Gideon Loading Video . . . Artist Maida Jasperson responds to Gideon's Trust of God in Judges 6:19-40 through her piece titled, Gideon's Trust. Judges 6:19-40 Gideon's Trust By Maida Jaspersen Credits: Curated by: Matthew Moore 2023 Paper Illustration Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Part of Gideon must have been terrified when God commanded him to destroy his own father's altar to Baal. He waited until the middle of the night to tear it down, safe from the judgments of the townspeople and his family. Despite his fear, Gideon displayed incredible faith and did as God instructed. This illustration is meant to capture his determination and conviction as he takes action. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Maida Jaspersen is a studying illustrator and painter at Bethany Lutheran College. Her intense sketchbook-filling tendencies along with her classes have equipped her to communicate effectively on paper. Her first published work was a picture book about Queen Esther for Branches Band. Since then she has continued illustrating Biblical accounts with WELS Multi-Lingual productions. Website Maida Jaspersen About the Artist John the Baptist Maida Jaspersen Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Poet Lauren Berry brings us two beautiful poems that explore the theme of eavesdropping in 1 Corinthians 14:33, Luke 12:3, and Ephesians 4:31-32 in a very intimate way. 1 Corinthians 14:33 Ephesians 4:31-32 Luke 12:3 A Husband Eavesdrops as His Wife Confides in a Box of Matches By Lauren Berry Credits: Artist Location: Houston, Texas Curated by: Hayan Charara 2014 Poetry Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Of the three Bible verses that have inspired these poems, the most compelling for me is, “For God is not the author of confusion…” from 1 Corinthians 14:33. I am currently teaching Truman Capote’s 1965 non-fiction masterpiece, In Cold Blood , which vividly connects to notions of eavesdropping. In the book, Capote observes a small-town Kansas community whose innocence is shattered when a family of four is mysteriously murdered in their modest country home. No evidence. No apparent motive. When Capote first discovered the tragedy in the newspaper, he telephoned his New York editor and demanded that he board a late-night train across the country so that he could immerse himself in the community’s reaction to the tragedy. In the years that followed, he became embroiled in the act of listening to other’s conversations and quickly became an expert on the townspeople who “found fantasy” in recreating the events of the murder (pg. 5). He studied the electricity of their speculation; how abuzz they were with the churn of the hypothetical, how hungry they were for hearsay. In short, Capote crafted art out of the practice of placing his ear to the hive. To eavesdrop is to seek the truth— but not in a way that God would condone. We know this, and yet are tempted by the guilty pleasure of overhearing private conversations. I wonder: why are we so desperate? Why do we concern ourselves with the business of others as Capote and the townspeople did in In Cold Blood? The most generous answer that I have is this: human beings are hard-wired for making sense of chaos. We desire the possibility of comfort brought by any semblance of the truth— even if this search for truth results in the proliferation of misperception and boundary breaking. The poems that I offer here engage in this question about the bittersweet pleasure of voyeurism—the choice to transform an act from the private to the public. In “A Husband Eavesdrops As His Wife Confides In A Box of Matches,” a husband craves the “truth” gained from observing his wife’s dialogue with an inanimate object. When writing, I sought to disrupt the traditional eavesdropping structure by placing an inanimate object where a female friend or relative might appear. In “What I Want The Neighborhood Wives To Say About Me The Next Time I Lose Another Baby,” the disruption of the traditional structure offers not pleasure, but healing for the speaker, as she is able to play the role of puppeteer; she finds power in creating the very dialogue that she wants her community to have about her. In reading both poems, I hope that readers will consider: What are the consequences of this type of voyeurism? What would we gain if we could rip the curtain? Should we? Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Lauren Berry received a BA in creative writing from Florida State University and an MFA from the University of Houston, where she won the Inprint Verlaine Prize and served as poetry editor for Gulf Coast. From 2009 to 2010 she held the Diane Middlebrook Poetry Fellowship at the Wisconsin Institute. Her first collection of poems, The Lifting Dress, was selected by Terrance Hayes to win the National Poetry Series and was released by Penguin in 2011. She currently lives in Houston where she teaches AP English Language for YES Prep Public Schools, a charter school whose mission is to transform the low-income communities of Houston through college preparatory education and community service. Website Lauren Berry About the Artist Lauren Berry Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art Some nights I cannot remember what I 've promised him. Some nights I cannot speak at all. How long will it take to convince him that View Full Written Work A HUSBAND EAVESDROPS AS HIS WIFE CONFIDES IN A BOX OF MATCHES For God is not the author of confusion… 1 Corinthians 14:33 Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light. Luke 12:3 Some nights I cannot remember what I’ve promised him. Some nights I cannot speak at all. How long will it take to convince him that my mouth contains no open dictionary? Some nights I cannot speak at all; I cannot go more than three full days with a dictionary of prayer in my open mouth. He will need to build me a room where I can be alone. I cannot go more than three full days without longing for my father, the fire wrangler. Maybe he could build me a room where I can be alone with the memory of my mother, who sold diamonds while she longed for my father and for fire and for danger. The light in the store made her look younger. I don’t have memories of the diamonds my mother sold before their farm house burned to the ground. Did the light of that fire make her look younger? I oil my forehead and cheeks before I sleep. Who burned their farm house to the ground? Will my husband be wise enough to hide his matches? I anoint my forehead and cheeks before I sleep. There are things I doubt my God will forgive. Will my husband be wise enough to hide his matches? He will need to find a way to bring my Florida back. There are things I doubt my God will forgive. What is the remedy for escaping a small enclosed space? I will need to find a way to bring my Florida back. I will become the perfect wife. I can make dull things bright. WHAT I WANT THE NEIGHBORHOOD WIVES TO SAY ABOUT ME THE NEXT TIME I LOSE ANOTHER BABY Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32 1. June Gillespie should say, If you placed a sheet of white paper into a bathtub of scald, and from the marble edge you sang the length of the alphabet twice before slipping the paper out and expecting it to beat a man in an arm wrestling match, the result would be this woman, here. 2. Marguerite Elliot should say, It’s simple. She is tired from shifting between each of the wives she is supposed to become: the grief counselor, the washer of others’ hands, the translator of dictionaries, the voice of reason, the knife through every apple, the blade sharpened always, her glare too beautiful when its drowned in a juice that sets the hearts of men racing when she winces. 3. Claire Donnaway should say, We drink black coffee every morning. We drive down to her house with the perfect lipstick, casseroles. And yet— 4. Anna Marvin should say, What is anyone supposed to do with her story? Why won’t this town just let her lie down in a bed of white sheets, coverlets pulled up around her neck by a decent doctor now. A good pillow under her head would let her dreams alone. 5. Rebecca Halifax should say, Who was this woman before her song became a tangle of everyone else’s wishes? In my fantasy for her, she can’t even read. We can’t trust her to hold so much as a glass of water. We have to tell her if she’ll need a jacket to go outside. Let her never empire, never white silk, never moonstruck, let her never leap year, never one-way. Let every theater she enters have the spotlights switched off. Let the bulbs break in all our hands. 6. Elizabeth Vaughn should say, Has she slept since he broke her bedroom door down and found her on the floor with blood in her nightgown? That cracked door leaned on the garage for a week before it was taken away. Who knows now where that gold doorknob turns? To what does that door open now that she can never close? Close Loading Video . . . Some nights I cannot remember what I 've promised him. Some nights I cannot speak at all. How long will it take to convince him that Download Full Written Work

He Wept Katherine Marley 1 Katherine Marley, Lament, 36 x 36 inches Katherine Marley, The Space Between, 36 x 48 inches Loading Video . . . Artist Katherine Marley explores the liminality of space, existence, and Jesus' tears in this set of paintings responding to John 11:35. John 11:35 He Wept By Katherine Marley Credits: Artist Headshot by Lynn Scheuermann Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2020 Two works of differing sizes Mixed media, acrylic and oil pastel on canvas Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link My art is a raw, real time expression of the living gospel and my personal relationship with the Lord. I began thinking about the man in which Jesus was — the emotion He felt — and I became overwhelmed with the notion that this man-who-is-fully-God weeps for us, His friends and family. I began to see Him grieve and shed tears, just like us, caught in emotion of lament. When painting, I am often taken through a journey in my mind. It is more than art to me: it is a healing process and is an expression to always lead me to deeper wonder and connection with the Lord in an intimate level. I find that in my process of creating, I lose touch with thinking. It becomes more about the movements in each emotion that comes over me, the flow between healing and release — the movements between unaware and revelation — the concept of liminal space between heaven and earth and Jesus' tears. