The Future of Infused Arts

Hello Creative Friends -

Thank you so much for coming out last Thursday for The Collective's Grand Finale. I was moved to tears by your kindness and well wishes in my new God adventure at Praise Community Church. Man, I'll miss you all terribly! But Praise is just down the road - haha!

As you know from the previous note, I gave a four week notice. Today, Thursday, 11/10 is my 3rd week and I still have so many loose ends to tie up that I know I'll be here for a few more days - maybe even until Thursday, 11/17, we'll see.

Here is what the Infused Arts schedule looks like for the rest of 2016:

TONIGHT: The Write Space meets from 6:30pm to 8pm and my friend Abby Trevino will visit with us and share her heart on how God uses her gift of writing to share His heart with others. This is prophetic writing. And I've been a blessed recipient of these letters. She and I will speak about the process of hearing from God, writing it out, delivering the message and then responding to His love as the recipient. It's going to be cool guys, I hope you can come out! We meet in room #112.

THURSDAY 11/17: Open Studio is 6:30pm to 8:30pm. Bring your project and create in the midst of community in an encouraging environment. If you'd rather, you can bring $6 for an 11x14 canvas panel and use of all art supplies. We meet in the coffee bar area.

DECEMBER 2016: Infused Arts takes a winter break. No creative gatherings. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

What does Infused Arts look like in 2017?
That is a very good question. As Pastor Brian shared at The Collective last week, he's uncertain as well. I do know that LW will not seek to hire a replacement for me anytime soon. As always, when someone leaves a position here, the leadership reevaluates the position, the ministry, the hours needed, etc.

With the construction beginning, God willing, in April and running through the rest of the year, many programs will be halted due to no usable space, noise, dust, and all the other joys of renovations. This is something to keep in mind through 2017 as it will affect all the ministries of Living Word in some significant way. For The artists and writers, maybe that means moving the gatherings off site. The leaders and I are dreaming about places should that happen. You'll be kept in the loop for sure!

I'm pretty sure that this blog site will be detached from LW's website very soon. But I'll continue to keep you posted (or the leaders will) here at the blog. Check back soon or add your email to the box on the right hand column so you are alerted via email when there's a new post.

Please let me know if you have any questions. My email here at LW will be inactive shortly after my last day. I'd love to stay in touch with you guys! My original arts ministry, Vertical Creativity, will blossom into something new and amazing in the days and months to come. If you want to keep in touch, please contact me here.

Well friends - it's not good-bye, but see ya later, maybe even soon! Know that each of you have enriched my life in ways unexplainable. Thank you and bless you!

Be in joy - deAnn Roe

"Reason is the natural order of truth; but imagination is the organ of meaning." ~ C. S. Lewis

For Everything There is a Season

I want to share some news with you. Since early summer God’s been asking me this question: “Do you trust Me with your ministry?” I’d reply, “Sure I do Lord! Of course.” But He kept asking me, over and over again... I guess I wasn’t giving Him the answer He wanted. Finally, this simple yet deep question opened up things in my heart that I didn’t know existed. I had always seen myself (for the past 8 years anyhow) as the director of Infused Arts and ONLY that. But what God showed me was that my ministry expands, and could expand even more, beyond Infused Arts. That was rather exciting, yet freighting to me. Then He started asking me that same question again, “Do you trust Me with your ministry?” It was very clear this time He was asking me if I trusted Him with Infused Arts. “Of course I do!” But that question kept coming so again, He must not have liked my answer. Then He asked me if I trusted Him enough for me to walk away from Infused Arts. “Uhhhhhhhhh, Lord, don’t ask me to do that please!!!” He then replied, “But I’ve shown you other gifts you have that can be applied to building up My Kingdom.” This unsettled and confused me. But I had peace and came to a place in my heart and said, “Yes, Lord. I do trust You.”

A few months after these questions and days and days and days of processing what He was showing and telling me, I get an unexpected job offer…not in the arts. Strangely I was excited in my spirit about this position. I wrestled with God daily on this possible job change. Yes, He’d randomly asked me when I was overcome with anxiety, “Do you trust Me with your ministry? You said that you do.” Ouch. So with fear and trepidation, after months of praying and discerning, I decided to step WAY out of my comfort zone to a place where I HAVE to trust God. And it’s scary exciting. Maybe you know what I mean…?

God just doesn’t want lip service from us. He bugged me with a simple question for months. I finally my heart transformed and came to a place to answer Him the way He wanted. However, that is not enough. He wants more. He wants action to flow from our words. So, I said YES to that job offer. With a heavy, yet excited heart, I gave my letter of resignation to Pastor Brian yesterday. Oh my, the tears* Leaving Infused Arts and LW after being on staff for SEVENTEEN YEARS!! Oh my! I’m a ball of insane mixed emotions. I have to buy some waterproof mascara on my way home from work today!

There is so much I want to say to each of you. You’ve enriched my life in ways I can’t even describe. Seeing God open up your creativity or encourage it in a bigger way has filled my heart with so much joy! I know I’m called to be a creative catalyst and to create space for people to connect deeply with God through their creativity and the arts. That will never change! That’s who God’s made me to be. However, in this new season, this new position as Next Steps Director at Praise Community Church in York (ironically LW’s previous building, where I started), my creativity will be used in a new and different way. This job will be STRETCHING indeed. Again, positioned to truly need God. And my spirit is SO excited to be in this place of dependency upon Him.

