Exploring the Intersection of Art, Faith and the Human experience


The Kiehls Converge on Convergence

When visiting a (new) church it can be difficult to know what to expect.  Sometimes you can feel invisible, or even like an intruder.  Negative past experiences, mixed with hopes and desires (and fear of disappointment), can create a stomach churning feeling that might stop you from attending any church.

Pursuit of Character, Matthew Kiehl

Pursuit of Character, Matthew Kiehl

When visiting Convergence we got into conversations and felt welcomed and valued; that our ideas were valued and people were genuinely interested in us as people, in getting to know us, and in having a relationship with us.  We felt that people were there to have meaningful relationships with each other.  Spending quality time is very important to us, and it seemed important to them as well.  Attending Convergence we saw people who care about relationships, living in community and exploring what that means, and discipleship.  In a short amount of time we were able to get into deep-level conversations with people, and we thought, why did it take us so long to look into this church?

For both of us, we had gotten to a point where we felt like we really needed (faith) community in order to sustain our relationship with God.  Detached from community we were floating, aimless, listless, and drowning.  We wanted a group we could get involved with, open up with, be vulnerable with, and contribute to.  We were really craving connectedness, missional living, discipleship in community, deep relationships and accountability, listening ears, and an honest seeking of God.  Coming to Convergence was like a much-needed breath of fresh air, and not in a merely pleasant sense. It had been like being on a ship with life-support down—we’re breathing in our stale air and fumes, unhealthy, unable to think straight or gain perspective on our situation—and suddenly a hatch opens and our senses are flooded with fresh, invigorating, life-giving, life-saving air!  It’s at this point that you realize what a terrible state you were in before.

In addition to supporting and challenging us spiritually, Convergence has also supported us as artists.  The dominant attitude around us had been that art is a nice thing to have, but it’s not practical or necessary, and we needed to “wake up and join the real world.”  Convergence affirms that the arts are real, and important.  The arts are vitally important to us as humans, to our culture, and as spiritual practice.  The arts have the power to engage our culture in ways that other things can’t.  Convergence is truly a unique institution – equally a church and an arts center, fully embracing and merging both.

The dominant attitude around us had been that art is a nice thing to have, but it’s not practical or necessary, and we needed to “wake up and join the real world.”  Convergence affirms that the arts are real, and important.  The arts are vitally important to us as humans, to our culture, and as spiritual practice.

In many ways, our goals as artists are not too different from goals as Christians—the art serves as a way to understand God, grow in Character, and serve community. The art engages culture and wrestles with it.  Ultimately the goal is art that isn’t superficial, but art that is a platform for questions, exploration, and engaging the sublime.  Convergence seems like a place where this kind of work is not only appropriate but encouraged and celebrated as well.

Since Fest Too in June, we’ve had an exhibition of our work at Convergence consisting of Matt’s pen & ink drawings and my drypoint prints.  We were happy to be able to contribute where there was a need, and to have it be accepted.  We value the trust that they put in us to put together this exhibit.  This is the first time we’ve exhibited together outside of larger group shows.  It has been good to see our work up together and to hear support and affirmation from people who have viewed it.  I have been away from fine art for a while, so it has been really encouraging to see that my work can still be meaningful to people and worth pursuing, and Matt is in a transition and reassessment period between studios, so he has appreciated the feedback.

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Gwyneth Kiehl hangs her show at Convergence with her husband.

We have been able to get involved in other ways too, through one of the small discipleship groups (focusing on hospitality), a few events and monthly artist discussions, and other get-togethers.  We appreciate the variety and monthly rhythm of the services and that they take place in the evenings; these demonstrate that Convergence is a church that is willing and able to try new approaches in order to remain relevant, meaningful, and accessible to the people it serves.  In services and in our small group we’ve been discussing the “relational triangle” and balancing three main relationships—relationship to God (Up), relationship within Christian community (In), and relationship with the larger community (Out)—in our community life and also as individuals, taking care to maintain and balance each aspect.

I (Gwyneth) have never had a church experience with sustained, deep relationships; something has always been lacking.  At Convergence I feel that this is possible.  For the first time in my life, I actually want to go to church, as in, I think about it during the week and look forward to Sunday—I haven’t experienced this before.  While we’re new, we already feel that Convergence is becoming a home for us.

All of this is something we’ve needed for a long time.  Are we in a “honeymoon phase”?  Can this really be the church body that we were looking and hoping for?  While differences and conflict inevitably arise as you get to know people and work more closely with them, Convergence is a community which has already acknowledged that conflict is a natural part of any healthy relationship or group (especially one which values diversity of thought and experience), and can even indicate growth in that relationship.  We are just excited to be delving into life with these people, this community, to seek Jesus together.

 

Landour, Gwyneth Kiehl

Landour, Gwyneth Kiehl


 

Gwyneth and Matthew Kiehl are both artists who met while studying Studio Art at Messiah College.  They started attending Convergence in April.  Their show at Convergence is up until September 5, with an artist talk on September 7.  




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