Jimmy Miracle is a man who is deeply affected by our broken world. Everywhere he looksāon TV and radio, in the officeāhe is aware of brokenness. āIt hurt my head and eyes,ā he explains.
Artwork inspired by Jimmy Miracle
So he began to create art. āMy art was the only place where I could restore order,ā he said. It turned out that Miracleās art was not only a balm for his soul but for the congregation of .
During Pentecost, Miracle donated three of his pieces: āBeam,ā āMovement NE,ā and āRed Crown.ā The church gladly welcomed them, and the pieces are still in the sanctuary today.
Miracle and his wife are both Christians, but had never heard of the Christian Reformed denomination until they stumbled across the church during a Sunday walk around their neighborhood. They started to come to services regularly, right around the time Jimmy was looking for a home for his art.
Members have an opportunity to reflect on the art as they settle in for worship.
āBeamā is a gray horizontal piece, and some members find it soothing. āIt reminds me of the vastness of the land leading up to a great mountain. To me this is symbolic of Godās greatness as shown in nature,ā said church member Heidi VanderWerff.
To reflect on Godās glory is Miracleās prayer as he creates. āI pray that Jesus will move toward the hurting and transform the brokenness into a living existence.ā
Whatās more, members of the congregation, inspired by Miracleās artwork, were moved to create their own pieces. ā[Our church] is a place where all gifts and talents are appreciated, welcomed, and supported. It is a community willing to make space for anyone willing to share their gifts as an act of worship,ā VanderWerff said.
About the Author
Callie Feyen is a writer living in Ann Arbor, Mich. She attends First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor. Callie writes news for The Banner and contributes to , and . She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and is the author of and