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Michigan-based artist Katherine Marley makes abstract paintings comprised of scraped, smeared, scribbled, and pools of pigment that interprets healing through the thoughts between what is known and the truth of how it is felt. Graduating from Kendall College of Art and Design, Katherine paints intuitively and spontaneously at her home studio and in live performance speed-painting with perceptive, powerful, and often abstract prophetic images in vibrant expressions of color and emotion. Katherine is dedicated to releasing spiritually powerful art into our communities and culture. Katherine also runs an art therapeutic ministry called Hello My Heart where she focuses on healing deep rooted emotional trauma with her students and is now in the process of partnering with a state certified nonprofit to build its own program dedicated to helping victims of trauma. Katherine has partnered with The Hope Project which specializes in human trafficking recovery, Fresh Coast Alliance for recovery therapy with former prison inmates, where it allowed anyone willing to come and gain emotional healing ranging from ages 13 and older. Website Katherine Marley About the Artist Katherine Marley Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Installation artist Elias Popa presents his last post as Spark+Echo Art's 2018 Artist in Residence and showcases the completion of his gorgeous work responding to Job 38-41. Job 38:1-24 Job 38:29-41:34 Artist in Residence 2018: Elias Popa By Elias Popa Credits: Curated by: Spark & Echo Arts, Artist in Residence 2018 2018 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Often, like all my work, the laborious repetition of action creates a space for meditation. The individual placement of each blade of dried grass, the meticulous angling of the mirrors, and endless visual repetition of the grass itself in the mirror — these all created a space for me to think of Job. It is perhaps easy to think of the passage in Job where he comes under the fiery arguments of God to be a scene of overwhelming fear, awe and trembling. Those aspects are definitely found there. However, I wanted to capture a deeper meaning in the story. Despite the jarring vocabulary used in this passage, I believe God was being kind to Job, allowing him to see a mere glimpse of the overwhelming presence of God. Like a small crack in time, or a narrow gateway, like Moses, Job gets to see a fragment of God. A glimpse of eternity. An unending field in the midst of temporal circumstances. I wanted to capture this small breath, this myopic moment, where Job sees God. A narrow gate which when passed through reveals unending creation. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Elias Popa was born April 7, 1987 to Romanian immigrants in California. After traveling between his home in Romania and throughout the United States, he continued his travels into his adulthood by moving to China, traveling Southeast Asia, South America and working with refugees. During his travels around the world, his worldview in art was deeply impacted. “My art expresses the struggle of identity and hope, worship and expressions of life. It explores common world views and challenges them. My work shines a light on the temporal solutions we put in place to replace what we really need deep inside”. As an installation artist, Elias uses conventional materials such as paper, wire, thread, and clothing to evoke a deeper understanding about social structures. His aim is to solidify abstract ideas about the nuances that make up sociological structures. By doing so, he retrains the eye to build a visual literacy again and treats the art as a fundamental language. He also studied dark room photography for 10 years, as well as writes poetry. Through his art, Elias started The Human Rights Network, a non for profit organization aimed at “telling stories that change lives.” The organization aims to build narratives through art that can impact social issues and generate activism. He currently works as a curator and manager of the esteemed Waterfall Mansion and Gallery on the Upper East Side, as well as the founder of the Human Rights Network. He resides on the Upper West Side of Manhattan where he works out of his home. He was the recipient of CFW’s artist vocational intensive, held at Princeton University. He also was selected on an Interfaith and Arts Panel at Columbia University, as well as regular participates in speaking engagements. Website Elias Popa About the Artist Artist in Residence 2018: Elias Popa Part 1 Artist in Residence 2018: Elias Popa Part 2 Artist in Residence 2018: Elias Popa Part 3 The Art of Kintsugi and Sacrifices in Sidewalks Elias Popa Other Works By Follow the development of Elias' project by reading his first , second , and third posts written as 2018 Artist in Residence. Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Sptuttlecropped Loading Video . . . Artist Sara Tuttle's layered work explores the theme of healing and John 11:40. John 11:40 Did I not tell you that if you believed...? By Sara Tuttle Credits: Artist Location: Virginia Curated by: Self-submitted 2014 17.5 x 14.5 inches Mixed media on paper Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link “Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” (John 11:40) Context: Jesus has arrived in Bethany after Lazarus died, and the first thing that Martha says when she sees him is: “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” (John 11:21-22) She continues her affirmation in his power a few passages later by professing her belief that he is the Messiah (John 11:27). Yet, when they come to the tomb and Jesus says “take away the stone”, Martha protests, saying “But Lord…by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” (John 11:39). Martha is simply stating the reality of the present situation; one of death and decay. Yet, Jesus replies with a reproof for her to exercise the faith that she professed earlier: “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” In this passage, Jesus’ is reminding her of her own faith and he makes an ‘if’ statement; directly linking her belief to her witness of the glory of God. I chose this passage because it is an exhortation for me to exercise what little faith I have in the Lord’s ability to resurrect the present realities of death and decay – not just within myself – but specifically for the neighborhood that I inhabit. The same message that Jesus gives Martha, he speaks to me (and to my local church) when the realities of injustice, violence, imprisonment, racial tension and poverty cloud our vision of the Shalom that God desires, and the glory that He contains. When all that we see is an already-dead man, sealed in a tomb, Jesus asks us to trust that he is at work and that he is a God of healing, redemption and resurrection. I made this painting while reflecting upon the ways in which I am called to continue in the work of generations of people before me who had a vision of healing and wholeness for this neighborhood that did not yet exist. In Hebrews 11:1 Paul tells us that “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” and I believe that I am seeing the substance of the faith of believers that came before me just now coming to fruition in the neighborhood. Reflection upon the faithfulness of those who have professed Christ’s Lordship and gospel over this place in both prayers and action gives me assurance for the ways in which the Lord wants to honor my prayers and seeds of faith. In this piece, I represent how generations of human activity on the land intersect with the vision that God wants us to take hold of for both the present and future. In order to create the multiple layers of this piece I used the process of building up the surface, sealing it, partially removing layers through sanding and other means of scraping and then repeating the cycle. This process mirrors how I see history, unfolding on a city; the healing and damaging marks of generations, layered on the social and physical environment of my neighborhood. Both worn and dingy, this piece is also a pastel palette; conveying a sense of hope. The gold suggests moments of transfiguration of the old into new or ‘glory’ breaking through. The bulbs are Narcissus flowers (also known as Daffodils), which have long been associated with the season of Lent, symbolizing that Winter is still here while joyfully announcing transition into the coming season of Spring. Thus, they are signposts of resurrection; the new life that we see breaking forth today, as well as a promise of the greater, more full life that is to come. The bulbs, too, are worn and black and white; as if an old vision from the past that is being dusted off. This piece is a reminder and exhortation to myself that I am to live in the reality of the promises of God; to inhabit the Messiah’s vision in the present, if I am to see the Glory of God. