Ministry Can Happen Anywhere

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Greetings from Mobile, Alabama, where everything is in bloom! As you can see from the picture, I work with children. What isn't obvious is that I 'm not in a school setting. I teach at a place called "the Art Instructional Center" in Lavretta Park for the City of Mobile Department of Parks and Recreation. Ministry can happen anywhere, even in a beautiful park!

I think a lot about what it means to teach art to children. We, all of us, are hardwired for artistic expression in one form or another. It is one of God's great gifts to us. The wonderful thing about working with children is that they have not yet learned to fear this gift. They love coming to the Art Center and I love creating opportunities for unleashing their creative potential. What they make (usually) adds to the beauty of our world. Making art teaches children how to work toward a goal. No kits. The outcome is not immediately evident, and skills have to be learned in small increments. Lots of problem-solving is involved in the creative process. All good life-lessons, I think.

Did you ever think about creativity as sharing in God's creative life?
Sr. Ann Henkel, OP

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