The Creative Church Conference 2012

The Creative Church Conference

What an amazing time of creativity and connection with creatives and art ministers from all parts on of the United States & Canada representing a variety of Christian denominations. We met for a 3 day event hosted by VineArts at Vineyard Boise to discuss, learn, and interract about embracing the arts within The Church and how that does and can look. We brought in top authors and speakers on the subjects and allowed for attendees to directly participate in the discussion creating an atmosphere of cross-pollination and cultivation about the arts and the artists. I enjoyed the opportunity to meet and connect with such beautiful caring creative hearts.

Below is the line-up of main speakers and the schedule of the conference.

Below that are some photos documenting the conference in images.

Speakers

Rory Noland

Rory Noland is the director of Heart of the Artist Ministries, an organization dedicated to serving artists in the church. A songwriter, speaker, church leader, and consultant, Rory is also the author of four books, all published by Zondervan. The Heart of the Artist: A Character-Building Guide For You and Your Ministry Team; Thriving as an Artist in the Church: Hope and Help For You and Your Ministry Team; The Worshiping Artist: Equipping You and Your Ministry Team to Lead Others in Worship; and Worship On Earth As It Is In Heaven: Exploring Worship as a Spiritual Discipline. For twenty years, Rory served as Music Director at Willow Creek Community Church and for five years as Pastor of Worship at Harvest Bible Chapel in Rolling Meadows, Illinois. He currently leads worship for the Transforming Center, a ministry that cares for the souls of pastors and leaders. Rory also writes a monthly column for Worship Leader magazine.

J. Scott McElroy

J. Scott McElroy is the author of Finding Divine Inspiration: Working with the Holy Spirit in Your Creativity, and founder of The New Renaissance Arts Movement, dedicated to connecting, equipping and inspiring churches and artists for the New Renaissance. Scott is also the Director of Arts at the Indy Vineyard Church. He speaks nationally about spiritual formation for artists, the arts in the local church, and more. Scott is an award winning audio producer, a voiceover artist, and visual artist. He served as Emmis Communications Indianapolis Production Director for 20 years, and hosted the Animal Planet TV series, “Wildlife Journal” from 2004-2007.

Jessie Nilo

Jessie Nilo is an artist in love with the local church. Founder and director of VineArts, the arts ministry of Vineyard Boise Church, Jessie is an accomplished visual artist and also a visual arts instructor for the city of Boise. Jessie is Director of Church/Artist Connections for The New Renaissance Arts Movement. Her latest endeavor is co-authoring a guidebook on the practicalities of this strange and wonderful calling of leading arts ministries in local churches. This fall Jessie will launch a creative arts ministry school in Boise under Vineyard College of Mission, a discipleship school which enrolls national and international students from across all denominations, training in order to deploy as leaders in their own local churches worldwide.

Manuel Luz

Manuel Luz is a rock musician turned rocket engineer turned Christian artist. He is creative arts pastor at Oak Hills Community Church in Folsom, CA., a working musician, songwriter, and author of Imagine That: Discovering Your Unique Role as a Christian Artist, released by Moody Publishers. Manuel’s stunning essays on intrinsic beauty are a must-read for any artist of faith.

Dave Blakeslee

Dave Blakeslee has been an accomplished studio potter in Colorado since 1975. His art is influenced by a variety of cultures, and he creates pots not as an end in itself, but to be used and enjoyed, which influences the shape, glaze choices, size of his high-fire clays to endure regular use. Dave served as senior pastor of the Salida Vineyard Church, beginning in 1990 and recently stepping down from pastoring to re-enter full-time studio work. He loves traveling to different churches, encouraging people through his artwork and being an agent of reconciliation between pastors and artists, as Dave understands both walks of life.

