As children of a creative God, we are most like our heavenly Father when we develop the creativity with which He has gifted us. This creativity is nurtured in many ways at Epworth Chapel on the Green, through our music, public reading, book and poetry groups, sharing our cooking and gardening, and in the art exhibit we enjoy weekly in our narthex and throughout the parish hall.
Almost from the beginning Epworth has had a group that met regularly for painting, especially in the execution of watercolors. The lovely Donna Beukelman was one of the most faithful and productive members of this group.
When Donna died in 2013 her daughter Gail chose to honor her mother by sharing some of Donna’s paintings in what she thought would be a short-term exhibition. “I didn’t have any idea my mother had so many paintings,” Gail said.
The response to the exhibit was overwhelmingly enthusiastic and has now become a permanent part of Epworth. Gail changes the pictures regularly, choosing a different theme for each season and hanging them with an artistry that shows the talent she inherited from her mother.
Although Donna’s paintings form the core of the exhibit several other parishioners, including our pastor, contribute. During some Lenten seasons Pastor Thelander has asked that we “fast our art” as a Lenten discipline, the bare walls of our parish hall have taught us how very important the paintings are to us. The exhibit has become an important way to get to know parishioners who are still with us and a way of “keeping our departed with us.”
The exhibits are hung following themes. A recent exhibit, celebrating the joy of spring and the Easter Season, featured flowers:
We have also featured photography, such as this by Epworthy David Ryan:
And one time the congregation gathered for a “Masterpiece in Minutes” class led by a former member Victoria Knight:
Everyone is welcome to view the exhibit during the Afterword time of refreshments and discussion following the morning Holy Communion service which begins at 10:00 every Sunday morning.
