PRESS RELEASE
March 26, 2004

Easter Sunday Brings Out the Art of Worship

CARY / RALEIGH, NC -- Hope Community Church will host visiting creative design artist Tom Clark during all three Easter services on Sunday, April 11. Clark, a professional graphic artist and illustrator, will paint live on the stage as the pastor’s sermons are unfolding Easter Sunday. A different painting, each on a 5’ x 8’ wall canvas, will be completed by the conclusion of each service. The church holds services in the school auditorium of Grace Christian School, 801 Buck Jones Road, in Raleigh. Easter service times are 8:00, 9:30, and 11:15 AM.

Tom Clark is a creative design artist whose work is guided by the needs of his business clientele. The fact that his early art years did not include computers helped create an authentic, hand-crafted quality to his work. Citing a desire to break free and do something more God-centered, he met with his head pastor in San Juan Capistrano who coaxed him to “paint live while we are worshipping.” Clark brought his paint brushes and canvas to a church service and painted throughout the service. That initial seed has become a ministry that spans the country and has him painting at conferences and visiting churches of all denominations, assimilating his fine art and theater background as well as his passion for worship. “I love the tension of not knowing what will appear as I paint during a church service, so there is room for the Spirit to move through me as I work,” explains Clark.

At Hope Community Church on Easter Sunday, Clark will paint a different picture on each 5’ x 8’ wall canvas throughout each of the three morning services. To prepare, the church will provide him with the sermon topic and theme, and the congregation will then experience his artwork throughout the service as it unfolds before them.

For more information, contact Hope Community Church at 532-0620.

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Direct press inquiries to:
Debbie Dodson
Promotions Coordinator
Hope Community Church
919.532.0620 x109
debbied@gethope.net
www.gethope.net