In The Imago Dei Evangelical Arts Society our goal is to
create a safe space where creatives can process life in community with God
and other people through the universal language of the arts.
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Q: Is this just a group for artists?
A: Not really. Many of us are hesitant to call ourselves artists or even
creatives. It has taken me years to get to that point. Most of us are not
professional artists. Many of us are completely self taught. For a lot of us,
the arts are a way to PLAY and EXPLORE, not to produce. That is the beauty of art.
I believe that in being made in the image of our creator-God, all human beings are
creatives by definition. If you've spent a lifetime being told by yourself or others
that you are "not creative or not artistic" I challenge you to come and experience one of
our events. Come with a mind that's ready to play and to just BE, not do or perform.
Art in all of it's many genres is a beautiful way to enter into Sabbath rest with God.
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Q: Is this a group just for Christians?
A: Not really. I.D.E.A.S. is a ministry of
Bridgepoint Mission Center in
Wisconsin Dells. Bridgepoint is part of the
Evangelical Free Church in
America. I.D.E.A.S. is also affiliated with an ecumenical missions organization
known as United Adoration. This means that
the context of our events and the leadership of our organization are
unashamedly Christian. This does NOT mean that those who would not consider
themselves to be Christian are unwelcome. If you have experienced church hurt,
I challenge you to come and experience one of our events. Feel free to just sit
and listen while we sing and pray. Feel free to be open and honest about your
experiences and feelings. I promise, no one will push you to make a decision.
Our desire is to be a safe space for EVERYONE.
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Q: What do you mean when you say you are an "Ashborn Haven"?
A: The word Haven means safe place. Ashborn means that we have become that
safe place because we've been "born from the ashes". Like the mythical phoenix,
all of us have experienced trauma in some form or another. We have gone through
storms of fire and with God's help, we've emerged stronger, more empathic, more
like Jesus. I believe this is the call God has given to the church and we have
not been doing it very well. In the face of pain and fear, human beings tend to go in one
of two directions - either into self protection and self promotion, or into growth
and love. Our goal is to nurture growth and love in ourselves so that we can be a
community that
nurtures growth and love in others. This includes making sure leaders are trained
in principles of trauma-informed care. Some of this training comes from sources such
as the Trauma Healing Institute
and the Church Cares.
This is a relatively new field in
counseling, so we continue to learn and grow and pray to do our best.
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Q: What does this look like in practice?
A: At each of our events, we begin with a time of worship. - Lyrics for the songs
are printed in a handout or projected on a screen.
Then we move into a brief time of teaching and discussion.
Inspiration packets are provided which include
passages from Scripture, song lyrics, poems, quotations, and visual art, all gathered
around a chosen topic for the day. Examples can be found on our
Free Resources page.
The bulk of our time together is experienced as free creative space. Any genre of art is
welcome. We have an electronic piano available for use for songwriters, and/or bring
your own instrument. We also have a variety of visual art materials available for your
use, or feel free to bring your own.
At the end, we'll come back together and share what we've been working on.
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Q: Sounds fun! How much does it cost?
A: Our Saturday afternoon Creative Space Events are FREE. I generally put out
a cup for a freewill offering to help defray the cost of supplies and snacks
but there is zero pressure to put anything in the cup. Letting me know that you
are planning to come is helpful so that I can make sure I bring enough snacks.
- also, be sure to let me know if you have any dietary restrictions that I should
be taking into account. -
Our longer weekend Retreats run about $70. While this is an investment,
the cost is really very reasonable compared to similar events elsewhere. This is because
we are a ministry and seek to make our events as accessible as possible. This $70
includes, 2 days (Friday evening and Saturday all day) of rest, creation, and fellowship; carefully curated inspiration
materials; teaching by trained retreat facilitators; and all meals and snacks. It does
not include lodging. This is one way we are able to keep our costs down. If you
are coming from out of town there are many options for relatively inexpensive hotels
in the nearby area.
Be sure to check out our Upcoming Events page for more
information and registration links.
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Q: What if I have questions you haven't addressed here?
A: Feel free to contact me (Heidi) at [email protected] any time.
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