Trees remind us of the balance between life's inherent beauty and the wisdom it offers. Within the pages of the Bible, trees stand as a symbol of life and knowledge, offering stability, protection and strength, just as Jesus does to us.
When the vision team contacted me (Anni Duerksen) and Jen Hildebrandt, (both of us part of the church decorative committee) about somehow displaying a vision on the wall in our church to give visitors a first impression of what our church values are, but also as a reminder to our congregation, of the ideas that we as a church want to embody, we thought immediately about a tree. We chose a tree for the painting for 2 reasons: the idea of being rooted in Christ is important for our church, we agreed we wanted the painting to have visible roots for that reason.
Also, trees change their appearance as each season passes. We are coming out of a difficult season and part of the reason behind having a new vision statement was to help usher the church into a time of healing and renewal. In the same way that a bare tree will bloom in God's timing, so we as church can move forward into a season of beauty.
Once we were happy with the design, it was time for me to portray those ideas. Colours are a
fundamental element in any painting and play a crucial role in creating its atmosphere and emotional impact. I chose earthy tones because they are the colours we see in nature and they create a mood that is inviting and comfortable and I know I wanted my painting to create a sense of warmth and a feeling of serenity. Also, it was important for me to show our vision statement clear and somehow have it as a focal point, it's not typically my style to stick words up on walls, I wanted it to be tastefully done, in a way that could be seen as a lasting piece of art work.
Our mission statement "Following Jesus, Building relationships and Connecting with Community" is more than just a string of words, it's an extension of our faith community’s core beliefs, it’s a commitment to transforming lives, nurturing souls, and bridging communities, serving as a guiding light to follow Jesus by understanding and obeying his teaching and following his example.
