You Are Invited!

Participate in the Annual St. Barnabas 
Advent Art Series

Submissions Due Friday, November 21

Luke’s Gospel begins the story of Jesus with the opening line: “In the time of Herod…”

This detail may seem minor to us modern readers, however, it reveals layers of context about the fearful world Jesus entered—one filled with rampant oppression, economic disparity, uncertainty, and instability. A world not so unlike our own. And yet, throughout the stories of Christ’s birth, we hear the whispers of angels delivering a surprising message: “Do not fear.” In our own time, we might ask: is it possible to be fearless in a fearful world?

When Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the magi are each called into God’s redemptive story, they do not deny their fears—they move through them. They ask questions, hold fast to courage, trust in good news, and say, “Here I am, Lord.” When we find ourselves in fearful times, can we acknowledge our fears while also insisting on hope?

This year, in partnership with Sanctified Art, we present an art series with you that takes seriously the angels’ message, and trusts that Christ’s birth truly is good news of great joy for all people. We aim for the series to look closely at the fear and terror looming in the background during the time of King Herod, while inviting us to consider the fears we hold now. Yes, fear can divide and paralyze us, and even be used as a tool for oppression. But...what if?

What if we formed a different relationship with fear? What if we could acknowledge fear without letting it control us? What if we might catalyze our fears into love and action? What if naming our fears helps us see more clearly how God is breaking in and at work in our world?

In this year’s St. Barnabas Advent Art Series, we invite you to use the theme of What do you fear? Insisting on Hope this Advent as inspiration for your submissions. Using the theme is not required, only provided as an inspiration and an invitation. We invite the St. Barnabas community to journey together as we identify where fear is present—both in the Advent story and in our own lives—while using art to find our way toward expectant hope, with the angels’ voices in our ears. We will intersperse art pieces from Sanctified Art throughout the season with the works submitted by our own St. Barnabas artists. Please feel free to submit a brief description of your piece when submitting.

Additionally, we will have a Visio Divina of the Sanctified Art pieces in the Parlor during the season, which will be unveiled at our Advent kick-off event on Sunday, November 23 from 4-6 p.m. in the Parish Hall. Save the date!

Please submit Advent art pieces by Friday, November 21 by emailing them to etienna@stbbi.org. A painting, poem, photograph, short story, piece of music...the sky’s the limit! If it can be shared digitally, share it with us!

Every Advent, we light candles, sing carols, and pray for Christ’s coming because we believe God entered a frightened world to bring good news. We hold onto hope because we believe that Christ did come—that’s the promise of the season. Our hope is not flimsy or fleeting. It’s gritty, resilient, and can endure—no matter what we fear or face. This season, let us insist on hope and trust that good news is greater than fear. 

Sanctified Art Sneak Peak Images:

1. Mary's Yes, Lisle Gwynn Garrity
2. Something in the Water, T. Denise Anderson
3. Hope Like a Dancer, Lauren Wright Pittman