Expressing Faith Through Art

To have the opportunity time and time again to express oneself through art in any form is truly a blessing, and Eastern University certainly does not fall short of providing those opportunities. With 12 art and performance clubs and ministries on campus, student leaders are eager and waiting for new members to gallivant in their direction. These clubs and ministries include the Angels of Harmony Gospel Choir, Blaze Step Team, Eastern Dance Club, Eastern Dance Ministry, E.T.H.E.L.S., Music Guild, Precious Movements, Redefined, Society of Art and Illustration, Spoken Word Ministry, Threadheads and Transformed. There will be a campus-wide club fair on Saturday, Sept. 3. For more information about these clubs, visit the Clubs and Organizations section of Eastern’s website, or contact Ben Howard at bhoward@eastern.edu.

To provide deeper insight into the heart and soul of the drama ministry, Transformed, leaders Noah Gregory and Katarina Rorstrom spoke such truth about their passion and love for their God-given gift of performance.

What makes Eastern University’s drama ministry, Transformed unique?

Gregory: “I love the verse in 2 Samuel 6:22, which reads, ‘I will become even more undignified than this,’ because it’s like, let’s have some fun! Let’s move our limbs a little bit. God created this world in a way that’s gorgeous, and art can be used to glorify that creation as well. When a potter is throwing a cup, he begins with a lump of clay. He knows what he wants the cup to look like, but the lump of clay doesn’t–nor do the onlookers observing the art of pottery. The clay might think it’s going to be a bowl, but the potter’s making it into a cup. We’re sort of like that, both as actors and as Christians. We are told in Ephesians 2:10 that we are God’s masterpiece. We are a work of art, and we can use our own beauty to glorify God, which is so, so cool. It’s great because we’re amateurs in Transformed. We’re not professional actors; we want to learn, we want to grow, we’re improv [sic]! It’s exciting–also kind of terrifying, but definitely exciting. Every time we get on the stage it’s different. We’re not looking to be perfect; we’re looking to be accessible.”

Rorstrom: “Other ministries have a certain audience, a certain target outreach group, but we don’t really know who we’ll reach, which is unique and also challenging. God gives us stories, and we try to perform them in a way that glorifies Him. We throw the stories out there and see what people take from them!” In what way does art influence faith that other outlets may not? Rorstrom: “I mean, how do you worship without art? Art just brings us into the presence of God in ways that other mediums don’t. We read in Psalms to sing unto the Lord, to dance. Transformed is taking the truths of God and expressing them in ways we can’t with words. What’s also cool about performing with a club or ministry is that you’re doing it with other people. Meeting with a tight connection of people to make drama that is glorifying to God fuses us together in such a beautiful way. We are demonstrating God’s love to each other and to others through stories.”

Why are art clubs and ministries in particular an important part of Eastern’s community?

Gregory: “It’s important to remember our roots, to remember where we came from, and that includes remembering to include art in our school’s community. Even in biblical times, using dance and song and even colors woven together for the tabernacle were ways to worship. Since we don’t have many opportunities to major in Fine or Performing Arts anymore, we need these clubs and ministries for students to express themselves and to cultivate faith.”

Rorstrom: “Learning and discussing ideas is so important, but sometimes it takes expressing those ideas in a tangible way to make them more real to me. The two dance together so beautifully. If I didn’t have both, I wouldn’t be learning what I’m learning.”