CARE Arts Ministry

Crisis, Disaster, and Traumatic Events have increased by 400% in recent years. Churches and believers know we should be responding to these events but often we don’t know exactly how.

CARE Arts Ministry™ offers a how ; an innovative yet clear pathway for churches and Christians to respond creatively and appropriately to continuing Crisis, Disaster and Trauma challenges. It is a healing form of creative arts ministry, based on proven Art Therapy principles and practices, and done with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

CARE = Compassionate Artistic Response and Engagement

Based on the forthcoming book: How to CARE: Crisis, Disaster, Trauma, and Healing Ministry with the Arts, by J. Scott McElroy with Jen Alward

The CARE Arts Ministry™ model addresses three main challenges churches and believers face when Crisis, Disaster, or Traumatic events hit:

  • How to Respond: CARE Arts Ministry offers effective and appropriate pathways for compassionate response.
  • How to Care for the Hurting: CARE Arts Ministry enables people within the congregation, the community, and at disaster sites to express, process, and release trauma, so they can avoid dangerous long-term effects and experience hope and healing.
  • How to Engage the Congregation:CARE builds empathy in congregations that leads to normalized compassionate response and engagement

CARE Arts Ministry™ enables congregations, lay people, staff, and artists to offer creative Compassionate Artistic Response and Engagement (CARE)™ in their churches, homes, communities, and on site when Crisis, Disaster, and Traumatic events come.

Learn more about CARE Arts Ministry HERE.

Support CARE Arts Ministry HERE.

Sacred Streets

In our efforts to convey God’s love to the world in creative ways, New Renaissance is partnering with artist and founder of Sacred Streets, Jason Leith. The mission of Sacred Streets is to create portraits out of direct relationships that show the stories of people living in the margins of our cities. Groups of portraits are exhibited in makeshift sacred spaces, built from the materials of those very streets. Each portrait and sacred space is a collision of humility and holiness. We see throughout scripture how God is found in the margins and how he identifies with those in poverty, calling believers to those corners of society (Isa 58:10). Jason’s artwork emerges from a desire to connect with people who are largely ignored and voiceless, that it may open eyes to see God’s presence in every dim corner as he is continually “making all things new” (Rev. 21:5). Through Sacred Streets, God’s story is put on display in our urban spaces, showing the beauty of the gospel that people may encounter Christ’s love right where they are.

Learn more about Sacred Streets HERE.

Support Sacred Streets HERE.