An Artful Faith
What is An Artful Faith?
An Artful Faith is a collaborative spiritual formation business that runs alongside my spiritual direction practice. I formed this business out of a shared love of beauty and discipleship with my friend and colleague Amanda. Amanda and I met while both pursuing degrees at Covenant Theological Seminary, and found that we were each asking questions about art and faith. After taking a class on spiritual formation, imagination, and the arts, we began to meet regularly to pray and dream. In the late summer of 2021 we first gathered a small group of friends for what we began to call an ‘Art Encounter’ - a gently-structured time set aside to sit with a painting in prayerful connection with Jesus and each other. Since that first July evening, we have continued to host small and large groups for Art Encounters. And we continue to dream about other ways we might create prayerful, hospitable spaces that help us attune to the creative ways Jesus is already revealing himself, shaping us, and desiring to connect with each of us.
What does Artful Faith do?
Every teaching-learning event we host is rooted in gentle spiritual formation practices, a commitment to hospitable and creative pedagogy, and a conviction that an ounce of reflection can yield a pound of learning.
Art Encounters
An Art Encounter is an expanded communal practice of Visio Divina, a gently-structured space set aside for sacred seeing that leads us to consider how a piece of art forms us spiritually and invites our whole selves into connection with Jesus.
Participants are invited to connect with God in a variety of ways during this 1.5-2 hour program - through curated times of quiet reflection, group discussion, and guided prayer. We have hosted Art Encounters in homes, as ministry events in churches, and in larger-scale conference settings, and they have been a blessing to men and women, young adults and seniors, church staff and lay people, long-time lovers of art and those who feel brand new.
What can you expect to walk away with when you attend an Art Encounter?
Hospitable small & large group conversation that creates space to be refreshed as learners at Jesus’ feet
Practice leaning into wise discipleship postures, including building awareness of ourselves as learners. We practice withholding judgment, thorough & sustained observation, cultivating curiosity, delaying interpretation, slowing down, becoming aware of assumptions, which all contribute to growing our capacity to listen well.
Gentle invitation to connect with God through guided, personal reflection & prayer
Firsthand experience practicing attentiveness to, making meaning from, & considering the spiritually-formative aspects of a historical painting
The refreshment of being taught & led through a thoughtful, curated process that you can simply receive & participate in
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Retreat Planning
Reach out to us if you would like to hire us to plan a group or individual retreat for you. It would be our delight to curate an extended time that is set apart for you to connect with God in meaningful, creative ways.
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Partnering
If you resonate with this work, consider hiring us to serve your community, or by committing financial support toward growing our capacity to create and offer spaces like this.
What people are saying about Art Encounters
Why an Artful Faith?
We believe that the journey and experience of Christian faith is brimming over with sacramental bids of connection from God.
Coming from a faith tradition that tends to emphasize the cognitive, we also see that God in Scripture loves to use all kinds of art to reveal himself, connect with his people, and shape us spiritually. He engages not only our creaturely intellect and reason but also our bodies, emotions, longings, and imagination. Think of the stories Jesus tells, the poetry of the prophets, the architecture of the tabernacle, the songs of the psalmists, the garments of the priests - why include all of this in the story of redemption? Why a story at all?
As we seek to be attentive and respond to the ways God is already active and present with each of us, we celebrate the gift of art - as a tool, a set of signposts, a kind of companion for the journey. We believe art can be a means of unearthing these already-present realities in our lives. As we practice the postures of learning and prayerful listening in community, we seek an artful faith.
More About Melissa
Melissa holds two degrees from Covenant Theological Seminary, a Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts in Educational Ministry. She is also certified in Spiritual Direction through Lipscomb University, and is establishing her practice as a Spiritual Director at Revision Christian Counseling Center. She is passionate about creating space for people to slow down and notice God’s presence in their lives so that they can experience his attunement to them and grow in their attachment with him. With robust training in theological reflection and spiritual formation, and over 13 years of hands-on ministry experience, Melissa creates gentle learning spaces with a skillful hand and an earnest, genuine heart that helps to put others at ease and receive from Jesus.
More About Amanda
Amanda holds her Master of Arts in Educational Ministries from Covenant Theological Seminary, and Bachelor of Arts in English Language & Literature from Asbury University (Art History, minor). She has worked in creative arts ministry in local church and cross-cultural ministry settings, and completed an internship at the St. Louis Art Museum (Interpretation & Engagement). Amanda draws on her training in biblical-theological reflection and the teaching-learning process, and years of relational youth & young adult ministry experience. She is passionate about the gentle, sacramental kindness of God that frees us toward creative, meaningful learning with Jesus. Amanda lives in St. Louis with husband Joe and three young children.