Join Rev. Lisa Cole Smith from Convergence for a four-part study exploring the spectacular effort of God’s chosen people in an art project of magnificent scope. It takes the entire community of makers, craftspeople, leaders, administrators, teachers and patrons all working together under the leadership of artists to fulfill God’s command: Build a dwelling place for the Spirit of God. Neither Moses nor priests, warriors nor politicians were qualified to lead the task. This time, artists are called by name, filled with the Spirit, and charged to lead God’s people. Come discover the original call of the artist and re-consider your creative gifting in light of the “wise-hearted ones.”   The Wise-Hearted Ones Ep. 4: Ministry of Imagination  Written and Narrated by Lisa Cole Smith Produced and Engineered by Dan ABH Original Music by Jay Smith www.jmusic.us 

Join Rev. Lisa Cole Smith from Convergence for a four-part study exploring the spectacular effort of God’s chosen people in an art project of magnificent scope. It takes the entire community of makers, craftspeople, leaders, administrators, teachers and patrons all working together under the leadership of artists to fulfill God’s command: Build a dwelling place for the Spirit of God. Neither Moses nor priests, warriors nor politicians were qualified to lead the task. This time, artists are called by name, filled with the Spirit, and charged to lead God’s people. Come discover the original call of the artist and re-consider your creative gifting in light of the “wise-hearted ones.”   The Wise-Hearted Ones Ep. 3: Idols and Altars Written and Narrated by Lisa Cole Smith Produced and Engineered by Dan ABH Original Music by Jay Smith www.jmusic.us 

Join Rev. Lisa Cole Smith from Convergence for a four-part study exploring the spectacular effort of God’s chosen people in an art project of magnificent scope. It takes the entire community of makers, craftspeople, leaders, administrators, teachers and patrons all working together under the leadership of artists to fulfill God’s command: Build a dwelling place for the Spirit of God. Neither Moses nor priests, warriors nor politicians were qualified to lead the task. This time, artists are called by name, filled with the Spirit, and charged to lead God’s people. Come discover the original call of the artist and re-consider your creative gifting in light of the “wise-hearted ones.”   The Wise-Hearted Ones Ep. 2: An Artist Ordained Written and Narrated by Lisa Cole Smith Produced and Engineered by Dan ABH Original Music by Jay Smith www.jmusic.us   

It is a call as active and real today as it was thousands of years ago. Artists are invited to come at God’s behest to co-create the environments and cultures that will (re)shape us for the future. Perhaps now is a moment for artists of faith to reclaim and find strength in their heritage as “Wise-Hearted Ones.”

If we live in a constant state of wishing for "do-overs" we are unlikely to turn in any kind of audience-worthy performance at all.   In this original video series from Convergence: Created to Create, we are invited to consider our responsibility to curate and create culture not only in our churches but in our world.   Production/Editing: Dan ABH Script/Narration: Lisa Smith Music: Hayden Arp, www.haydenarp.com Jay Smith, www.Jmusic.us Featured Images: Laura Lyon, www.lauralyonphoto.com   See more at www.vergenow.org

The mystery of God requires us to experience and trust something that needs more than intellectual understanding. Art is not luxury. Art is order. In this series, Created to Create, we are invited to consider our responsibility to curate and create culture not only in our churches but in our world. www.vergenow.org Production/Editing: Dan ABH Script/Narration: Lisa Smith Original Score: Jay Smith - www.jmusic.us 

Created to Create: Giving Up and Giving In. Could giving up and giving in be the key to success and happiness? In the lectionary text for this Sunday (Genesis 21:8-21 and Matthew 10:24-29) two stories are told about giving up and giving in. In the Old Testament, Hagar is at the end of herself. Having been mistreated so badly she is hopeless and ready to give up her life and that of her son when God comes to rescue them both and give them new life and a new destiny. In the New Testament, Jesus gives the mystifying "secret of life;" that in order to really live we must give in to an identity that is full shaped by God. Whether you feel like giving up or you need to give in, this video invites you to give in to the music of your life that you were born to create. www.vergenow.org

The Cultural Mandate of Genesis 1 insists that we are to form a culture, not simply allow it to happen to us. Yet, without conscious attention, we are left with a serious deficit of artistic and creative practitioners in our faith communities leaving us ill equipped to take on the task of culture making. How and why must we prepare those who would take on the vocation of artist? In this series we are invited to consider our responsibility to curate and create culture not only in our churches but in our world. Production: Dan ABH Script/Narration: Lisa Smith Original Score: Jay Smith, www.Jmusic.us  www.vergenow.org www.ourconvergence.org

What if we believed Jesus as much as we believe in Jesus? Learning to See: Fermentation In the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), Jesus describes a process of complete transformation akin to fermentation; a process by which old ideas, habits and patterns are overturned and new insights are introduced to strengthen and ensure our flourishing. In this meditation series from Convergence on learning to see through the eyes of God, you are invited to consider the ever present mystery and symbol that points to something bigger than immediate circumstances. Check out the video mediation of this episode at www.youtube.com/vergenow Production: Dan ABH. Meditation/Narration: Lisa Smith. Original Score: Jay Smith www.jmusic.us Subscribe to Convergence Newsletter to learn more and stay connected: www.ourconvergence.org; www.vergenow.org

Right now, we are all left "looking up to into the sky" just like the disciples; watching and waiting. "Drowning Process" is an invitation to go with it. (Acts 1:6-14) Why not accept this forced break as a time to catch your breath? Why not observe (perhaps for the first time ever) this holy week in the church calendar to wait and pray with the disciples for that breath to arrive? In this series from Convergence on learning to see through the eyes of God, you are invited to consider the ever present mystery and symbol that points to something bigger than immediate circumstances. Video Editing and Production: Dan ABH. Meditation/Narration: Lisa Smith. Original Score: Jay Smith. Subscribe to Convergence Newsletter to learn more and stay connected: www.ourconvergence.org  www.vergenow.org