Jonathan on thu 3 jan 08
Dear Friends,
A few of you have asked how the experience of throwing in church
turned out, and I wanted to write a follow up and let you know.
In September I was contacted by Foundry United Methodist Church in
downtown DC. Their senior pastor was embarking on a five week sermon
series entitled "In the Potter's Hands," and they were looking for a
potter to be there, each service (two on Sundays), for a month,
throwing pots during the service. An added twist was that they wanted
seven communion sets thrown, which would be used at the end of the
series.
I went into this fairly skeptically - I responded with a host of
questions, just to see if they really knew what they were getting
into. They responded positively, thanking me for the questions and
inviting me down to see the space. At this point I still hadn't
committed. I knew I couldn't make every Sunday, and, quite frankly, I
didn't really need the work. I am also not a practicing Christian, so
I wasn't quite sure how comfortable I'd feel there. Before I went
down, Karin Abromaitis, also of this list, had contacted me and
offered to fill in - if the church would agree to that, that would
make it much more feasible.
As it turned out, the church was up for anything! I named my price,
and they didn't blink. I told them I wanted to be paid for the time
between services, amounting to three hours a Sunday. They agreed. I
told them Karin would be throwing there two of the Sundays. They
liked the idea - after all, they are trying very hard to get away from
all the patriarchal images and to have a female potter throwing while
the pastor preached on clay in God's hands - well, it worked out very
nicely for them! I told them that we would like to hold a sale in the
church in December after the Sunday services. Great idea, they said.
As it turned out, I eventually asked a third potter to join us
(Jeremy, my studio assistant), so all in all, there were three of us,
all with very different throwing styles.
The church built a stand for the wheel complete with a plexiglass
shield (it reminded me of the pope mobile!). From the congregations
point of view, it was sitting above the organ, just to the left of the
choir, on the opposite side of the minister's podium. There was a
spotlight shining down, making it feel a bit like a performance space,
which, in some ways, I guess it was. Each potter took an alternating
Sunday, and we were invited to throw and work through out the service
- during hymns, prayers, sermons, etc. On my first Sunday there,
during what was usually the minister's prayer, the congregation was
asked instead to watch the potter....I got a little self conscious, as
you can imagine! Another amazing moment that will live with me for a
long time was throwing a tall vase and collaring the clay up right as
the choir burst into "Hallelujahs!" I almost laughed out loud!
Each of us had a wonderful time. This series was such a hit that the
minister extended the series for one week. Members of the
congregation came up each Sunday to talk with us and thank us for
being there. Jeremy, Karin and I came away each Sunday feeling very
encouraged as potters. After the series was done, I returned on a
Sunday to deliver the communion sets, and stayed for the service (it
was All Soul's Day, and the choir was performing Faure's Requiem). At
the beginning of the service, the pastor introduced me and asked me to
stand - and the congregation stood up and clapped! I was overwhelmed.
The December sale went very well indeed. Karin, Jeremy and I set up
in the fellowship hall, catching crowds after each of the services
(during which they performed Vivaldi's Gloria). Each of us almost
sold out - it seems that the congregation had been saving their
shopping for this one Sunday. Each of us remarked that it was the
easiest sale we had ever done!
So, all in all, it was a very positive experience. Each of us were
very happy to have done it, and a little sad when it was over. Karin,
if you read this, please add your thoughts! If any of you have
questions about the specifics, please feel free to email me.
Jonathan in DC
Beth Spindler on thu 3 jan 08
What a wonderful report.....and being a Christian myself who also recognizes that there are many who aren't and that's ok, too...your experience doesn't surprise me at all.
The Lord works in mysterious ways...always has and always will....AMEN!!!? :)
Beth in FREEZING FOOTHILLS OF VIRGINIA? -? HAPPY NEW YEAR CLAYARTERS!!!
-----Original Message-----
From: Jonathan
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Sent: Thu, 3 Jan 2008 8:49 am
Subject: Throwing in Church
Dear Friends,?
?
A few of you have asked how the experience of throwing in church?
turned out, and I wanted to write a follow up and let you know.?
?
In September I was contacted by Foundry United Methodist Church in?
downtown DC. Their senior pastor was embarking on a five week sermon?
series entitled "In the Potter's Hands," and they were looking for a?
potter to be there, each service (two on Sundays), for a month,?
throwing pots during the service. An added twist was that they wanted?
seven communion sets thrown, which would be used at the end of the?
series.?
