The summer has ended for Friday Arts Project and the work of Fall activities begins. What does that mean for us?

Our weekly discussion group on Friday mornings continues. This month we are reading and discussing excerpts from Wesley Vander Lugt’s book called Beauty Is Oxygen. You may recall from our previous letter that he spoke at our Forum, Birdsong Like a Canopy, and is director of a new program for Theology—Ministry and Art at Gordon Conwell Seminary in Charlotte.

“Twice a month” we host Monday night “drawing nites” where we have had anywhere from half a dozen to two dozen attendees to draw together for a couple hours then hang out to connect and talk about life in our studio. Pray for favor during these times.

Our table at Winthrop University’s Convocation from left; Katherine (student leader), Chris Fox, Kirk, Brandi Fox, Jayden (student leader)

We organized a table at Winthrop University’s Convocation in August. 75 incoming Freshmen answered a short questionnaire and gave us their contact information in return for a hand-crafted sketchbook.

At the end of August we had an event partnering with a local church—Resurrection Anglican Church (where Sarah and I attend)­­. A book reading and signing of Wesley Vander Lugt’s book—mentioned above. It was hosted downtown at a local coffee shop called Rock Hill Coffee. We had a full house at the event and Wesley sold several copies of his book.

The monthly FriArts@ Winthrop Hub meetings have started up again. Our fellow staff, Chris & Brandi Fox, plan creative activities to get to know students that attend. At our first student Hub meeting there were 35-40 students in attendance, well above expectation!

I have been preparing for a series of talks —three in all—this Fall where I speak about the importance of the Arts for the health of a local community. I am sensing a change in our culture where I can be even more up front than I have been in the past about my faith and how it relates to these issues in our community and beyond. I ask that you pray for wisdom, God’s guidance as I prepare and write these talks: that they would be seasoned with the proper amount of “salt and light”. We are planning to do them in local homes, starting in our home in September and going through this December. I am quite excited about this and a little burdened as well. UPDATE: I did the first one, September 12th. I enjoyed doing it, there was good discussion afterwards, and I am looking forward to the others.

We continue to plan and prepare for our annual art festival in November—Art Party. This year we’ve seen some really cool things happening as more friends and neighbors in parallel organizations step up to help us. Some of these friends are not believers. Pray for favor with them that we would be a part of helping them take their next step toward God, maybe even accepting Jesus!

These are just a few of the main things we are doing this Fall. Sarah, of course, continues to paint (we’ll do a newsletter on that soon), and I will be doing a lot of reading in the coming year related to my talks and other activities.

Blessings-