Everyone has a story from the past two years of living through a pandemic. Perhaps the story is about loss, isolation, loneliness, solitude, change or grief. The story could even be about acquiring new technology skills, working remotely from home, enjoying more quality family time, homeschooling children or worshiping online.
In the past two weeks, the My Story. Our Story. God’s Story. Outreach at First Lutheran has invited over 300 member households to tell their story using a blank canvas. Through words, images, colors, photos, cut outs and other art mediums, member stories are coming to life.
The Schmitter family is one of many who are telling their story through a canvas. The “Scrabble” canvas they created as a family tells the story in their own words:
We used all 4 of our favorite colors on the canvas to represent each of us individually, and the colors come together in the middle, to represent us coming together as a family to weather the last 2 years. We used scrabble board letters to tell our story because we played a lot of board games while in social isolation! We battled our “fears” and “anxious” thoughts about getting sick (and our loved ones getting sick), and felt very “alone” as we kept our distance from family and friends. Our life felt like it was on “pause” as the kids had to wait to resume some of their favorite activities. We felt grateful for “science” and medicine for creating vaccines and keeping us informed. We spent a lot of time eating in the “car” instead of restaurants. We enjoyed a lot of “play” time and doing “art” projects to pass the time at home. In the end, we definitely grew closer as a “family” and became a stronger “us”, and never lost “hope” for a better tomorrow!Don’t convince yourself this is an “art” project or competition. It’s anything but that! Your canvas story can be as simple as a handwritten list of dates, series of words, one big word, a Bible verse or a line from a hymn that anchored you. Just look at the variation of other canvases already finished and you will see that anything goes!
If you have not received a canvas, you are encouraged to pick one up from the table inside the Gathering Area or email mystory.ourstory.godsstory@gmail.com. By April 1, bring or send your finished canvas to church and it will be added to a growing mosaic that tells our faith community’s stories.
Your story matters and it’s worth telling.