Cecilia Brie Tschoepe

Cecilia Brie Tschoepe is the arts pastor of Hope Chapel in Austin, Texas and a writer, director and performer whose work focuses on the development of new plays and “community-engaged” theatre. Brie assisted the late Dr. Barbara Haum, a performance/multi-media artist, in the direction of a “distributed performance” between NYU and Tel Aviv University, Trespassing Boundaries, and a second project, 54 Weeks, which is an online, multi-media, interactive meditation on the yearly schedule of Torah readings. Brie’s own work has been produced in Austin’s FronteraFest fringe theatre festival and HopeArts festival, and in New York by Threads Theater Company, NYU’s Theatrix Festival of New Work, and The Village Church. She holds an MA in Educational Theatre from NYU where she co-founded a laboratory workshop for students exploring “devising” techniques, and performed in two seasons of New Plays for Young Audiences, workshopping with playwrights including Byrony Lavery, Y.York, Susan Zeder, and Laurie Brooks

 

SCHEDULE:

Friday, July 13

8:00 – 9:30 am Check-in and last minute registration
9:30am- 10:45am Main Session 1
“A Vision for the Flourishing of Art and Creativity in the Local Church” J. Scott McElroy
God created you for this time and place in history and He wants to sweep you into joyful creative collaboration with Him. He is releasing a New Spiritual Renaissance in the arts and you have a unique part in it.
11:00 – 12:00 Main Session 2
“The Value of Beauty to God” Manuel Luz
Why did the Creator even bother with beautiful things? Does art for art’s sake have inherent value, and if so, why? If most endeavors in the church lean toward the utilitarian, what is the role of beauty in the Church?
Noon – 1:30 LUNCH (deli sandwiches optional for $3 when you register)
1:30 – 2:45 Workshops (Breakout A) Choose from:
• “The Bible in 3-D: Engaging Scripture with Your Senses and Emotions” by Brie Tschoepe
• “Visual Art and Worship: Spirit-Led Engagements for Small Groups” by Dean Estes and Lisa Marten
3:00 – 5:00 Main Session 3
“The Hazards of Being an Artist” Rory Noland
Featuring poetry by Kathy Nelson
What are some of the challenges that come with being a creative person? Rory will lovingly address the people he knows so well, sharing some of the key principles he’s learned for maintaining sanity as an artist. Followed by “The Artist and Communication” led by Dean Estes and Manuel Luz.
5:00 – 5:30 Free time. Choose from:
• Prayer or Prophecy (in Chapel): You’re warmly invited to receive focused, individual prayer for your life from artists who care about you. If you’re open to receiving either words or images of prophecy in a gentle, sensitive manner, we will ask God if He has a specific word or image to give you. We always encourage you to test prophecy for accuracy by comparing any received messages to the Word of God, which remains our final authority.
• Art Studio Tour: Learn how the VineArts Studio works and how our volunteers run it for our artists, congregation, and the public. Stick around to chat, read, journal, pray, explore our library of art books, or create stuff with our art supplies at your leisure.
• Garden Plein Air Sketching/Photography: Wander over to the church garden and relax in God’s cultivated beauty. You can grab art supplies from the VineArts Studio beforehand if you prefer (just return them afterwards).
5:30 – 7:00 DINNER (off-campus; carpooling is suggested)
7:00 – 8:00 Main Session 4
“Inclusiveness with Excellence: Helping all Levels of Creativity Flourish in Your Church” Jessie Nilo
Featuring poetry by Kathy Nelson
We will address one of the biggest issues facing this movement: How to encourage excellence with the arts in the church, yet create opportunities for more people to develop and express their creativity. Followed by a panel of arts pastors who will openly discuss the specific challenges and solutions they’ve discovered in this sensitive area.
8:10 – 9:15 Performing Arts Concert: Exploration of the Creative ProcessLed by pianist/vocalist Manuel Luz, with guitarist/vocalist Andy Hendley, piano and cello by Brian & Betsi Hodges, dance by Lukas Evergreen, poetry by Travis Nelson, and theatrical performance by Brie Tschoepe.

