Artists at West Market United Methodist Church were asked to depict the Stations of the Cross through various mediums. As they interpreted the Scriptures of Holy Week, these United Methodists found themselves experiencing Christ’s crucifixion – and their own faith -- in new ways.
Featured artists and art is from the Holy Week Art Walk held Friday, April 7, 2023.The Rev. Beth Crissman was the senior pastor at West Market Street UMC at the time of the video shoot in 2023. The Rev. Dr. Otto Harris is the senior pastor at West Market Street UMC at the time of this video's release.
Transcript
Deborah Jefferson, artist: I've been an artist all my life, ever since I was little. I draw all the time. I've always loved creating different things in different ways. And to draw something dealing with my faith like Jesus or anything dealing with the cross is an honor to me.
I do feel like I can say things through my art that I can’t say with words.
Sage Hannah Betts, artist: When I started doing the piece of art, I was trying to figure out what it would feel like for Jesus to be in that position, standing there, being criticized, almost being interrogated and people telling him what he was. And so I really wanted to focus on the sentence of my art piece.
The Rev. Beth Crissman, (former) senior pastor, West Market United Methodist Church: My daughter, Maddie, we decided this year we wanted to do a piece together and we have never created a piece of art together. What we wanted at the center and at the forefront was our drawings of Jesus and with the soldiers coming toward him and the arrest happening. There was no greater injustice than Jesus being arrested.
And yet, Jesus chose a path of nonviolent resistance. As Christians, we truly are called to put away our sword.
Art plays such a powerful part in our faith journey, allows the person to not only interpret what they’re hearing, but to also communicate it in a way that often will move people where words alone can’t.
This video was produced by United Methodist Communications in Nashville, Tennessee. Contact is Joe Iovino.
This video was published on February 19, 2024.
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