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Sara Tuttle is a visual artist, residing in the neighborhood of Church Hill in Richmond, VA with her husband Sam. She grew up in Connecticut and studied Art and Art History at the University of Richmond. She taught high school at Church Hill Academy and worked for Church Hill Activities and Tutoring for three years, has since returned to making visual art and is currently applying to MFA programs. She has had two solo shows in Richmond and is excited about the future of her art-making practice as one of the avenues by which she continues to engage in the life of her community, neighborhood and city. Website Sara Tuttle About the Artist Sara Tuttle Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . In light of Genesis 4:1-15, Dan Evans’s one-act explores relationships after the death of a sibling. Genesis 4:1-15 Spaceship By Dan Evans Note: This play contains strong language and implications of violence and may not be suitable for all audiences. Credits: Curated by: Chris Cragin 2016 Script, One-Act Play Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link Inspired by the characters and familial relationships in the Genesis 4:1-15 story of Cain and Abel, I wrote Spaceship wanting to explore creatively the spiritual and emotional relationship between two brothers after one has passed away. I lost my own brother in an accident like the character Paul fourteen years ago. Even though my brother passed away in completely different circumstances, I tried imagining in this work what a conversation would maybe look and sound like if a surviving brother were to hypothetically be given the chance to sit down in a diner booth with his deceased brother and just talk (especially if that conversation only lasted for several minutes.) Would the reunion be angry? Joyful? Sad? How do we as human beings process death and the responsibility of it? Especially when it seems to make no sense and happens to those closest to us? These are the questions I hope my audience asks when they read or watch a performance of Spaceship . Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Dan Evans is a playwright and writer living in Brooklyn, NY. He recently graduated from The King’s College in New York City with a B.A. in Media, Culture, and the Arts. There he studied under playwright Chris Cragin Day and presented his senior thesis and play LUNGS (working title) in a reading directed by Christopher Domig. Dan’s other writing has been featured online on Thought Catalog, GLAAD, V magazine, and Vman magazine. Website Dan Evans About the Artist Dan Evans Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art Late evening. SPACESHIP opens to a 1950s styled restaurant booth sitting in the center of the stage. View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Late evening. SPACESHIP opens to a 1950s styled restaurant booth sitting in the center of the stage. Download Full Written Work

Scott Neely The Spirit 2 Ii 6 Full Painting Image Loading Video . . . In this moving work, artist Scott Neely continues his series in response to 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 and ponders symbols of the Spirit: dove, waters of baptism, and sheer energy. 1 Corinthians 12:7 Three Meditations on the Spirit | 2 By Scott Neely Credits: Title: The Spirit Curated by: Marlanda Dekine 2017 60 x 11 inches Gouache on paper Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link This peace, this breadth, this power in us all, for us all. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Scott Neely directs the Project for Community Transformation , an initiative to strengthen congregations to transform our communities. He works intensively with the social justice organization Speaking Down Barriers , which uses facilitated dialogue to build our life together across the differences that divide us. He is a graduate of Wofford College and Harvard Divinity School. Neely served at First Presbyterian Church in Spartanburg, SC from 2006-2015, first as Director of Missions and then as Pastoral Executive. In April 2015 he presented a TEDx talk on race and racism entitled “ What Will I Teach My Son? ” A practicing artist, his work fuses writing, painting, and digital media. He writes: “My method balances expression and simplicity. I make visual poems: succinct, present, for the heart.” His work may be found at www.neelyprojects.com . Website Scott Neely About the Artist Three Meditations on the Spirit | 3 Three Meditations on the Spirit | 1 Scott Neely Other Works By VIEW THE REST OF THE SERIES: Three Meditations on the Spirit | 1 Three Meditations on the Spirit | 3 Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Playwright Caroline Turner Cole explores Jude 1:20-23 through the lens of addiction and the path of recovery in this one act script with a reading performed by Stacy Ann Strang, Alexandra Hulme, and Taylor LeBaron. Jude 1:20-23 Steps By Caroline Cole Credits: Vocal Performance Featuring: Stacy Ann Strang, Alexandra Hulme, and Taylor LeBaron Curated by: Lauren Ferebee 2017 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link This piece is a mix of my own experience and an image that kept reappearing grotesquely in my head as I read through Jude. While I am not an alcoholic, I have been through the 12-step program with a group of wonderful ladies as a way of discovering and recovering from co-dependent tendencies. It dramatically changed my life, how I relate to other people, think of God, sin and myself. While the program