I’d love to share more with you and spend some time reflecting on how God moved through Infused Arts, through you, through me over the past 8 years. So, at our next gathering for

The Collective

November 3rd

from 6:30pm to 8:30pm

we’ll do just that. Celebrate all that God has done in raising up the His Creative Spirit in each of us to make an impact for His Kingdom’s sake. I hope you can come. We’ll have some appetizer-type foods and it will be a party atmosphere.  

One thing I want to share here is that Pastor Brian will be attending The Collective as well. He will talk about what will happen with my role in my absence and the future of Infused Arts at LW. He’ll answer any questions you have too. I really hope we can pack out the house!  

This special gathering of The Collective is for anyone who has been touched by the art at LW through The Gallery or The Well, The Sacred Path, and our arts communities: The Studio and The Write Space. I super hope you can make it this Thursday!

You have blessed me tremendously…

If you can’t make it to The Collective, please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions. I’ll be around for 3 to 4 more weeks. My last day at LW is around 11/10, maybe a day or two longer. It depends how quickly I can get ALL the stuff done that needs to be done. ;)

Thank you for building into me over our times together. Dang…this isn’t an easy “see ya later.” But I will remain local so that is good!

I love you all.

Be in joy –

deAnn

The Last Few Days

The Well - Fall 2016 from Living Word Community Church on Vimeo.

The Well | Jehovah Jireh (God provides) is our current installation at Living Word Community Church. The remaining days and times are as follows:

Thursday, 10/27 from 9am to 9pm

Friday, 10/28 from 9am to 9pm

On Saturday, it all comes down.

I hope you get a chance to quiet yourself before the Lord and encounter Him in a new or unique way.

Be blessed -

deAnn Roe

Pumpkin Art, 10/20

Join us at

The Studio on Thursday, 10/20 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm

and bring your own pumpkin or gourd!

Get creative:

try zentangle

try paint

try mixed media

or go old school and carve

(bring your own caring equipment)

Infused Arts will provide the markers, paints and mixed media supplies.

There is no fee for this event.

Kids age 12 and older can come if accompanied by a parent or guardian.

RSVP to deAnn

Scroll down for some photos to inspire you!

We hope to see you on Thursday, 10/20!!

be in joy -

deAnn

Fall Writers' Retreat

~WRITE, SEEK, FIND~
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," delares the Lord, "and I will bring you back from captivity."

Jeremiah 29:13-14 (NIV)

DATE: Saturday, 10/29

TIME: 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
LOCATION: Room 320 in the Kid::Life wing.

I believe this will be the BEST writers' retreat to date! Come, find community among writers of all levels. Come, find peace and quiet to spend time writing. Come, be inspired by one another and by the Holy Spirit.

WHAT TO BRING:
Bring your writing notebook or laptop, a project you want time to work on or thoughtful prompts will be given. Pack a lunch (there is a fridge and microwaves available to use). Breakfasty treats and coffee/juice will be provided.

Contact Beth with questions. Please RSVP to deAnn.

See you there!

Art Reception Tonight, 8/26

Here's a sample of what you'll see tonight at the Art Reception featuring Christy Smith from Harrisburg. Her art is currently on display at Living Word Community Church.

Come out tonight beginning at 6:30pm and hear Christy's heart and how she creates with inspiration from the Holy Spirit. Here is the gallery booklet for Christy's exhibit, The Heart Behind the Art.

 Art tables, roaming artists, refreshments and coffee will be on hand.

These events are totally family-friendly! Here are the details:

Friday, 8/26 from 6:30pm to 8:00pm

The Gallery at Common Grounds

Living Word Community Church

2530 Cape Horn Road

Red Lion, PA 17356

Thursday Night Creativity

HI friends!

I trust your summer has been amazing so far. My only complaint is that it’s going way too fast. J

Things at Infused Arts are moving along well despite the lower attendance - which happens every summer. I want to let you know what’s happening the next few weeks on our creative Thursday Nights.

·         This week, July 21^st is The Studio. We have been exploring the basic elements of art so far this year and on Thursday we’ll work with Line & Shape. There is no fee for this session. We’ll work with markers and colored pencils. Line and shape seems so, well – boring. But meshed with color and texture (two other elements of art that we’ve studied so far), it will be fun and exploratory. I hope you join us in the coffee bar from 6:30 to 8:30pm.

·         Next week, July 28^th is our DUO night; featuring both Open Studio at The Studio and Open Writing at The Write Space. This evening is geared to give you time and space to work on a creative project, be it visual art or literary. Start something new or bring your WIP (work in progress). Creating in community is pretty cool. Open Studio meets in the coffee bar at 6:30pm and is $6 if you use our supplies, free if you bring your own. Open Writing meets in room 112 at 6:30pm, the normal location for The Write Space.

Looking ahead:

August 4^th is The Collective – Discover a deeper relationship with God as you move out in your creative endeavors. This creative community is geared for ALL people and is more spiritually formative than art making. We meet in the coffee bar from 6:30 to 8:30pm.

And don’t forget about First Friday York on August 5^th. I hope to see you downtown supporting the art scene in York!

Be in joy friends. May your creativity increase and your love for others flow freely. Blessings to you~

deAnn