?
I went into this fairly skeptically - I responded with a host of?
questions, just to see if they really knew what they were getting?
into. They responded positively, thanking me for the questions and?
inviting me down to see the space. At this point I still hadn't?
committed. I knew I couldn't make every Sunday, and, quite frankly, I?
didn't really need the work. I am also not a practicing Christian, so?
I wasn't quite sure how comfortable I'd feel there. Before I went?
down, Karin Abromaitis, also of this list, had contacted me and?
offered to fill in - if the church would agree to that, that would?
make it much more feasible.?
?
As it turned out, the church was up for anything! I named my price,?
and they didn't blink. I told them I wanted to be paid for the time?
between services, amounting to three hours a Sunday. They agreed. I?
told them Karin would be throwing there two of the Sundays. They?
liked the idea - after all, they are trying very hard to get away from?
all the patriarchal images and to have a female potter throwing while?
the pastor preached on clay in God's hands - well, it worked out very?
nicely for them! I told them that we would like to hold a sale in the?
church in December after the Sunday services. Great idea, they said.?
As it turned out, I eventually asked a third potter to join us?
(Jeremy, my studio assistant), so all in all, there were three of us,?
all with very different throwing styles.?
?
The church built a stand for the wheel complete with a plexiglass?
shield (it reminded me of the pope mobile!). From the congregations?
point of view, it was sitting above the organ, just to the left of the?
choir, on the opposite side of the minister's podium. There was a?
spotlight shining down, making it feel a bit like a performance space,?
which, in some ways, I guess it was. Each potter took an alternating?
Sunday, and we were invited to throw and work through out the service?
- during hymns, prayers, sermons, etc. On my first Sunday there,?
during what was usually the minister's prayer, the congregation was?
asked instead to watch the potter....I got a little self conscious, as?
you can imagine! Another amazing moment that will live with me for a?
long time was throwing a tall vase and collaring the clay up right as?
the choir burst into "Hallelujahs!" I almost laughed out loud!?
?
Each of us had a wonderful time. This series was such a hit that the?
minister extended the series for one week. Members of the?
congregation came up each Sunday to talk with us and thank us for?
being there. Jeremy, Karin and I came away each Sunday feeling very?
encouraged as potters. After the series was done, I returned on a?
Sunday to deliver the communion sets, and stayed for the service (it?
was All Soul's Day, and the choir was performing Faure's Requiem). At?
the beginning of the service, the pastor introduced me and asked me to?
stand - and the congregation stood up and clapped! I was overwhelmed.?
?
The December sale went very well indeed. Karin, Jeremy and I set up?
in the fellowship hall, catching crowds after each of the services?
(during which they performed Vivaldi's Gloria). Each of us almost?
sold out - it seems that the congregation had been saving their?
shopping for this one Sunday. Each of us remarked that it was the?
easiest sale we had ever done!?
?
So, all in all, it was a very positive experience. Each of us were?
very happy to have done it, and a little sad when it was over. Karin,?
if you read this, please add your thoughts! If any of you have?
questions about the specifics, please feel free to email me.?
?
Jonathan in DC?
?
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?
You may look at the archives for the list, post messages, or change your?
subscription settings here: http://www.acers.org/cic/clayart/?
?
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Meryl Ruth on thu 3 jan 08
Hi,
Thanks for sharing your story.
A few years ago, a minister from a nearby church came by our studio. He
was asking for exactly the same thing: a potter willing to throw in his
church while he gave a very similar sermon.
No one was there but me! Our studio has ten working artists. I told him
that I was Jewish, that perhaps I wasn't the right person for the job.
He thought that my being Jewish was great.
I didn't think to ask to be paid for the service of throwing during his
sermon. Never dawned on me to ask.
But I did it. I was scared to death to throw up there in front of a very
large congregation while the minister was giving his sermon. But I
figured that perhaps the clay "gods" might be good to me seeing that I
was in church.
I loved the experience. I did throw well despite my fear. I don't think
of my work as a performing art. It was a stretch for me.
Regards,
Meryl Ruth, Porcelain Grace
http://www.merylruth.com
____________________________________________________________________________
> Clayart members may send postings to: clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list, post messages, or change
> yoursubscription settings here: http://www.acers.org/cic/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots2@visi.com
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