peacock progress (days five and six)

It's been great to see the progress the students from Youth Art Team are making on the peacock mural project in Downtown Waterloo next to the Public Market!  Here's what I have loved seeing over the last few days:

1.  A dad and mom came to volunteer and support their children at the wall.  It was so neat to see them working as a team to measure for feathers and to see Dad and Mom encourage their children.

2. I love seeing the various ages working on this.  Last night, Robert, the oldest team member at age 18, worked on some detail drawing, while Aeryz, age 5, painted a broad section of the wall in light teal.  How amazing that this entire mural will be painted by young people ages 5-18!

3. I love seeing adult volunteers go one-on-one with students to hold paint, coach, encourage students.  There are amazing grown-up volunteers who are cheering the students on.

4.  Yesterday, two youth art team students came to our church to make sandwiches and cut watermelon for snacks during painting.  Two days ago, three different youth art team students thought up and typed a letter of request to another paint store, asking the store to consider donating paint and getting on board the project.  They included pictures of the wall in progress, and they even went to the paint store to deliver the letter and pictures.  The paint store agreed to their request and enthusiastically joined the effort.  I'm reminded how much students can do if they are given some direction, coaching, support and encouragement.

who is ? this man

Due to being on vacation, I missed the Global Leadership Summit this summer.  Upon return, I heard a lot of reports on speakers and highlights...one being John Ortberg's session, "Who is ? this Man" taken from his book by the same title.

Thankfully, a friend recently sent me a link to Ortberg's six part teaching series, "Who is this Guy?" at Menlo Park Presbyterian in June/July 2011.  I've listened to the first four teachings and look forward to the next two.

As I was listening to the fourth...."Dignity"....I was daydreaming about how I think every Christian church should give their pastor(s) a six week sabbatical to recharge, study, pray, and during those six weeks, this series should be shown from the front.   Powerfully important.  You can find the teachings here:
http://mppc.org/whoisthisman

Love is

Orchard Hill friend, Tim Rosenau, who now plays with Toby Mac, wrote this beautiful, beautiful song.  He sang it to some friends at a homeless shelter in Nashville, and Nathan Lee happened to be there that evening.  Nathan approached Tim and the result is this video.  Check out the link found on the video of Nathan's ministry, Send Muscians to Prison.  

Thanks, God, for moving in Tim's heart and life in such rich ways that this song came out of him to touch all of our hearts with your love.

ownership (day four)

I really will write about other things on this blog...I have many thoughts I'd like to get down in writing...but in the meantime, I am currently involved in the peacock mural project, and it's beautiful to share the progress.
Check out the Youth Art Team blog at www.youthartteam.blogspot.com for more of a look!

My daughter has taken much ownership of her role on the team for this project.  She's been on the scaffolding four days and has created much of the peacock's head and neck on the wall.   It's lovely to hear her talk about it.  How many young people in our communities have confidence that they are capable of painting a mural or being key players in community revitalization?

joys in day two and three

Wow, a lot of great progress was made on the peacock in days two and three!  Treasures for me in the past two days are:

1.  The last two years, my daughter brought home art projects from school that included grid drawings.  I loved seeing her high on the scaffolding the past two days applying that knowledge to a real life situation as Heidi coached her in producing a larger-than-life grid of the peacock on the wall.

2.  I loved watching the students work so hard!  I watched one Youth Art Team member who hardly came up for air yesterday as she painted the wall.  Her focus and diligence to the very last moment of painting were amazing!

3.  I loved seeing the grown-ups coach and encourage youth art team members one-on-one at the wall!  The grown-ups are super fantastic!  We've met some wonderful new friends who are volunteering to guide and encourage the youth art team members!

4.  I have loved conversations in the van as I've picked up and dropped off team members.  It's been great to catch up with the students about their summers and their school starts!  Thanks, God!

to paint a peacock (day one)

Here is the south side of the building that houses "The Plaid Peacock" business.

Jessica and Greg, owners of the Plaid Peacock have invited the Youth Art Team to paint a mural  on the side of their business.  Students worked this summer to sketch some ideas and came up with a giant peacock.

Grown up volunteers helped to scrape and prime spots in preparation for the  youth art team to work on their mural.

Sherwin Williams is partnering with the Youth Art Team by offering  some paint free of charge and some at a discount.  

Sometimes we just need to point out where we see the Kingdom of God shining through in all of its hope, beauty, light, restoration, and goodness and then declare Jesus the King and hero that He is!  This mural making was just that yesterday!

the greatest of these is love

The mural that the Youth Art Team painted in May/June 2011, is the only thing remaining after about three weeks of demolition work that has taken down Immanuel Lutheran Church and School, trees, and a playground to make room for a new CVS Pharmacy that is already taking shape.

I toured Immanuel Lutheran just over a year ago, and the structure (both school and church) was in wonderful shape.  Now, it sits in a pile of concrete.   Such a visually powerful reminder that the Church is not a building!

Seeing the mural so visible amidst beautiful buildings that were so quickly reduced to rubble has had me thinking 1 Corinthians 13:13 everytime I survey the scene.  Only faith, hope, and love remain.  And the greatest of these is love.  

God is Love and Love is Power!