and drink when the time is right, in order to understand my role as an art minister.

Another cherished thing about these gatherings is the meeting of those who understand each other. I remember the first time I attended the retreat after meeting fellow art ministers from all over the world, I had felt like I had found my "tribe". Fact is, we've all been journeying together for 4-5 years now...and we're becoming a family of art ministers. And like any family we are made up of individuals who have diverse backgrounds and views, focuses and specialties, giftings and callings...but we are family...and we are all on this pilgrimage together. And I will continue to make the journey as I can.