A quick introduction to the Paint Your Faith artists and some background on the project.

The official Paint Your Faith tarp being hung, covering the 30' x 60' wall donated by Metropolitan United Church in Toronto.

Harvey Scott, who lives in northern Alberta, has always believed that water is sacred. He was raised in the United Church and influenced by the traditions of his First Nations friends, and now water has become his passion. His mission is to preserve this precious resource, which is under siege in the watershed of the Athabasca River and Lake Athabasca, and his story is in the August issue of Mandate.

Back in 2002, Christianity Today published an article reporting on the effect of church attendance on the school performance of youth from low-income neighbourhoods. The study, which was commissioned by the Center for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society, examined data on almost 10,000 students pulled from the U.S. National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. The study found that the poorer a child's neighbourhood, the more potential church attendance had to boost that child's performance. Beyond this, it is not just believing, but also the practical involvement in church life, and all the support that comes with it, that makes the difference. In communities where   schools and libraries are often underfunded, and meaningful work for youth is scarce, the church tends to be the main resource-provider

[ An excerpt from Weird Monologues for a Rainy Life (irreverent ramblings from the end of the world), (Handymaiden Editions, 2009) by Lorette C. Luzajic, www.thegirlcanwrite.net ]