Sunday, March 13, 2011

Church Art's departments CAN make a difference!

Just under 2 years ago I remember sitting in the living room of Martin and Anna Smith. We were in England, as a family, on Vacation and The Smiths had welcomed us into their home for a few days. Martin was the lead singer for the worship band “Delirious” and wrote many of the classic worship songs that we now sing in churches like “I could sing of your love forever, Majesty, Do you feel the mountains tremble?,Thank you for saving me and Raindown”  He had just announced that Delirious was finishing as a band and that Him and his wife were being moved to help global poverty through the arts and they created Compassionart.
As I sat with them I turned to Martin and said “Compassionarts is an absolutely fantastic way to help fight Global poverty but how do we make it impact on local poverty, using local church musicians, singers, dancers, drama teams, design/ web guys, AV teams, Sound teams?” Martin turned to me and said “I don’t know, but you need to figure it out Andy”
As I looked at what we do with kids and youth at Dream Center Peoria, I felt God challenge me to create a Creative Arts After school program where we could challenge the church Arts departments to give back to kids and youth that are in need and that have had most forms of the Arts cut from there schools. 
Showing a kid how to play the guitar or drums, instructing a young lady how to take professional pictures or design a poster. Taking a team of kids and creating a choir that can share the gospel and show Hope. Thats what God challenged me with. Use the greatest resource that the church has(The arts) to Impact kids live’s in the inner City of Peoria.

The Birth of "Freedom Arts Project". 



One of the greatest resources that the church has worldwide is musicians, singers, poets, dancers, artist’s, mentors and people who truly care for those in need

Imagine the church stepping out of the church and providing their communities with the resources to allow kids living in poverty, to start to dream or to rekindle that dream again, in the whole area of the ARTS.



Freedom Arts Project aims to change the community by teaching young people, from the inner city, lessons in the arts in a safe environment. Junior and senior high students participate one night a week in an 8-week course. The classes encourage young people, who otherwise would be unable to attend art classes, to pursue old and new passions in the arts.

Get involved and help change a life. 

If your interested please come to the next volunteers meeting on:
March 15th ,  6:30pm
Dream Center Peoria
714 Hamilton Blvd, Peoria, Il