was originally created to help alcoholics get sober, it translates beautifully to work for any kind of addiction. And if we’re truly being honest, we’re all addicted to something – some things are just more culturally appropriate than others. Jude tells his readers to “show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh”. To always show mercy first, but to simultaneously not condone behavior that is harmful or hurtful. This garment stained by the flesh kept lodging itself in my brain as a sweater soaked in vomit. A garment more literally than figuratively stained by the flesh. Stinking, rotting, putrid, something you’d plug your nose to avoid and want to help your friend out of as soon as humanly possible. In this piece, this garment comes into play at a character’s absolute rock bottom point. The point that moves her to finally admit her weaknesses and seek help and recovery. At some point or another, most have had a similar moment, that moment where we realize we can’t do this life on our own, the moment we finally ask for help or guidance from a friend, a group, or God, the moment that changes forever the path we’ve been on and propels us in a new, better direction. My prayer is that this piece reminds you of those moments that changed you and the moments you helped changed others; that it moves you towards your next life changing moment and reminds you to look upon other struggling humans first with mercy, then plug your nose and get that sweater off them. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Caroline Cole is a theatre maker based in Dallas, TX. She works as an actor onstage and behind the voiceover mic, a writer, and a teaching artist. She is a proud playwright and actor with The Aviary, supporting local playwrights and creating an incubation space for new plays. Caroline studied theatre at the National Theatre Institute in Waterford, CT, finished her undergraduate degree in theatre performance from Rice University and graduate studies in Theatre Education from the University of Northern Colorado. She firmly believes that nothing delights our Creator more than his creation being creative and is humbled by all the opportunities she has been given to tell stories. www.carolineturnercole.com Website Caroline Cole About the Artist Caroline Cole Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art STEP ONE PERSON, mid-30’s STEP FOUR/FIVE PERSON, late-20’s STEP TWELVE PERSON, mid-30’s View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . STEP ONE PERSON, mid-30’s STEP FOUR/FIVE PERSON, late-20’s STEP TWELVE PERSON, mid-30’s Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Composer Seth Little applies the message of Amos 5 to our current context in this bluesy, funky, "saucy" rock song. Amos 5 Seek Me and Live, Seek Good and Live By Seth Little Credits: Written and Composed by Seth Little Photo Credit: Art Ventures 2017, Fuller Theological Seminary All instruments by Seth Little Vox by Seth Little Backup Vox by Trevor St. John-Gilbert Curated by: Michael Markham 2018 Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link I’ve tried to capture the major movements of Amos 5 in four sections. First, the organ intro represents the people of Israel offering worship to YHWH in a show of faithfulness while the shepherd of Tekoa makes his approach. With a loud knock on the door the prophet interrupts and begins to deliver his accusatory word from the Lord, following the outline of the text. The message isn’t all rebuke: YHWH adds his plea for repentance (“Seek me and live!”) in an altogether different and kinder tone. The song builds and finishes with the climactic imperative: “Let justice roll down, down, down, down…like a river.” And all this in what I think of as a “saucy rock” style. This text isn’t altogether foreign to those of us familiar with some of the current religious context in the United States. The Northern Kingdom of Israel is enjoying a period of unquestionable prosperity while maintaining a robust religious institution, but they’re neglecting the administration of justice in the courts. So, Amos, the outsider from Judah, assures these folks that God isn’t interested in their worship without justice. Let those who have ears hear. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Seth Little is Director of Worship arts at All Angels’ Church in New York City. He studied music in college and went to work in the church shortly afterward. Music and art were largely set aside for several years until Seth went to Fuller Theological Seminary and began a process of integrating art-making and Christian ministry into his sense of vocation. That process is still in full force. Seth and his wife live in Harlem with their three young kiddos. Website Seth Little About the Artist Seth Little Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . This sharp-witted screenplay by writer Andrea Ang fleshes out Proverbs 1:20-33; 9:1-9,13-18 as it explores Wisdom and Folly. Proverbs 9:1-9 Proverbs 1:20-33 Proverbs 