Creative Arts

Creative Arts

One aspect key to the unique identity of St John’s is the high profile given to the creative arts. We are fortunate to have amongst the congregation those gifted in drama, dance, music, creative writing and visual arts. These gifts are spread across a wide age range and find the following outlets:

Children’s Work: In both Sunday School and Pathfinder Groups the children are encouraged to use the arts as a response to their growing faith. Pathfinders often contribute to celebration services and frequently use the visual arts as a spontaneous response to a service. There is an extremely active Sunday school for primary age children and families are made very welcome at St John's. 

Café Evenings: These are informal evening presentations where a theme such as ‘journeys and journeying’ is explored through live music, words, images and dance. The setting is informal with light refreshments and often involves an interactive element such as a painting wall. 
A particularly positive aspect of the cafés is their potential to forge links with the wider community. Previous cafés have involved local schools, the Bangladeshi community in Keighley, members of Ilkley Playhouse etc. The broad based (but God centred) spirituality also make them accessible for those less comfortable with a traditional church context.  Do take a look at the Events folder for details of the next event.  

TranscenDance: St John’s is home to local Christian dance Company TranscenDance, a group of 5 professional dancers and teachers who have worked with Spring Harvest, Graham Kendrick and more recently at the BBC Easter Praise Service at Leeds Town Hall . Their dance ministry has a number of strands including dance as worship, dance as performance and dance in education. In 2004 they were awarded a grant from the Greenbelt Communion Fund for a dance and arts project in a school in Leeds. At St John’s TranscenDance frequently contribute to the celebration services and the café events and often provide dance at Easter and Christmas time.     

In addition to the above, a diverse range of art activity is an ongoing part of the fabric of St John's. Dramas are often used in services such as the Environment and Gift Day services. Banners, both traditional and non-traditional, add a visual layer to our worship and workshop days frequently use the arts as a tool for considering and developing our relationship with God. At St John's we believe that the buzz of creativity is a direct reflection of our creator God , making the arts such an apt way to communicate and express our faith.