creative resource

Create-A-Day #237: ADVENTure Prayer Walk 3 — Joy & Mother Mary

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Advent BabyJesus strawADVENTure is a self-directed prayer walk pondering the true meaning of Christmas. You can read all about it here, as well as learn how you can do this as interactive prayer walk for your church or ministry.

This Sunday, December 13th is the third Sunday of Advent. As we consider the true meaning of CHRISTmas we light our third candle of the Advent Wreath; the Candle of JOY and we consider the joy Mary must have felt at knowing she would bear the only Son of God, the Messiah, the Chosen One sent to save the people of Israel!

Candle of Joy: Mary, the Mother of Jesus

 Read: Luke 1:26-38 & 46-55

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #236 — Worship Groups on Facebook

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FBIt’s our last Facebook Friday for the year!! And we have two groups featured today!

Our first group is At His Feet Ministries and is administered by Kristina Collins, Founder & Director of her ministry of the same name. Here’s the group description:

This group is for the arts! If you are a dance instructor, choreographer, dancer, artist, designer and you would like to network, advertise conferences, exchange advice and ideas, and get to know other artists, stay in fit condition in the journey God has you on… We welcome you to participate, and encourage each other. If you have art share it! A conference coming up… share it! Health tips… share it! We just want to expand the tent pegs!

A little about AHF: At His Feet Ministries is a non-profit 501-C3 organization founded by Kristina Collins. Rooted in the arts, AHF is a unique ministry geared towards creative outreach. Through music, dance, drama, art and teaching, AHF strives to train, equip and release the creative giftings of God into the hearts and lives of many.

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #235 — Pastors’ Day Off

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S x cookie famI’m going to jump up on a soapbox a bit today. As a preacher’s kid and having been involved in pastoral ministry myself, I want to speak to Sabbath rest and family time for your pastoral, ministerial and church staff at the holidays.

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #234 — Nativity Suite Poetry for Christmas

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Go ahead and rise, stars.

Simeons Moment

“Simeon’s Moment” by Ron DiCianni

Whisper about the origins

of the universe, your secret,

holy fires.  Tonight I will remember

the child I held to my chest.

I will pull my cloak to my face

and drift in the sweetness of milk.

from Simeon by Tania Runyan (Lines 25-31)

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #233 — Music & Memories

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Mark SchultzToday I’m sending you over to Dave Weiss’ blog at AMOK Arts to a post he did for CHRISTmas last year called Tell a Better Story: Mark Schultz… Different Kind of Christmas.

May you be blessed by this BEaUtiful song and the story behind it. And may you remember to reach out to those who’ve lost loved ones this past year with love, grace and compassion.

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Create-A-Day #232: ADVENTure Prayer Walk 2 — The Shepherds’ Peace

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Advent BabyJesus strawADVENTure is a self-directed prayer walk pondering the true meaning of Christmas. You can read all about it here, as well as learn how you can do this as interactive prayer walk for your church or ministry.

This Sunday, December 6th is the second Sunday of Advent. As we consider the true meaning of CHRISTmas we light our second candle of the Advent Wreath; the Candle of PEACE, and we consider the shepherds who came and worshiped and wondered at Jesus’ birth.

Candle of Peace: The Shepherds

Read: Luke 2:8-20

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #230 — What is Advent?

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S x advent calendarI’ve already been posting ideas for CHRISTmas and Advent. For some, Advent is this vague concept that their church may or may not acknowledge or celebrate. For others, they are very familiar with Advent and are well into plans for the first Sunday of Advent coming this weekend. For those in both camps, I’d like to direct you to this great article by Reverend Dr. Mark D. Roberts. Continue reading

Create-A-Day #229: ADVENTure Prayer Walk 1 — Hope & the Wise Men

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Advent BabyJesus strawADVENTure is a self-directed prayer walk pondering the true meaning of Christmas. You can read all about it here, as well as learn how you can do this interactive prayer walk for your church or ministry.

This coming Sunday, November 29th, is the first Sunday of Advent. As we consider the true meaning of CHRISTmas we light our first candle of the Advent Wreath, the Candle of HOPE, and we consider the Wise Men who traveled across many miles when the star appeared in the sky in the east.

Candle of Hope: The Wise Menimgres

Read: Matthew 2:1-12

Meditation: 

The Wise Men were men of knowledge and HOPE. Their knowledge gave them the information they needed to discern the coming king and where they would find Him. Their HOPE gave them the desire to seek after Him.

They followed a star – a brilliant light in the sky – and it led them directly to the “King of the Jews.” They sought hard after Him, and they found Him. They brought Him gifts and worshiped Him. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #228 — The Advent Door

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S x wreathThe Advent Door is the blog of artist, author and minister Jan Richardson. For several years now Jan has posted weekly Advent meditations with her artwork and poetry. The meditations are based on each year’s lectionary cycle. You can sift down through the posts and be inspired by her BEaUtiful artwork and thoughtful poetry, just make sure you hit ‘older posts’ at the bottom to continue down through the posts she has made over the years. She has much to share to take us through the CHRISTmas season. Resource ideas for corporate or personal worship — a great way to prayerfully and intentionally move through the season. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #227 — Benediction Dance

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As we have focused on Advent resources, let us keep our eyes fixed on Christ

Matt Durbin (c) 2010

Matt Durbin (c) 2010

If any of you want to walk My path, you’re going to have to deny yourself. You’ll have to take up your cross every day and follow Me. If you try to avoid danger and risk, then you’ll lose everything. If you let go of your life and risk all for My sake, then your life will be rescued, healed, made whole and full. Listen, what good does it do you if you gain everything—if the whole world is in your pocket—but then your own life slips through your fingers and is lost to you? Luke 9:23-25 The Voice