1:20-21 Proverbs 9:13-18 Housewarming By Andrea Ang Credits: Curated by: Megan Harrold and Rebecca Testrake 2019 Short Film Screenplay Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link The two images that stood out for me were houses and food and how these are treated differently in Wisdom and Folly. Although they both freely invite people to their homes, Wisdom's food is home-made and her words nourishing while Folly's is stolen and those that come to her "are deep in the realm of the dead". For me, Folly is like eating at an expensive restaurant: the food's good, portions are small and you're really paying for the atmosphere. One can only eat out so many times before getting sick of it or the satisfaction wears out. Wisdom is like a home-cooked meal: it might be simple but it warms the heart and stomach and really, I'd prefer to eat at home in the long run. I was very interested in this idea of a housewarming party and using stark visual contrasts for Wisdom and Folly's way of hosting a party. Folly (Madam Le Faux) lives in a house of extravagance, everything we see in her home is on full display, she has others doing the work for her. Her guests flock to her. Wisdom (Old Madam Chie- "Chie" is Japanese for Wisdom) on the other hand, lives in a small and cozy house, she lovingly takes time to prepare her meal for others. Her guests arrive very late but she waits patiently for them. By the end of the night, we see two very different results in each household. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Originally from Singapore, Andrea Ang is a NYC-based theatre-maker, writer and teaching artist. Her work has been seen in NYC (SITI Lab, Dixon Place, The Tank, Triskelion Arts), Maine (Barn Arts) and San Francisco (Fury Factory Festival). Her play, No Place, will be making its international debut at the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival in 2020, along with her company Square One Collective. Andrea is a graduate of SITI Company’s Conservatory program and holds a BA(Hons) in English Literature from the National University of Singapore. Website Andrea Ang About the Artist Andrea Ang Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art EXT. THE GATES OF A LUXURIOUS MODERN MANSION A man is changing the sign of the mansion. He has just scrapped off the old sign and is installing the new one View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . EXT. THE GATES OF A LUXURIOUS MODERN MANSION A man is changing the sign of the mansion. He has just scrapped off the old sign and is installing the new one Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Staci M partnered with Spark & Echo Arts, producing a new episode in her anime-style animation series to bring sight and sound to John 1:6-10. John 1:6-10 Who I Am By Staci "Takkun" M Credits: Curated by: Dan Musselman 2017 Cartoon, Anime Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link I'm an always-enthusiastic animator creating culture-defining cartoons! Growing up with 90's cartoons, I felt a lot of them had an inherent darkness and negativity that really made me uncomfortable when I watched them. Therefore, I strive to make colorful, vibrant, and contextually uplifting cartoons. I don't animate solely to entertain, but to share the Gospel and show the world who Christ really is. I'm highly inspired by the animation style of Japan; specifically, Hayao Miyazaki. To mimic his style, I design photoshop puppets and animate them in After Effects. It's my fastest, cleanest, most vibrant, and simple animation style. My goal is to make a difference through animation, and what better way than to go ye into all the world wide web? Click here to view the first episode. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Staci “Takkun” M is a freelance, 2D animator working professionally since 2016. She specializes in After Effects Puppet animation with a wide range of skills from sound design to scriptwriting. Staci graduated from the University of Northwestern St. Paul, cum laude , with a Bachelor’s of Science in Digital Media Arts and Animation, and she is currently working as an intern for Essence Cartoon animation studio. She has had her work featured in the UNW Animation and Illustration Showcase 2016-2017; her work has also been featured in the Christian Arts Festival by Trinity School at River Ridge 2016, and will be featured in the upcoming UNW 24th Annual Juried Exhibition 2017. Her current projects include: creating animations to market a large, Twitch gaming channel; creating a Star Wars: The Last Jedi musical parody; creating “memes” for Relidicious , and beginning episode 3 of the Who I AM Christian Anime. She currently resides in suburbia outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Website Staci “Takkun" M About the Artist Staci “Takkun" M Other Works By Related Information View More Art Make More Art View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Download Full Written Work

