We, The Chapel Creatives, are pleased to open an offering to the Lord— expanded and accessible spaces for the worship arts—a visual arts gallery and a virtual stage for singer songwriters. We hope these new spaces will inspire more authentic worship and creative energy for the glory of Christ. Our prayer for the future is that art will be displayed in calendared shows and concerts sometimes highlighting the vision of artists in and around our faith community, sometimes complementing a sermon series and sometimes focusing on a challenge or blessing in our current experiences. We’ll be learning along the way and welcome feedback. If you’d like to learn more about why we were inspired to start this project, click here.

May the creative God we serve lead us in our arts as worship and our worship as an art.

Psummer Psalms exhibit 2025

“Like the Cedars of Lebanon”

June 22nd - August 24th

The Psummer Psalms pulpit series this year will focus on spiritual disciplines. That is, we will be meditating on the habits of relating to God that bring health and flourishing into our spiritual lives. The Psalms in our 2025 lineup will focus on a wide variety of practical ways we can care for and attend to our spiritual growth, and they will include Psalms 92, 119, 113, 51, 118, 86, 107, 96, and 102. The title of the exhibit, “Like the Cedars of Lebanon,” comes from Psalms 92 and celebrates the flourishing that comes form the habit of sabbath, from consistently making room in our busy lives to give attention to the goodness and righteousness of God in Christ.

Psalm 92:12-15

12 The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
13 They are planted in the house of the LORD; they flourish in the courts of our God.
14 They still bear fruit in old age; they are ever full of sap and green,
15 to declare that the LORD is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

One of CS Lewis’s favorite apologetical illustrations is that trees come closer to fulfilling their glorious purpose for which they were created by God that we humans. In Psalm 92, we see the promise of renewal through the Sabbath attention and grateful praise and worship. For those who choose this path there is fruitful flourishing and spiritual strength— like the palm tree in the desert and “Cedars of Lebanon in the courts of my God”. What a cause for thanksgiving and praise to our God for this discipline and its promise in our trying times! There are many other word pictures in the Psalms for this summer, and our artists have chosen a number of them to bring to our attention. May they lead you into deeper worship and contemplation of habits of life that will draw you closer to Jesus.

Note: If you are interested in speaking to an artist about their art or about commissions and/or purchases, please email the curator (Mike Lane) at haoyisi2@gmail.com for contact information.

MANY THANKS

TO THE ARTISTS AT THE PORCH ART TABLE WHO PAINTED PIECES FOR OUR “LIKE THE CEDARS OF LEBANON” EXHIBITION

“GROWING STRONG LIKE THE CEDARS IN OUR SABBATH REST”

MARY GREGORY

In Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus said: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls”

Commitment to learning spiritual disciplines is a commitment to come to Him. What a beautiful picture in Psalm 92! Praise to God for His goodness to us sending his Son and giving us His Spirit providing everything we need to live life in Christ. Resting in His great works.

Ps 92:4 “You have made me glad by your work; at the work of your hands I sing for joy.”

Ps 92:2 “To declare your steadfast love in the morning and your faithfulness at night…”

“All my life you have been faithful… all my life you have been so so good… I will sing of the goodness of God!”

“Royal Palms”

JANETTE THORPE

This work is paper, fabric, and ink collage.

It was inspired by Psalm 92:12 about a fruitful palm tree

“SEETHING”

JANETTE THORPE

This work is a paper, marker, and ink collage. It corresponds to the lament in Psalm 102:3—

“For my days pass away like smoke, and my bones burn like a furnace.”

“THE JOURNEY ON RANCH”

JANETTE THORPE

This artwork is a paper collage and corresponds to Psalm 96:12—

“Let the field exult and everything in it! Then shall all the trees in the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the people in his faithfulness.”

I have been studying tree life some. They like to be in community— they help each other out! I can easily imagine them singing for joy!

“FRUSTRATION & RENEWAL: PSALM 102:3-7”

MIKE LANE

For the most part, this exhibit focuses on the benefits and pleasures of growing spiritually, but Psalm 102 is a lament. It accents the desolation and despair in the heart of the one who comes to the Lord for help and growth. Note the sad situation:

4 My heart is struck down like grass and has withered; I forget to eat my bread.
5 Because of my loud groaning my bones cling to my flesh.
6 I am like a desert owl of the wilderness, like an owl of the waste places;

It is comforting to know a heart that is “desolate” can lead us to Christ, and Jesus is sufficient to renew and reinvigorate our relationship with Him.

28 The children of your servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before you.

“WILD ORCHID ON MANGO TREE: PSALM 92:12-14”

AMANDA THOMAS

The word “flourish” immediately brings to mind the mango tree in my yard overseas. As it flourishes and bears fruit, it also supports and shelters other living things: a resident lizard, flocks of birds that eat the mangos, mosses, ferns— and this fragrant wild orchid, which always reminds me of my Father’s love.

“ THE WORK OF HIS HANDS”

ROSALIE VINCENT

“Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are.”

Luke 12:27

“WHO IS LIKE THE LORD OUR GOD”

LUPE SANTOYO

This painting reminds me of the scene in Psalms 113.

Psalms 113:1-6 (ESV)

1 Praise the LORD! Praise, O servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD!
2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and forevermore!
3 From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised!
4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens!
5 Who is like the LORD our God, who is seated on high,
6 who looks far down on the heavens and the earth?