Artistic reflection on Kingdom People Characteristics

Recently, I was asked to talk to our Readers about using the Visual Arts in worship. As part of the sessions, the archdeacon spoke about the Kingdom People priorities for the diocese, so in our concluding worship I pulled together the two themes into this short reflection.

This weekend we’ve been reflecting on our use of Visual Arts in Worship. This morning we’ve been joining with the creator in the act of creation. God calls us to be co-creators of the kingdom. Yet what is it we seek to create?

Most beautiful works of art rely upon a well-balanced palette. That’s what I see in the Kingdom People priorities; a palette from which each church can create the kingdom in their local community.

We need the PURPLE which is the prayer and study of the scriptures. In my paintings I use purple for shadows – for that which is always there but not always noticed. The result of our interplay with the light.

The GREEN of regular worship is not just ordinary time; the time of the church is green because it is then when we grow and our worship should be that which is a sign of growth.

The witness of the gospel of Love, Compassion, Justice and Freedom is RED. It’s a bright colour which stands out and symbolises the passion of our faith. If used alone can seem too much but tempered with others can be beautiful.

YELLOW is our dedication to helping children and young people to belong and be nurtured in the faith. Without that bright and light colour of yellow which is young and joyful, the paintings of our kingdom can become dull and lifeless.

Growing deeply in discipleship is WHITE; the willingness to be a blank canvas for God, to allow space for God’s call in us.

BLUE represents being resourced and released to minister to others, like the blue water of the river flowing from the temple in Ezekiel’s vision, in which growth is most vibrant the further the river goes, not in a stagnant pool gathered around the church.

The ORANGE of serving our community with love compassion justice and freedom is that passion mixed with the vitality of yellow.

The BLACK of our buildings being fit for purpose is not for the gloom of the buildings hanging over us but for the that which stands out and defines and outlines our work. 

All our churches will create something different in their painting of Kingdom People in their communities as we choose the blend those colours from our palette. The palette is there for us and we need to make choices. But there is one most important choice. As we seek to be Kingdom People let us remember to be co-creators with our God and to do any of that we must have the courage to make a choice – to pick up the paint brush and create something beautiful.