An interactive photo project conducted by the church was recently covered by the Columbian newspaper. At last Saturday’s Peace and Justice Fair in Esther Short Park, more than 50 people had their picture taken by the Rev. Brooks Berndt as part of the project. On large pieces of paper, the church provided peace and justice quotes from famous persons. Participants could hold their favorite quote as they had a picture taken of them. Quotes came from Nelson Mandela, Maya Angelou, Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Jr., Archbishop Oscar Romero, Alice Walker, James Baldwin, Frederick Douglass, and Alice Walker. There were also quotes from scripture such as Amos 5:24: “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Likewise, the church provided a quote of Jesus declaring that he had come “to bring good news to the poor.”
Rev. Berndt shared that he is particularly fond of the James Baldwin quote that says, “If the concept of God has any validity or any use, it can only be to make us larger, freer, and more loving.” The Rev. Berndt explained that he thought of the idea for the photo project when brainstorming an interactive art activity for the fair. He said, “I like interactive art that expresses our values and provokes our thinking.”
