Jesus with gray skin and gentle eyes, being dunked in the River Jordan by a gray-skinned John the Baptist. Like so many paintings before it, our church’s mural reflects how art can capture east Texas history.
It’s folk art, I guess; a mural easily five by twelve feet, probably painted with house paint. The painting, hanging behind the pulpit, is over 60 years old and it’s starting to crack down the middle.
Art and East Texas History
“I was three when we came to Galilee, and it was always there,” one of my brothers at Galilee Baptist Church told me, as we inspected it.
My heart loves the primitive way this beautiful Bible story has been captured on thin board. Sadly, over the years, church members have tacked and stapled decorations right over the painting, probably reaching as high as they could while standing on the choir pews below. No matter. I even love the way humans have crucified the painting with a staple gun, making it the sacrificial lamb of holiday-themed youth programs.
Creative Faith in the Midst of Strife
Somewhere along the way, when a nation was in the midst of freedom-threatening strife, an anonymous artist decided to express his faith by creating a mural. In spite of church burnings and cross burnings and severe persecution based on skin pigment, this artist took his creative energy and produced a testament to the power and love of God. No wonder the painting inspires us still.
Sixty years ago, America was in the throes of the civil rights movement. Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat in June of 1955 in Alabama. In June of 1958, Bethel Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama was bombed by Ku Klux Klan members, killing four girls. Ten years after that, only fifty years ago, Martin Luther King was assassinated.
I don’t apologize for the way my church uses every creative resource to inspire folks. We don’t want to give up any of the youth department’s plays, created by gifted members of our congregation or our praise dances or our original poetry readings, all appropriately set off by a special back drop that reinforces each event’s message.
Special Thanks to Our Friends at the Art Museum
While I’m at this task of giving credit where credit’s due, I want to publicly thank Tyler Museum of Art Director Chris Leahy for his advice on how to expand our church’s stewardship of our mural. Thank you, Chris, for helping everyone in this community find creative ways to steward our region’s history! For their latest exhibitions, check out TMA’s hours and location.
Saving the Painting
So, now it’s time to save the Galilee mural. We could use your help in gathering information about local murals.
Does your church have a huge mural that might be contemporary to ours? If so, establishing a history of the artists will increase the value of both paintings and any other related ones as well. Do you know anything about when the Galilee painting was hung or who painted it or the history of our church? Someone said an artist named Kemp may have done this one and others in our region. If you have any information about the Galilee painting or any others, please contact me; I’ll consider it a personal favor.
With so much strife in our own world today, it’s easy to see the parallels of how faith and creativity can direct a culture’s attention to peace, justice, and self-respect. No wonder an anonymous artist still inspires us today. By the way, you’re welcome at Galilee any Sunday!
May I pray for you?
Dear Father, we look to You now for the hope and courage to stand for creative, faith-inspiring actions today. Teach us to let go of fear and look for ways to inspire courage. Have mercy on us, O Lord, as we try to understand justice and claim it for our culture. Give us integrity and a healthy respect for the past. Teach us to treasure the blessings You bestow today. Help us teach our children and grandchildren to live by Your wisdom and love. Make us people who reflect Your character and glory and joy. In Jesus’s name. Amen.
We love to hear from you!
How has someone inspired you with faith expressed creatively? Would you share a story about how you stood up for justice in the face of persecution? How have you seen peace and joy lived out in someone you know in spite of injustice?
More Stories and Wisdom to Bless Our Hearts!
If building better communities fascinates your heart, too, you may want to check out the podcasts we’ve done with Neita Fran Ward, Neil Katz, Sarah Cumming, Dawn Franks, and Ben Sciacca. Don’t forget, Anna is returning soon for more creative fun with kiddos. Or, you can sign up for our blog by clicking here (and we sure hope you do!!!)
Cathy Krafve, Columnist, Speaker, Blogger, Podcaster, and Christian Writer, invites your stories, ideas, and questions at CathyKrafve.com. Truth with a Texas Twang.
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