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Following the Trail to “The Light Church”
By Sharon Mager
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The Light Church entry, “Oregon Trail”, at the Kinetic Sculpture Race.
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Baltimore, MD—The Light Church recently won a “best costume “ award for their entry, “Oregon Trail”, at the Kinetic Sculpture Race, a quirky, adventurous event sponsored by the American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore. Church members and friends dressed in Davy Crockett style outfits while marching alongside the covered wagon complete with “oxen”. While the middle-aged and older set thought “Manifest Destiny”, the younger ones knew it really represented an 80’s video game. Church members had a blast putting it together and “racing” through Baltimore, but there was also a deeper motive for participating in the race—letting the crowd know who they were and that they represented Jesus.
Bill Pitts, pastor of The Light Church explained how each “sculpture” had to be amphibious, human powered works of art custom built for the race. The annual eight-hour race covers fifteen miles—mostly on pavement, but it also dips in the bay and through mud and sand. Pitts said the church actually won the award for “daring to be beige” when other entries usually go for “over-the-top color and sparkle”.
“It’s funny, bizarre and unique,” Maria Sigmon Embrace Baltimore Evangelism Associate and a member of The Light Church said.
But church members knew there was a more significant purpose for entering the race. They wanted to make the community aware that The Light Church and Art Gallery is a place artists of all levels are welcome to display their work to the Baltimore community, meet others who share their passions and discover the true creator.
“I’ve never seen so many people in our target group in one place,” Sigmon said, referring to the 20 to 30-year-old “artsy” crowd that attended the race.
Bill Pitts said church volunteers and friends put in “countless hours” building on last year’s donated frame to create the wagon but he knows it was worth it.
“We got a ton of great feedback from the community,” he said.
Church members gave out 1,000 bookmark type art cards that read, “Follow The Light—creators of the Oregon Trail”. The cards also had the church’s website on it.
“I felt it was really fruitful because of how many people we could connect with,” Sigmon said. “We were able to get our name out and let people know we’re there.”
The Light Church and Art Gallery hosts regular art shows featuring local artists in addition to creative worship services. A new show will begin in July.
Many of the church’s members attend or are alumni of the Maryland Institute College of Art. Sigmon said the church is seeking ways to connect with students and possibly begin or plug into a campus ministry.
For more information about the church visit their website, www.atthelight.org.
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