Growing Up In Love
June 2025
Greetings,
There is something very special, almost transcendent, about the way trees seem to brighten our days & make us come alive. Studies actually tell us that spending time among trees can reduce stress, improve one’s mood, & heighten mental focus. Trees are vital to most ecosystems, contributing oxygen, food, water, & shelter to countless species in virtually every terrestrial habitat. Many great poets & painters have been inspired to create timeless works of art by the majesty & beauty of trees.
This variety of verdant vegetation from which we derive so much joy & depend so heavily on for a healthy existence are only doing what they are designed to do. They live, & grow, & multiply as God intended, & every other living thing benefits from their natural obedience. But all of this is only possible because trees live in the light. Trunks grow taller, branches longer, & leaves more plentiful, all to absorb more & more light.
What am I getting at talking about trees? I believe there is a wealth of spiritual wisdom we can glean from observing the wonders of nature, especially trees.
“…We are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined & held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”
– Ephesians 4:15-16
We were made by a loving Creator to know Him & partner with Him to bring health & wholeness to the world through Christ Jesus. But just like the trees, we cannot do so in darkness. Our self-destructive & rebellious inclinations are a perversion of the natural order, & we are given a new nature only when we choose to step into the kingdom of light. When we do what we are designed to do—to live in Christ, grow in His righteousness, & multiply His love, as God intended—we, & everyone else, will experience true joy, peace, & freedom through our willing obedience.
Grateful Glimpses
With school on break for the summer, we have reached the conclusion of our ninth season of Afterschool programming! The team is thankful for everything we were able to accomplish over the past eight months by the grace of God. We are so proud of our students, too! We completed our journey through the Book of Ephesians, learning some incredible truths about the glorious riches we possess in Christ Jesus as well as what we are able to achieve as children of God through Him. We created a colorful variety of artwork representing the core lessons we learned together, expressed our theatrical sides through improv acting, learned how to needle felt, shared short “TED talks” on gratitude, & practiced the timeless craft of knitting. The students made a ton of inspired original pieces, from drawings & paintings to jewelry. As always, our time has been a fun & enriching adventure.
God’s Masterpiece Student Art Gallery
For our last day of Afterschool until fall, we decided to hold a gallery to showcase all the wonderful artwork our students made this season. The theme came straight from our study of Ephesians, & it perfectly encapsulates one of our core lessons for the year.
“For we are His masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”
– Ephesians 2:10
The COVE had to undergo a small transformation to display the breadth of our projects. It was exciting to view the biblically-inspired artwork together in context, knowing that it was still only a fraction of what our students created since last September! With a few light refreshments, some ambient mood lighting, & a few clever displays to show off our students’ body of work, “God’s Masterpiece” had all the makings of a formal art gallery minus the dress code!
We are so grateful for our Afterschool parents & other members of the NoCo community who showed up in support of the students. Your presence was appreciated beyond words.
The event did not go off without a hitch, however, as low attendance illuminated an unfortunate gap which still exists between those who contribute to our ministry & families in the community we serve. We would love to facilitate more connection with those involved with our programs in the future.
All in all, nothing will ever stop us from celebrating what God is doing in our midst. That’s one reason why we love to share photos with you, so that you can share in our joy & celebrate with us. If you want to see even more photos, check out our social media!
Share the Light
There is so much to say about our ninth year in youth programing here at The COVE Art Center. Our team has faced many ongoing challenges, with new difficulties arising at regular intervals. We don’t have it all figured out. We don’t always have the help we need. But despite these setbacks, God has proven faithful, sustained our ministry, & moved mightily in our midst. All of the indescribable beauty & miraculous encounters we have witnessed & taken part in far outweigh the bad. Where there is light, darkness cannot prevail—& with that said, we have some major thank-yous for those who have shared their light with us during this season of Afterschool.
First, we’d like to shout out the extraordinary individuals who took time out of their days & weeks to teach our students new art forms:
Rae Kyriazis • Jake Kyriazis • Lanae Lumsden • Aldrea Brown • Laura Wicker
We’d also like to thank the talented creatives who designed art installations, painted murals, & helped to renovate our studios:
Amanda Wicker • Erin Park • Marissa Strohl • Elle Sheppard
Finally, we must express our sincerest gratitude for all our generous supporters who have made immeasurable contributions to our ministry with their kind words, financial gifts, & in-kind donations. We cannot continue to serve this community without you!
Coming Soon in June
R&R… kinda
Afterschool may be on break, but The Novelty Collective runs year-round! We are slowing down just enough to regroup & reset. We have a couple of events in June, but most of our time this month will be spent in preparation for a busy July & the next season of ministry.
YArt Sale
The COVE Art Center is located right on the edge of Bellevue & Avalon, two interconnected walking communities bustling with activity. While people are out & about this summer, it’s the perfect opportunity to throw a big yard sale—or in our case, a “Yart Sale!” On June 21, from 8:00am - 2:00pm, the NoCo team will participating in Bellevue’s annual summer yard sale. We’ll be out on the front lawn of Greenstone UMC (where The COVE is located) selling second-hand art supplies & a cornucopia of other items from our space. This is a fundraiser for our Summer Arts Day Camp, meaning all the proceeds from our sale will go right back to free programming for aspiring artists. If you are interested in helping, here are some ways you can enter in:
Artists: If you are a visual artist (painting, illustration, photography, ceramics, jewelry, etc.), & you would like to donate any of your artwork to The Novelty Collective, we will lovingly display & sell your artwork in our Yart Sale as another way to raise money for The Novelty Collective. We can return anything we do not sell or hold onto it & sell it to raise money during future events.
Volunteers: We can always use assistance with set up, tear down, & sales. If you are interested in helping us run the event, we are happy to connect & work out the details!
Please tap the link below to message us about how you would like to contribute:
Last Open Studios
We’ve had a exceptional time with new & returning artists at Open Studios this year. It’s a great time to get away from home & spend a day making art with friends. Our last Open Studios session for the summer is happening on June 28 from 11:00am - 5:00pm. Tap the link to mark your digital calendar if you are interested in joining us! Make a few new friends, create your next masterpiece, & eat a delicious lunch, all for free. Remember to invite your friends!
Summer Arts Day Camp
Summer Arts Day Camp is a two-week program for students interested in learning new art skills from experienced teachers. Each week of classes will culminate in a student art showcase, where every kid will have the opportunity to display/perform what they made/learned.
Visual Arts Camp will take place from 2:00pm - 5:00pm from Monday, July 14, to Friday, July 18.
Performing Arts Camp will take place from 2:00pm - 5:00pm from Monday, July 21, to Friday, July 25.
If you are the parent of a child who would be interested in participating, please tap the link below to fill out a short form & sign up to receive more information.
If you are an artist interested in teaching a class, use following link to reach out with interest, & we will be in touch about next steps! Paid positions available.
If you are would like to make a financial contribution to ensure we can pay our teachers & provide free programming for students, visit our donation platform via the link below.
Please designate your gift to Programs & Events in the fund selector & leave a comment in the feed that says “Day Camp!”
Grow on
Thank you once again for following along with the story God is writing through The Novelty Collective & all the amazing people who surround our community. We hope you will consider partnering with us, participating in upcoming events, or even simply reaching out to say hello & share what God is doing in your own life.
Enjoy your summer, & may you grow in ways you could never expect or imagine!
Blessings,
The NoCo Team
Article written by Jordan A. King
