Friends Joe Sutphin and Santosh John share personal stories of unmerited blessings at the intersection of work and faith, and discuss how our God delights in lavishing grace and blessings on his children, who can not earn them on their own.

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This session invites you to examine the powerful tale of Rizpah (2 Samuel 21:1-14), which symbolizes grief intertwined with strength and resilience. Embracing redemptive beauty through the lens of lament necessitates a courageous acknowledgment of pain—an indispensable step toward healing and transformation. Join us as we discuss that while rooted in sorrow, lament opens pathways to hope and renewal, showing that from despair’s depths, true beauty and new beginnings can emerge. 

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Van Gogh’s Irises, which he painted while committed to an asylum, started out violet but turned blue over time. The red he used (the color associated with madness) is gone, and all we see is the purity of the primary color associated with peace. Where his life as an artist began (optimism) looked so different from where it ended (despair). But where people’s view of him as an artist was when he died (madness) looks so different from how his life is regarded today (brilliance).

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We all want to improve our craft, bring better visions to life, and find joy in the process—but too often creativity feels fraught with friction. Creative work can feel like a grind, a gamble, a hustle, or a lonely shout in a noisy room. But it doesn’t have to. This session explores five surprising shifts that can renew your creative practice through stories of rest, resilience, and community. We’ll uncover how ordinary rhythms and small choices can open the door to a deeper, more sustainable creative life.

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If you’ve grown bored with church feeling like five pop songs and a Ted Talk, you’re not alone. The church has lost its way. The songs, prayers and practices from generations of Christians before have much to teach us about the kind of Jesus-following life we don’t often see in our world today. Through them, we learn things like stillness, loving our enemies, grieving and forgiving—becoming Christlike people of mercy, joy and love.

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In this conversation, John explores the challenges in illustrating, adapting, and interpreting scripture in a visual form. Using the Holy Ghost comics, his picture book retellings of Bible stories, and his Sunday
sketchbook practice, John will highlight and explore the dangers and opportunities of adaptation. Expanding beyond an audience of those who regularly make art, he’ll discuss cultivating a regular practice of drawing for the non-artist.

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Tolkien famously described world history as a “long defeat,” since human efforts to overcome evil are ultimately doomed to failure. But the gospel still offers hope because of Christ’s ultimate victory. Endo’s novel, Silence, depicts the crushing challenges of bringing the gospel to Japan; Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev buckled under the horrors of Stalin’s Soviet regime and expresses his pain through his 7th Symphony. However, in different ways, both articulate hope against the odds.

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Playing happens in boundaries. Whether it’s poetry, the playground, or praying the Psalms: things get interesting when we explore the edges. Come hear from Bowser Hutson and Sophie Killingley as they kick around a main idea from their upcoming Play Book.

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Far from being an escape from reality, art can be an invitation to align with reality, both for the maker and the recipient. But developing a taste for reality requires both courage and good cheer. The life of Saint Lawrence, patron saint of comedians, will provide a starting point for a discussion of courage, humor, holiness, and creativity.

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Do you write, sing, play music, paint, sculpt, dance, etc., but you’re afraid to say you’re an artist? You are not alone! Hear from panelists who have struggled themselves with owning their artistry and still struggle sometimes. Bring questions and expect diverse answers, knowing we are in this together, figuring this thing out called artistry.

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