Saturday, July 14

8:30 Check-in and last-minute registration for Saturday-only attendees
9:00am- 10:30 am Main Session 5
“Leading Artists” Rory Noland
Teachers and leaders, you are artists in story, metaphor, and emotion. Artists, if you mentor or encourage even one other person, you are indeed a leader. If you feel inadequate to serve other artists, Rory’s session will encourage and strengthen you. Followed by panel discussion of arts pastors: What is the vision, focus, or role of an arts ministry in a local church? What can it look like? What should an arts ministry NOT aspire to be?
10:45 – 12:00 Workshops (Breakout B) Choose from:
• “Exploring the Prophetic and Healing Power of the Arts” by J. Scott McElroy
• “Starting an Arts Ministry and Building Arts Community in Your Church” by Jessie Nilo and the VineArts team
• Open Studio: Chat, read, journal, pray, explore our library of art books, or create stuff with our art supplies at your leisure.
Noon – 1:30 LUNCH (deli sandwiches optional for $3 when you register)
1:30 – 3:00 Main Session 6
“Artists and Pastors Working Together towards Understanding” Dave Blakeslee
Full-time artist and former senior pastor of a church for 21 years, Dave has a unique perspective on bridging the gap between artists and the church. Followed by panel Q&A with pastors and artists. Several practitioners in ministry will share their mistakes and tell stories of true reconciliation and partnership. There is hope for the future of artists in churches everywhere!
3:15 – 4:30 Workshops: Breakout C. Choose from:
• “8 Minutes Max: Starting & Sustaining the Performing Arts in Your Church” by Brie Tschoepe
• “Designing and Running an Art Gallery in Your Church” by Jessie Nilo and Lisa Marten
• “Ministering to Abused, Neglected, and Brokenhearted People through the Arts” by Sherri Coffield (interviewed by Dean Estes)
• “Telling the Story,” an interview with filmmaker and pastor Brandon Freeman of Vineyard Boise Church
4:30 – 5:30 Free time. Choose from:
• Mural Tour: Learn about the different artwork and murals around Vineyard Boise Church and the history/origins of the artwork, including artwork by our volunteer design team and color-by-number congregational murals throughout the building (over 100 volunteers painted our Sunday School murals!). Tour begins at the fireplace at 4:40.
• Prayer or Prophecy (in Chapel): You’re warmly invited to receive focused, individual prayer for your life from artists who care about you. If you’re open to receiving either words or images of prophecy in a gentle, sensitive manner, we will ask God if He has a specific word or image to give you. We always encourage you to test prophecy for accuracy by comparing any received messages to the Word of God, which remains our final authority.
• Open Studio: Chat, read, journal, pray, explore our library of art books, or create stuff with our art supplies at your leisure.
• Garden Plein Air Sketching/Photography: Wander over to the church garden and relax in God’s cultivated environment. You can grab art supplies from the VineArts Studio beforehand if you prefer (just return them afterwards).
5:30 – 7:00 DINNER (off-campus; carpooling is suggested)
7:00 – 9:00 Night of Worship in the Main SanctuaryCoordinated by Mark Hans
Live worship by Andy Hendley and the band, poetry readings by Travis and Kathy Nelson, and live painting by Lisa Marten and Jessie Nilo. Tables and easels with art stations, writing tables, and communion stations will be located throughout the sanctuary for you to participate in worshiping the Lord through color and texture, visual and tactile expression, as well as singing or dancing: This is between you and God alone, so let go of fear; embrace the freedom God has for you.

Sunday, July 15

First service 9:00 – 10:30
Second service 11:00 – 12:30
Brie Tschoepe will begin each service with a reading of scripture; music by Andy Hendley and the band, with live worship painting by Lisa Marten.
Our main speaker at both services will be pastor and artist Dave Blakeslee, speaking to you from his pastoral heart while creating pottery on his artist’s wheel.
LUNCH: Everyone is on their own.
1:00 – 4:00 Free time. You are invited to stick around in the VineArts Studio to relax and create at Open Studio, debrief with each other, pray for each other, talk about arts ministry with our VineArts team leaders, or wander over to the garden for a bit of plein air sketching/photography. Thus endeth our esteemed Conference.

PHOTOS
most images taken by Chad Estes of Starry Night Media