Matthew Artwork: Lane Geurkink

The artwork for our ongoing Matthew series is by Lane Geurkink, a Denver mixed-media artist and Park Church alumni.

Why the upside down crown?

The more time we spend considering the kingdom Jesus came to establish, the more it contrasts with the kingdoms around us. In this Kingdom of Heaven, the outcasts are welcomed, the humble are honored, enemies are loved, the poor are esteemed, strangers are befriended, and the guilty are forgiven. Its King is enthroned on a cross, His victory comes through His death, and His death gives life to the world. In short, it’s “upside-down”.

To illustrate this concept, we asked Lane to paint a series of upside-down crowns. A different crown has represented each semester or “part” of the series, of which there have now been six. What started as a simple, thin crown in Matthew Part I (Spring 2020) has grown more intense and full for each new Part Starting in Part V (Spring 2022), we began to combine or “composite” Lane’s original crown paintings to keep the crowns growing, all the while seeking to illustrate that Jesus plan continues to be beyond and other than our expectations:

What do the banners mean?

For Matthew Parts I–IV, a large banner was displayed on each side of the front of the sanctuary. Lane created these banners by dying sheets of natural canvas with things like rust and indigo plants. Inspired by the abstract work of Mark Rothko, the giant “color fields” are a space to see and feel different things as one walks with Jesus through this Gospel: warmth, cold, cheer, and even confusion. These pieces stand in significant contrast to some of our past sermon series artworks where meanings have been more direct and implied. What did you see in these banners?

 

And the piece in the gallery?

For each of the 93 Sundays we’ve spent in Matthew to-date, we’ve displayed a “central” piece by Lane in the gallery. An upside-down crown is pictured off-center on a massive natural canvas, marbled with natural indigo dye. Like many of Jesus’ teachings, a complexity and a simplicity are both accessible, but the upside-down nature of His kingdom clearly stands out.

 

What are the new pieces on stage for Part VI?

We’re in chapter 20 as this article is written, and Part VI is finding us headed to Jerusalem with Jesus for what will eventually be His death and resurrection. Through the end of our Matthew series (Part IX?), the “metanarrative” of Scripture and all of history is reaching its climax in Christ.

To place ourselves within this big picture, we are re-displaying four of Lane’s paintings, originally done for a Park Church Bread and Wine event in 2014. The pieces retell this grand arc of Scripture: (1) Creation, (2) Fall, (3) Redemption, and (4) Glorification.

 

We are so grateful to Lane for her incredible work on these seven pieces and several crown paintings. Thank you for challenging us to disciple our eyes as we disciple our hearts.

Photo Credits

Photos of banners and gallery piece by Melanie Fenwick. Photos of “metanarrative” pieces are from an iPhone and not by Melanie (sorry Lane!).

in Artwork • Blog

Matthew 20:17–28: A Mother’s Request

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In Part VI of our ongoing Matthew Series covers Matthew 19:1–22:36. We’ll study several difficult teachings, parables, and miracles of Jesus, bringing us to His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
in Gary McQuinn • Matthew • Sermons

Missions Partner Update: Hanna Sise (Granada, Spain)

As Jesus transforms our hearts, He also calls us into His mission to proclaim the Gospel and to be His witnesses in our neighborhoods, our city, and all the world. We were so thrilled to have Hanna Sise, a former church member who we sent to Spain, join us in-person last Sunday, September 18 to share an update and worship with us. Here’s the video if you missed it!

More about Missions at Park Church

To learn more about what’s happening in the realm of missions at Park Church, contact Kyle Nelson, Director of Community, Formation, & Missions.

in Blog

Matthew 20:1–16: The Last will be First, and the First Last

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In Part VI of our ongoing Matthew Series covers Matthew 19:1–22:36. We’ll study several difficult teachings, parables, and miracles of Jesus, bringing us to His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
in Matthew • Neil Long • Sermons

An Update on the Basement

If you’ve been downstairs at the Park Church building in the last year, you’ve noticed the plastic sheeting, the scaffolding, and the bare concrete. If you’ve asked yourself, “What’s going on here?” or, more likely, “What’s going on here and why is it still like this?”, this overdue update is for you.

What happened?

In late 2020, the lowest level of our basement—previously used extensively for classes, events, and minstries—was flooded when a sewer backed up. Everything below the Park Kids area was impacted, requiring walls and flooring to be removed before a full restoration could begin.

At first, it felt like an opportunity to improve the space. We designed a new floor plan, factored in the addition of an elevator for the rest of the building, and dreamt about rebuilding the event space into something for the broader community. Soon it became obvious that a larger giving campaign would be required to make this renovation possible. Additionally, the removal of asbestos in the flooring was loosely equivalent to money received from insurance.

Over the next year, a series of staff transitions happened (causing the project to change hands three times), our budget saw reductions, and a new event space with a significant giving campaign seemed less and less like the right thing to invest in. Now it’s late 2022, this has taken longer than we’d hoped, but we’re ready to get back to this project.

What’s the plan now?

Over the summer, we developed a simpler plan with a simpler goal: make the basement usable again. This looks like a fast, simple, and economical restoration. At some point in the future we may pursue a larger redevelopment of the space, but we don’t want to wait on the viability of that before we take down the plastic and regain use of the room.

How can you help?

Do you own or are you connected to a contracting business in drywall, millwork, trim, flooring, doors, or painting? We’re in the process of getting bids and would love recommendations from within our church body.

If that’s you, please contact John Petterson, Director of Operations, at john@parkchurch.org. We look forward to gathering with you in this space again.

in Blog • Member Updates

Matthew 19:13–30: A Camel Through the Eye of a Needle

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In Part VI of our ongoing Matthew Series covers Matthew 19:1–22:36. We’ll study several difficult teachings, parables, and miracles of Jesus, bringing us to His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
in Gary McQuinn • Matthew • Sermons

Matthew 19:1–12: What God Has Joined Together, Let No Man Separate

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

In Part VI of our ongoing Matthew Series covers Matthew 19:1–22:36. We’ll study several difficult teachings, parables, and miracles of Jesus, bringing us to His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
in Jason Jones • Matthew • Sermons

Christian Practices Survey Report: August 2022

This survey was conducted mid-service on Sunday, August 21, 2022 at Park Church as a part of our annual Mission series. Responses were collected anonymously through an online form and paper response sheets. This report exists to make the results accessible to our congregation for discussion and growth.
in Member Updates