We, The Chapel Creatives, are pleased to open an offering to the Lord— expanded and accessible spaces for the worship arts—a visual arts gallery and a virtual stage for singer songwriters. We hope these new spaces will inspire more authentic worship and creative energy for the glory of Christ. Our prayer for the future is that art will be displayed in calendared shows and concerts sometimes highlighting the vision of artists in and around our faith community, sometimes complementing a sermon series and sometimes focusing on a challenge or blessing in our current experiences. We’ll be learning along the way and welcome feedback. If you’d like to learn more about why we were inspired to start this project, click here.

May the creative God we serve lead us in our arts as worship and our worship as an art.

SOLO EXHIBIT BY CHRIS HEIDT: OCT. 4- NOV. 8

“GLORIOUS CREATURES”

When you observe-not just look at, but study like a student-the natural world, you learn about the creative wisdom of God. The animals I chose to represent in these artworks are products of God's wisdom.

This past summer, I binge-watched nature videos and was inspired by the unique characteristics of the animals featured. Every species has its own clever way of gathering resources, navigating its territory, defending itself, and attracting a mate. The animals I have chosen to depict in my art are all intelligently designed and optimally built for their roles.

FOR EXAMPLE, DID YOU KNOW THAT....
All eight arms of an octopus move independently from one another. Each arm moves like it has a mind of its own because half of its neurons live inside its arms rather than its central brain.

Bees can recognize and remember human faces, despite their tiny brains. Bees must visit roughly two million flowers to make a single jar of honey. About one-third of what we eat relies on crops pollinated by hardworking bees.

It is the male seahorse that gets pregnant. Its young are carried in a belly pouch, like a kangaroo. Seahorses are considered fish but lack a tail fin. They use their curved, monkey-like gripping tails to anchor themselves to seagrass.

Another translation of the word "possessions" in Psalm 104:24 is "riches." God has surrounded us with His wealth. God did not create the natural world on a whim, but with deliberate design, knowledge, and purpose. Some refer to nature as a "Mother," but Scripture tells us that it was God and His wisdom that built the visible world.

My hope is that my artwork provides people with a glimpse of the divine mind that produced the rich and abundant natural world, and especially His manifold glorious creatures.

So, the next time you are outside, if you should see a honeybee hard at work, flying clumsily among your flowers, remember that you are blessed to be experiencing the wealth and wisdom of God.

"O lord, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom you made them all;
"The earth is full of your possessions.”
PSALM 104:24

Note: If you are interested in talking with an artist about their work or about purchases or commissions, email the curator, Mike Lane haoyist@gmail.com for contact information.