This past weekend (Thursday – Saturday) I was in New Orleans at the Superdome planning the National Youth Gathering’s opening night event with my friend Doug. In some of our planning conversations with everyone else on the team, I was just bombarded by the sensation of being in the presence of many creative and talented people.
That experience had a neat impact on me — sending me to an early morning on a walkway by the Mississippi — wondering how to nourish that sense of creativity, because in the presence of these people, I noticed myself thinking and living into a greater sense of creative thinking.
Maybe that’s why artists all seem to live together in the downtown district in Kansas City (Google KC’s First Fridays) — to experience the backdraft of another’s creativity. That inspires something in your soul…
…but I suppose that’s how it is in any social situation: it’s hard, really, to not become like those you’re around.
With all this in mind, how do you foster that sense of creative community, permission-giving community, without killing the spirit of creativity or killing the desire to be creative?
It’s pretty neat that you brought up the creativity aspect today! Today I started something new with our SS group and it has its grounds in the book Imaginative Youth Ministry (and somewhat from our talk last year!). Through February (Epiphany + a few weeks), we’re going … See Moreto go through some I AM statements in John that are so rich in imagery, and just imagine what all that imagery says about Christ. I can’t wait! It started off well today!
But to answer your question on creating a community, I don’t really know! I think part of the answer just may be to slow down in our fast-paced culture and actually allow and make time for our imaginations to be active. That, and maybe deprive of them of tvs, computers and technology for a week :