Artful Community Building

If you’ve been following my journey, you know I’ve been leading my congregation at Advent Lutheran Church in Manhattan in a communal art project.

Every week during Lent, the congregation was invited to color a paper stained-glass window depicting that Sunday's theme. Along the way, I’ve discovered just how powerful art can be in building community—and how much we all have to gain when we create together.

I’ll be honest: social settings can sometimes feel daunting. I often catch myself feeling put on the spot, wrestling with that nagging urge to say the right thing or to present my best self.

So, when we invited everyone to color after worship, the experience surprised me in all the best ways:

1. People of all ages joined in. Some folks sat down during the worship service to color. There’s something about art—much like singing—that grounds us. The feel of a crayon or marker in your hand, the gentle rhythm of coloring, it’s meditative. Just like singing a hymn.

2. We felt connected to each other. I watched as people admired other people’s contributions and followed their style, added to it, or created a contrasting color that complemented what was already there. I was blown away by the creativity and spontaneity. Our toddlers got to scribble. And our elders got to coloring in stars.

3. At the table, we talked and listened. Some of us colored quietly, simply enjoying the company. Others joined lively conversations. There was room for introverts and extroverts alike. We laughed, we shed tears, and in those moments, we grew closer as a community.

4. I could feel the Holy Spirit moving among us. In so many ways, this was exactly what we needed: a chance to slow down, to simply be together, to let the liturgy, scripture, and sermon settle into our hearts a little more deeply.

This communal art experiment became, without a doubt, a holy experience.