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #226 — Advent Media Resources

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Slide1Need Advent and CHRISTmas resources for your church or ministry this coming season? Don’t forget Worship House Media, Sermon Spice, or Share Faith for everything from still images to whole video packages for Advent! Search “Advent” or “Christmas” and you’ll find tons of great resources to add creativity to your worship! Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #225 — 52 Weeks of Prophetic Art with Grace Bailey

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G BaileyGrace Bailey is a prophetic artist on a mission! Ministering out of her home church in Ballarat, Victoria (Australia) and at a variety of conferences, she has set herself a goal of 52 Weeks of Prophetic Art. Yes! 52 weeks of live painting during worship! What an amazing goal and ministry. I have been following her since I first found her last Spring on her Facebook page and have been deeply blessed by the artwork she is painting. You can also follow her journey here on her website.

"Valley of Dry Bones" by Grace Bailey (C) 2015

“Valley of Dry Bones? Ha! piece of Cake!”
by Grace Bailey (C) 2015

The painting on your right is “Valley of Dry Bones? Ha! piece of Cake!”

Won’t you take a moment to consider? What are the dry bones in your life? Are they dreams and visions that seem to have died? Are they broken, wounded places in your spirit? Are they mistakes from your past that still fill you with shame? While you examine this painting, won’t you slowly and prayerfully read this prophetic prayer adapted from Ezekiel 37 with me and other fellow artists praying this prayer with us today? Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #224 — Advent Ideas from re:think Worship

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Slide1There’s quite a bit to explore today so I’m sending you right over to Re:think Worship today to check out Creative ideas for Advent with all kinds of ideas for your worship services or ministry! Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #223 — Interactive Advent Candle Lighting

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Slide1Looking to add creativity to your Advent Candle lighting in your church services?

Looking to get your worshipers more involved in the Advent Lighting instead of just watching from their pews?

Sending you over the Still Waters blog again where Pastor Theresa’s Advent Candle Lighting post has great ideas to make it more interactive and creative! She has two different ideas with S candle rowpictures, supply lists and instructions so you can see exactly how to duplicate it for your own church or ministry event. Check it out today! Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #222 — Dance of the Trinity

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Won’t you join me on the dance floor today? This is going to take some artistic license and creative choreography, but I hope you will join me with open mind, heart and eyes.

When I first watched this dance to Luminus on So You Think You Can Dance (2015), I was immediately taken with what I saw as the image of the Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Three dancers dancing and creating together in unity and beauty. Let me describe what I see in this dance. You can follow along with the times throughout the video indicated.

To set the stage, Derek Piquette (left) represents God the Father, Gaby Diaz (middle) dances the Holy Spirit, and Moises Parra (floor) represents Christ. SYTYCD 2015 2From the very beginning of the dance, we see three persons from one God. The smoke creates an ethereal mist and the stars an image of space and time being created. Just as the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the earth so too do they (0:33) as the three work together to create all of earth and mankind. Then God steps forward as the Great I AM (0:35+), Father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

Next the Holy Spirit steps forward (0:42+) bringing artistry to the Tabernacle through the Spirit-filled artist Bezalel, the gifts of the Israelite people, and the worship of the Levites, revealing the beauty of God (0:49). Then as they dance in unison, we see them working together to demonstrate God’s faithfulness and sovereignty throughout the history of his people. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #221 — Why Advent is Important to Artists

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S x baby hand

“My encouragement to all artists of faith is to see every creative act you do during this Advent season as a breathtaking remembrance of God’s loving incarnation to us.” ~Manuel Luz Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #220 — Creative Flourishing in the Desert Online Retreat

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Slide1As year-end approaches, I will begin to post ideas for Advent, as well as a few Christmas gift ideas for the creative Christian. Today’s post is an example of a gift idea! So pass this along to your spouse, mom, grandma or friend with a “hint, hint” so they get the idea! 😉

Creative Flourishing in the Desert is a six-week self-study, online retreat offered by Christine Valters Paintner of the Abbey of the Arts. Based on the wisdom of creative Benedictine Abbess St. Hildegard of Bingen, weekly themes include: Viriditas (the “greening” power of God); Body, Soul, & Senses;  Incarnation; The Greening of the Virtues; Holy Wisdom; and Music and Integration.

Museum - Hildegard von Bingen

Museum – Hildegard von Bingen

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #219 — ADVENTure Prayer Walk

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Advent BabyJesus strawADVENTure is a self-directed prayer walk we did several times at church on our college campus. It includes scriptures and short meditations combined with an activity at each prayer station designed to help ponder the true meaning of Christmas.

The church is set up with four candles around the outside of the room to represent a traditional Advent wreath. Another candle is positioned in the middle of the room to represent the Christ candle. These candles become the prayer stations where there are scripture meditations and supplies for an activity associated with each scripture passage. Continue reading

Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #218 — Prophetic Art International

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FBIt’s another Facebook Friday!!

Today’s group is Prophetic Art International and is administered by Victoria Robertson and Christopher W Bennett.

Here’s the group description:

A group available for us Artistic Christians to share what God is doing through Artists in the church! Previously Prophetic Art Canada, this group has grown far beyond the borders of just Canada, so the name of this group has been altered to reflect that!

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Create-A-Day: your daily dose of creativity #217 — Ta-Nehisi Coates on Writing

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T Coates

Bringing you a great video today with author, journalist, blogger and teacher Ta-Nehisi Coates from Creative Breathroughs by The Atlantic. It’s less than 4-minutes and worth the watch! Continue reading