We were wonderfully received at Mayfair Heights UMC yesterday morning for our participation in Sunday worship. Of course sweating bullets for no reason at all seems to be my occupation. I pulled off my part much better through pre-planned praying. Plus the use of thumbnail sketches for each painted panel to keep me targeted, and believe me I put my confidence in those thumbnails. The only concern not resolved until I stood up to begin painting was “what two colors am I going to use?” (I had decided to use only two colors for the added features).

The six seasons of the church year (Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter & Pentecost) were segmented throughout the service with plenty of awesome assistance from the worship planning committee: several scripture/narrative readers, candle lighters, musicians, the Pastor and even the congregation related words and music pertaining to each season while my six correlating panels received additional artistic renderings. Rev. Bob Younts had shared his script with me several weeks in advance, and it was from that script that key words and images brought about the painted panels. Each panel received a sectioned image of the face of Christ, outlined in black and accented with the gold color, however it was not until the conclusion of the worship portion that all panels were placed together in their respective placement that the entire face of Christ could be seen, with enough of the original painted panels showing through to show the “mosaic” presence of Jesus throughout our life seasons. It also showed me how every one who participated in one way or another made what we saw and felt as the working of God’s grace and Spirit bringing all our “pieces” together as one mosaic body of Christ.

I was very impressed by how the “flow” flowed, I never felt rushed for more time, a few mistakes, here and there, went un-noticed by the congregation and before asking how much time in the service remained, we came to the end—and I was about as done as I could have been.

Not only were we there to share during worship but it was an opportunity to

see friendly and familiar faces, that was such a blessing for us. Even our children didn’t put up much of a fuss except maybe Emmanuel, when during the Children’s Time he spotted Daddy over in the painting corner and escaped from the loving embrace of the person watching him and ran to wrap himself around Daddy’s leg. He reluctantly and somewhat noisily went back to the nursery with the rest of the children. Well, eventually Mom had to rescue the nursery worker from Manny’s unhappiness.

Our many thanks to the Pastor Rev. Robert Younts and Congregation at Mayfair Heights United Methodist Church for making our second Art in Worship such a blest event, we’ll be visiting with you from time to time but we’ll hold you up in our thoughts and prayers all the time.

Just around the corner from us is Christ the King Sunday (Nov. 23rd, 2008) and Mayfair Heights United Methodist Church (3131 NW 50th OKC).
I’m starting to get those nervous jitters again, in anticipation of what could be another exciting display of spontaneous artistic expressions of praise in worship. My “spontaneous” plans include a multi-paneled, mosaic-like painting that when finished will present a composite portrait of God’s love. Another added feature could be my eighteen year old daughter, Sara Don, assisting and painting alongside me during the worship time. We may also begin the painting process a little earlier in the service than we have before.

They have a wonderful choir at Mayfair UMC and the people are so welcoming, it always makes us feel like we are home. In fact Mayfair Heights UMC was the first home church we joined as a family in 1996, and, it was from Mayfair that we were sent out into the pastorate ministry in 2000.
The challenge with this particular project will be encapsulating the entire Christian Calendar and seasons of the church into one finished artwork. After sketching several ideas and probable designs, I finally settled on what may prove my mettle as an artist than I have had in quite some time. The other task will be allowing my daughter to infuse her style, her way, and as she sees fit to render this concept of relating the essence of Christ to others. In fact it’s the best example of what it means to be as different as you can be and yet in that diversity of styles & techniques we find Christ weaving our lives, gifts, and talents together as a mosaic cloth; and what we would think is how things should be (our way) then God allows us to witness the miracle of grace using the best of others as the perfect combination to make our best even better together. This part will truly be the spontaneous component, as we have not practiced or coordinated every detail.
However, this will not be the first time that Sara and I have worked on a mural together. In 1994 she assisted on the “Anasazi Splendor” mural creation for installation at Denver’s brand new International Airport, she was four years old at that time but she remembers that experience clearly.

Come out to meet us and see how much she has matured as an artist, and what a beautiful young lady she has become.

Well we finally came through our first Art in Worship service with the gracious pastor and congregation at Glencoe  First United  Methodist Church; I have since been able to calm down. I was SO nervous I even panicked for a few minutes, and in doing so forgot what I had planned to do, how to start with first things first. I even had to talk myself through several moments of near hysteria. These people are good and supportive in every way and yet I was shaking in my clothes, sweating like I was the one doing the preaching, and even wondering why I had gotten myself into that situation. Things just didn’t seem to be working the way they worked out in my mind, I used the wrong color for this and the wrong application for that, and I was a nervous wreck. By then fifteen minutes had past and I was totally done for! Thank goodness it was Communion Sunday, boy did I need that grace and mercy imparted into the remainder of my morning. But I learned quite a bit from that experience and I want to do it again. This time I’ll use the right brushes and plan out the use of my paint palette way beforehand, and have a written order of steps of procedure for myself (just in case!). After all the panicking was over and the final benediction dismissed us, it was humbling and a relief to have several people come forward and offer their comments. James Kuhn, William & Elisabeth Rathbun, the Ken Brake family, Revs Ron & Marilyn Weathers plus Marilyn’s sister Pauline gave some encouraging words, I was too embarrassed to shake people’s hands as they exited the sanctuary, so I stayed up front until it was announced that the Fellowship Dinner was ready. More gracious people awaited us in the Fellowship Hall, and afterward there was opportunity to share some other work from our portfolio of Native American art. The ride home revealed how physically drained and emotionally spent I was, Stefani took over the drive back to the city, and I fell asleep. It was such a blessing to see so many friends: Jim & Joyce, Charles & Margie, the Dickens family, Charlene Lowery, Mary Sawyer, Betty & Opal, Kay & Leslie, the Larimore’s, Dale & Carol, John Kuhn, Valeria, Harold & Joyce, Glenn & Elsie, Ann Dee, Garret, Joseph, Alicia, Kelsey, Macy, and you know what, there was a host of people I didn’t know. There was an announcement that a young couple was expecting their first baby(s) in May, they are expecting twins!

The next Art in Worship will take place in OKC at Mayfair Heights First United Methodist Church on November 23 for Christ the King Sunday at 11 am. I’m hopeful that my daughter Sara will be assisting in that particular service. See then or see you sooner.