Worldly Holiness

“The true work of art is but a shadow of the divine perfection.” Michelangelo

I’m giving a workshop this next week at the Feast, an event for worship and renewal for the Covenant denominational family. I will explore how photography has helped me connect with God, and in turn become a tool in ministry. In particular, photography has helped me:

1. To find my way in difficult passages
2. Gain new perspective for life, and
3. Infuse my life with beauty and a wonder

Snapshot photography, like fast food and shallow prayers, does little to nourish, is weak in helping us savor God’s abundance, and is a poor aid in worship and growth. Good photography starts by pausing long enough to acknowledge God’s presence, His work in creation, and His purpose to reconcile all things to Himself through His son, Jesus Christ.

This seminar will explore the use of photography as a tool for spiritual transformation, worship, and engagement in God’s world with a Kingdom perspective. Some of the techniques of photography will be explained and utilized–light, shadow, perspective, framing, depth of field, composition and long exposure–as aids in envisioning and experiencing God’s work in your life and our world. Special attention will be given to noticing and infusing our lives with beauty and wonder for God’s creation, helping us to establish a solid foundation for growth, worship and participating in the work of God in the world.

I plan to blog through my workshop, adding pieces from my notes for my blog community. Stay tuned.

Tags: photography "photography as spiritual discipline"

Sometimes I feel so American. I mean spoiled and worried about trivial things, with a warped sense of what it truly means to be vulnerable. Well today, add “stupid” to my self reflections.

After finishing 8 days of intense learning, engagement in true multi-faith relationships and conversation, AND a service project here in Denver [Trac5], I got up bright and early to get to the airport to pick up a car for my next adventure. A road trip into the Rockies and maybe Canyons of Utah with my camera in hand. What could be better? I caught a ride with another team member leaving early, working all the angles perfectly. Or so I thought. LoL.

I was short on sleep but was thankful to my new friend, Mark Casey, who took me to the airport with Amber, after serving us so well this week at the leadership conference. We got to the airport and I immediately grabbed the shuttle to the car pick-up place about a mile from the Denver airport terminal. I’m collapsing the time-line here. Maybe 30 minutes later I proudly pulled out my phone with the reservation number in an email. You know, I’m trying to cut down on paper consumption. Yea right. Perhaps I should stop buying books.

So why do I feel stupid, and American today? “We need your license and visa card, Sir.” You bet. Sure thing. I’m standing, getting pumped to hit the road, enjoy my independence and picture taking in these enchanted Rockies and beyond. The guy behind the desk is entering data, my address, etc. More small talk followed like, “how’s your day,” and so forth. This is my upbeat optimism when I’m in control, experiencing my freedom and independence. I’m feeling the open road in front of me after all.

“Sir, I have bad news!” The computer won’t let me go any further because your driver’s license is expired!” You know the look of a deer caught in the headlights, mixed with a sense of “Oh S***?” Actually my thoughts were more numb, less OS. Clearly, that upbeat optimism I had just a few seconds before disappeared, betraying my shallow sense of well being. My ride to the airport was not waiting for me. Why would they? I had everything under control. I’m laughing now. I had no license. The hotel was 40 minutes away by car. Who knows by bus or whatever other means of transportation were available. Big bummer. Now laughing harder. Not then, in front of the attendant on the other side of the counter this morning. But YES, I’m laughing now.

When I think of the many ways people are really vulnerable in the world, even in Denver tonight as I write these thoughts, I’m ashamed at how easily I can feel discomfort. My stupid mistake today was so trivial really. My friends from Libya [and now IN Libya] are living real challenges. My prayer tonight: “God, help me to be more mindful of my false sense of self-sufficiency and of those who truly need what I have to give!”

Btw, the picture above is from Estes Park. I had to take a few pictures with my arms in the air at the request of a good friend. That makes at least a few times in the last few days I’ve felt stupid. The picture below includes some of my new friends from this week’s summit. We took a day to breath the rarefied air together in the Rockies above Denver.

I just completed a wonderful time of networking, engaging new friends from the other Abrahamic faiths, and learning an alternative approach to engaging situations of conflict, sometimes occurring in multi-religious contexts. We looked at the Muslim–Christian relationship this past week in particular at a Trac5 leadership summit in Denver.

We had over 100 join for a stimulating and important multi-faith conversation on Monday evening. Our Jewish panelist, Mark Braverman, kept challenging us to follow the example of Jesus in efforts for reconciliation. He had been deeply impacted by Palestinian Christians who stake their hope for true reconciliation on Jesus Christ. “Empires will come and go, but Jesus is still alive and with us. He understands our plight. He lived under Roman occupation 2000 years ago.” Over 1/3 of our audience for the panel forum were from the local Muslim community. Many conversations and bridge building was accomplished that evening.

We also had a wonderful conversation during the week with a couple who are in business in Saudi Arabia who challenged us to lift up Jesus instead of the banner of our religion.