Loading Video . . . Creative writer Lancelot Schaubert brings us this inventive mini-series as he weaves together a small newspaper in response to a collection of Scripture passages. This first offering focuses on the theme of "lost" as found in Luke 15:3-7. Luke 15:3-7 Dragonsmaw Daily | 1 By Lancelot Schaubert Credits: Curated by: Spark+Echo Arts 2020 Creative Writing Primary Scripture Loading primary passage... Loading Passage Reference... Share This Art: Facebook X (Twitter) WhatsApp LinkedIn Pinterest Copy Link The theme of lostness comes up a ton in this section of the paper: and of how to find your way back. I wanted to hold that theme up to the light in as many unorthodox ways as possible. The Dragonsmaw daily is a paper circulating on LOMEDAY of the month of BLAGUROEDD 47 in the year 1109 P.T. on Gergia, one of the Vale Universe ( short story series here ). It may seem like a high-shelf sort of entry for the average reader, something that takes a herculean effort to embrace in terms of the suspension of disbelief or secondary belief in my created world. However, I think it's quite easy: if you'll trust me, it'll read as a wonderfully foreign paper from a wonderfully foreign world. It's ephemera: something like an in-world artifact I happened to pick up from a newsboy who was hawking EXTRA EXTRA EXTRA copies in order to have enough ₮ to get his sister through the week on an onion (actually it's more like a leek) based soup. She beat the fever, in case you were wondering. But I brought it back from Gergia and gave it to my friends at Spark and Echo that it might supplement the stories I've written here and elsewhere about these fantastic worlds I travel so frequently. For those that have followed along in any capacity, this paper tells of events taking place prior to the events in the Moon Boys series from my artist residency and quite far in the past from the other commissions here at Spark and Echo. It occupies the region around the Imperial Crescent in Gergia (top left of the main land mass on that false map I drew of the world) . Each of the events recorded in this paper feature major workings in the region. All together I wanted to bind up the themes of extinction, of power dynamics, and of being lost and found into one piece. So I stitched together three commissions in a more unified form than normal. Of course some parts of the paper will remain out of reach for some time — like any foreign country, Gergian customs and economics and politics only make sense after you've lived there for quite some time. But one day the times, dates, seasons, and currency will make perfect sense to you. And then the dread realization of what the paper really reveals will come all too clear, as clear as a Bell Hammer. Spark Notes The Artist's Reflection Lancelot has sold work to The New Haven Review (The Institute Library), The Anglican Theological Review, TOR (MacMillan), McSweeney's, The Poet's Market, Writer's Digest, and many, many similar markets. (His favorite, a rather risqué piece, illuminated bankroll management by prison inmates in the World Series Edition of Poker Pro). Publisher's Weekly called his debut novel BELL HAMMERS "a hoot." He has lectured on these at academic conferences, graduate classes, and nerd conventions in Nashville, Portland, Baltimore, Tarrytown, NYC, Joplin, and elsewhere. The Missouri Tourism Bureau, WRKR, Flying Treasure, 9art, The Brooklyn Film Festival, NYC Indie Film Fest, Spiva Center for the Arts, The Institute of the North in Alaska, and the Chicago Museum of Photography have all worked with him as a film producer and director in various capacities. Website Lancelot Schaubert About the Artist Artist in Residence 2019: Lancelot Schaubert - Part 3 Artist in Residence 2019: Lancelot Schaubert - Part 2 Artist in Residence 2019: Lancelot Schaubert - Part 1 Posh Girls As Waters Cover Artist in Residence 2019: Lancelot Schaubert Dragonsmaw Daily | 2 Dragonsmaw Daily | 3 Watchtower Stripped to the Bonemeal Metaphysical Insurance Claim 0075A: The Delphic Oracle Philadelphia Bloodlines Lancelot Schaubert Other Works By As with most shared newspapers, some of the pages have been pulled out and are out of order, so you will have to piece them together as the project is released. You may find the other parts of the project at Dragonsmaw Daily | 2 and Dragonsmaw Daily | 3 . You may also view the entirety of the project, here — as a brand new newspaper. Related Information View More Art Make More Art Five months ago, Vritra — ill and desperate — crashed headlong into the loadbearing wall that Stornheist shares with the North Gate and ever since our surrounding lands grow nothing, bear nothing, receive nothing, and hold no measure of moisture. View Full Written Work Close Loading Video . . . Five months ago, Vritra — ill and desperate — crashed headlong into the loadbearing wall that Stornheist shares with the North Gate and ever since our surrounding lands grow nothing, bear nothing, receive nothing, and hold no measure of moisture. Download Full Written Work