Lenten Art Installation at Grace Church in Silver Spring

Lenten Art Installation at Grace Church in Silver Spring

You are invited to the Lenten Art Installation at Grace Church in Silver Spring at 1607 Grace Church Road.

The Rev. Jim Quigley is an artist and a priest. He has graced us with the loan of his original paintings depicting the eight biblical Stations of the Cross, recently installed in the Grace Worship space.

On March 24th at 7pm, join the artist to discuss the inspiration, meaning, and methods behind this powerful work.

Beatitudes & Mass for the Oppressed Concert

Beatitudes & Mass for the Oppressed Concert

Please join us for a performance of Patrick Hawes’ meditative Beatitudes for choir and piano followed by the east coast premiere of Emerson Eads’ stunning Mass for the Oppressed for soloists, choir, and orchestra (strings, piano, and percussion). Admission is free. Donations will be collected to benefit SentencingProject.org, an organization that advocates for effective and humane responses to crime that minimize imprisonment and criminalization of youth and adults by promoting racial, ethnic, economic, and gender justice. A reception will follow the concert. Masks are encouraged.

Seipp | Sheets Duo Free Concert

Seipp | Sheets Duo Free Concert

Enjoy an afternoon of music by Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, Mussorgsky and Freddie Mercury. Six trumpets bring flare and fun to the “Carnival of Venice” and be captivated by the power demonstrated in Widor’s “Toccata” for solo organ. With several engaging video presentations, an out-of-this-world silent movie, and special tributes to Responders and Veterans.

A Unique Concert Blend Of Music & Video

The Seipp/Sheets Trumpet & Organ Duo is unlike any ensemble performing today. Custom musical arrangements of virtuoso, beautiful, entertaining, humorous and patriotic selections enhance the exquisite blend of their instruments. Coupled visually with specialized videos, Seipp and Sheets craft a unique and engaging concert experience for all ages, creating extraordinary connection with their audiences. The duo’s thoughtful programming, artistic arrangements and powerful, innovative and interactive video presentations make the Seipp/Sheets Duo today’s musicians to watch.

Trumpeter Chuck Seipp and organist Randall Sheets are two performers at the top of their craft. Both are high-profile musicians in their own right. Dr. Sheets is Ceremonial Organist for Arlington National Cemetery (retired), and Dr. Seipp is Sergeant Major (retired) from The United States Army Band, “Pershing’s Own” in Washington, DC. For the past several seasons, the Seipp/Sheets Duo has performed as many as 25 programs yearly to enthusiastic audiences across America for church concert series, universities, organ guild chapters and were featured at the prestigious Piccolo Spoleto Organ Festival. In addition to the music they produce, Chuck and Randall regularly commission new arrangements, compositions and videos.
For more information and recordings, visit: www.seippsheetsduo.com

We are encouraging attendees to bring canned and non-perishable food items for St. John’s Food Pantry.

Art as a Spiritual Practice

Art as a Spiritual Practice

Acts 2 - Fire appeared among them

Acts 2 – Fire appeared among them – mixed media by Sue Carroll, St. Dunstan’s Liturgical Artist-in-Residence

Sue Carroll, Liturgical Artist-in-Residence at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Bethesda, MD, shares how her mixed media artwork–a creative outlet she found later in life–has both enriched her faith and allowed her to share the Good News with others in her home parish and beyond.

I never thought of myself as an artist, but apparently the Holy Spirit did. That she waited until I was in my 60s to let me in on this idea is just one of the signs of her sense of humor. It was also a demonstration that “growing in the faith” is possible at every stage of life.

My work life had always involved words: writing, analyzing, planning. I’d long had a love of practical theology, achieving a Masters in Divinity from Wesley Seminary and serving as a volunteer instructor at a seminary in South Africa. And my faith had sustained me through many difficult times in my life.

But, art? When I first gave it a try, with watercolor, it was awful. I was awful! But I loved learning about colors, shapes and techniques–and when I discovered the vibrant world of mixed media, I was hooked.

When the pandemic closed down in-person worship at St. Dunstan’s in 2020, I began creating a scripture illustration every week for our Zoom services. I have since been named the “Liturgical Artist-in-Residence” at St. Dunstan’s, with an exhibition of my pieces last fall entitled “Art to Lift Spirits: Modern Icons of the Good News.” Since then I have regularly kept pieces on display in the Nave, and I still do a new piece almost every week. I would not have this soul-enriching art practice today if it were not for the support of the community at St. Dunstan’s.

Part of the joy of mixed media for me is the theological meaning in the art form itself: taking diverse, tattered scraps of material and making something bright and significant with them echoes the never-ending re-creative force of God. I also try to build layers of meaning into my pieces; e.g, to illustrate Ezekiel’s prophecy that the Lord will plant a tree for “winged creatures of every kind” I cut the bird shapes from maps, so that every continent is represented. It is a joy to be able to immerse myself in scripture and share my vision of God’s deep, enduring, powerful love.

Sue Carroll
Liturgical Artist-in-Residence, St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church
In recognition that this practice is a gift of the Spirit, my liturgical art is available for free from my website: www.art2liftspirits.com. If you would like to receive pieces by email every week, keyed to the lectionary, please email me.