Run with the Fire in Sacramento

First Baptist Church of Sacramento along with C.A.N.A. (Christians Arts Networking Association) are presenting RUN WITH THE FIRE, a digital display of international artwork along with examples of local art on May 11 at 6pm and May 12 at 10:30am.

Steve Scott, of CANA, writes:

"RUN WITH THE FIRE is a mixed format and mixed media art exhibit combining international art digitally displayed along with (stellar!!) local artworks on the walls of the beautiful and historic First Baptist Church of Sacramento at 2324 L street , Sacramento CA 95816.

RUN WITH THE FIRE opens at 6pm on May 11th and again at 10:30 AM on Sun the 12th (although, strictly, the walking around and looking at art won't begin til I've concluded my remarks about that splendid fellow Bezalel!!) please come on out and celebrate community, creativity and spirituality with us."

Olympic Big Draw

News of use made of the Run with the Fire digital exhibition continues to come in. The most recent information comes from St Gabriel's Aldersbrook who organised an Olympic Big Draw event.

Their Vicar, Fr. Martyn Hawkes, wrote that this was a fun experience with quite a few children coming along. He enjoyed the digital exhibition, which they bought in to provide some inspiration and additional material for the curious to see. It proved a good part of their Olympic activities over the summer and he was grateful for its production.

Festival showings of 'Run with the Fire'

The Run with the Fire digital art exhibition will be shown at two events in the Art Festival for the Barking Episcopal Area and the Woodford Festival.

A Celebration of Poetry will be held on Friday 12th October, 7.30pm, St Paul's Woodford Bridge, Cross Road, Woodford Green, Essex IG8 8BT. There is no admission charge and the evening will include local poets, published poets, musical/storytelling interludes and a showing of the 'Run with the Fire' Olympic-themed digital art exhibition. Among those reading their poetry are: Tim Cunningham, Jonathan Evens, Jane Grell, Malcolm Guite, Alan Hitching, and Jennifer Houghton.

commission4mission Art exhibition - Saturday 13th October, 10.00am - 7.30pm, The Atrium, All Saints Woodford Wells, Inmans Row, Woodford Green, IG8 0NHNo admission charge. Exhibition of art works by members of commission4mission, an arts organisation which aims to encourage churches to commission contemporary art. Includes the 'Run with the Fire' Olympic-themed digital art exhibition. This exhibition will include work by Jonathan Evens, Alan Hitching, Mark Lewis, Janet Roberts, Francesca Ross, Henry Shelton, Joy Rousell Stone and Peter Webb. This exhibition is being held prior to an evening concert at All Saints by the Meljon Singers (https://www.facebook.com/events/246345185469093/).

Click here for more information about other events in the Woodford Festival.

Summer Art Workshops

Here are photos from some of the summer creative workshops run at St Aubyn Devonport as part of the Run with the Fire project run by Army of Artists.

Oxfam donation

The 'Run with the Fire' project has recently been able to donate £229.89 to Oxfam.

For more than 60 years Oxfam has been turning donations such as ours into positive action which is transforming the lives of some of the world's poorest people.

Together Oxfam and their supporters have helped farming families to get more from their land, given children the chance to go to school, and ensured that opportunities are open to everyone - even the most vulnerable - in communities around the world. They've also campaigned for changes in policies, both locally and internationally, which will ensure that poor people's efforts are properly rewarded.

'Run with the Fire' poem

Run with the Fire

Stripped down - free of weights and encumberance -
muscles taught and trained, eyes on the prize -
on track, no turning back - forgetting what is behind,
straining toward what is ahead, winged feet
bearing tongues of flame - inextinguishable flickers
of hope, the torch passed on through generations,
message of victory - peace, goodwill to all.

How lovely are the feet - run red-raw, blistered
and calloused, dust-encrusted yet lithe as leopards
and fleet as foxes - which pound the mountains,
hills, valleys and plains, echoing through history
from Marathon to London via Jerusalem.

Jonathan Evens

'Run with the Fire' in California

Manuel Luz, Pastor of Creative Arts at Oak Hills Church, Folsom, California writes that the church is displaying the Run with the Fire digital exhibition "alongside of our children's Arts Camp gallery, which was themed around the Olympics this year. We will be presenting it through the duration of the Olympics." Run with the Fire can be seen in the church's Art&Soul Gallery. They write that "Oak Hills is pleased to be a part of this international event. We invite you to spend some time in our church lobby viewing the amazing works of Christian artists from around the world." To see photos from Oak Hills' children's Arts Camp click here.