Art gallery is outreach for Sojourn Community
___By Victoria Moon
___Kentucky Western Recorder
___LOUISVILLE, Ky. (ABP)--Hidden among the tattoo parlors, piercing salons, trendy restaurants and alternative music stores in the Highlands district of Louisville, Ky., is an art gallery that is taking the idea of "seeker service" to a whole new level.
___The gallery, Aslan's How, is the evangelistic outreach ministry of Sojourn Community, a young, postmodern church.
___"We believe the arts need to be cultivated and fostered," said Pastor Daniel Montgomery.
___The fledgling church, which is supported by the Kentucky Baptist Convention and the Southern Baptist North American Mission Board, opened the gallery in November 2000 as a way to build bridges within the community.
___"We are trying to build a non-sectarian venue with this," Montgomery said. "This isn't a Christian art gallery. It's an art gallery run by Christians."
___Despite the distinction made by Montgomery, hints of the gallery's Christian leanings abound. Its name is taken from C.S. Lewis' classic children's allegory, "The Chronicles of Narnia." The gallery's first exhibit was "The Florence Portfolio: Sacrifice," a group of 20 etchings by six artists with Christians In Visual Arts.
___"We had a good response," Montgomery said.
___Future shows range from Jewish artists to a collection of works by members of the Sojourn congregation.
___"This is essentially an evangelistic outreach," Montgomery said. "We are trying to build bridges with our community by connecting to them where they are."
___Besides the art exhibits, Sojourn members also use the gallery to host film and philosophy discussion groups that are designed to attract non-Christians.
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