Yet when planted, it grows…

Over the last few weeks I’ve been part of a ‘lockdown’ project from the Facebook Group ‘Create!‘, part of Northampton District Methodist Church.

The project aims to raise awareness of the Christian conviction that nobody should be ‘locked down’ because of who they are.
The Methodist Church is “committed to sharing, with all, the refuge and shelter God offers to each one of us” – Psalm 46.

The birds can perch in its shade.

People were asked to send in their drawings, paintings or creations of birds.

As might have been expected, these came in reflecting a vibrant mix of characters and colours…

The group were initially inspired by this illustration ‘Book of Daniel – Beatus of Liébana‘, and were thinking about growth and the diversity… and the story of the mustard seed.

The story of the Mustard Seed 

Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it?  It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth.  Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

Mark 4: 30 – 32
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Many thanks go to Mission Enabler Jill Marsh at Create! for her direction and insight.

Grateful thanks goes to Victoria Holdridge for the dedicated illustration of our tree.

Once the tree was realised, the birds were able to ‘…perch in its shade’.

This composite image of the birds in the tree will be available to buy printed as folded A5 greetings cards and A6 postcards.

If you’d like to buy A5 greetings cards or A6 postcards contact Jill at Create! HERE -or myself, HERE.

The project is also available as a package of press-ready artwork*, that can be downloaded from here;

Artwork*: The birds can perch in its shade.

*Please credit us if downloading and using or sharing this resource. And, please do let us know if you use it in any form. It’s good to talk.

*Credit: ‘The birds can perch in its shade’ – Facebook Group Create! Northampton District Methodist Church.