I’m a member of First Church of Christ, Scientist, Pasco, Washington, and our Sunday school has a new look!
Alex Cook, a professional muralist from Boston, MA, came to town last week and painted some beautiful murals for us. And we are so happy with the results!
I wanted to show you some pictures.
Our church built a new edifice around seven years ago, and the walls in the Sunday school have been office-white bare ever since. The Sunday school staff had been listening for ways to brighten up the room, and this is where our prayers took us.
When we considered scene options, the Biblical images of Noah and the Ark, David and Goliath, Jesus and the children that are found in countless Sunday schools around the world came to mind. But as we prayed further, we decided to seek an original option and to focus on a message rather than on an image.
In remembering that our Sunday School was designed to educate children to be healers of the world, our thought shifted to thinking of ways to represent the healing power of God in action through our children.
God is the Light, the healing power, that empowers children to heal others, we knew. So we asked Alex to send us sketches of the Light blessing the children. He followed through with some terrific possibilities, but we felt something was still lacking.
The Bible teaches that God is the Light, certainly, but it also teaches that we reflect the Light. As Christian Science explains, children don’t just receive God’s goodness, they exist to reflect and manifest it in thought, word and action. So Alex put the two ideas together and came up with a colorful, youthful, fresh, and unified picture that captured both elements of Light and light in the lives of children.
Do you see the Light reflected as light in each child? We call it “The Sparkle.”
As we listened further, we decided the mural theme needed even more. Not only do we receive God’s light, and not only do we reflect God’s light, but that Light has an effect in everyday experience.
Christian Science is all about works. It’s not an intellectual, “God is Light, isn’t that nice,” exercise. Or “Man reflects God’s light, isn’t that nice too?” It’s about prayer in action having a healing impact in the communities we circulate in.
So, another mural painted on a side wall of the Sunday school was inspired into form.
It’s an image of one child helping another. And both of them have “The Sparkle!”
After Alex finished painting, (it took four days), the whole church and many friends and neighbors packed into the Sunday School room for a Friday evening “Meet the Artist,” event that turned out to be a huge success.
We had pizza at 6 p.m. Alex then talked about his murals, and followed up with a concert. Yes, Alex is a very talented guitarist and singer as well!
BTW, if you’re looking for an experienced, talented and skilled muralist, Alex Cook has it all. You can contact him through his web site at Stonebalancer.
Wow! Such a beautiful mural, and such a beautiful result of a church praying together each step of the way, to receive and achieve that harmonious message of God’s ever presence and goodness. sas
Oh my gosh! That is so cool!
What a great inspiration all the way around.
Thank you so much for sharing the experience AND the photos with us….
What a beautiful and inspiring room to teach your little ones in! Thanks for sharing!
The art work reflects the spititual meaning and lightens the room with a rewarding effect. We liked your church as many of us attended after our meeting this year and we had a joyous time. The members made us feel at home with lots of loving thoughts.