Going from a jam packed three week series to a deep and wide series covering all the book of Acts was challenged from the design aspect. What is something that communicates the richness of Acts and all the incredible lives that are depicted in this book in a way that will last the whole nine months? Scot had in his mind a photo mosaic so we started down that path with thoughts, sketches, mock-ups and possibilities of using computer programs. What we found out is that a 63 foot long, 8 foot wide mural is too big for a computer program with the time frames that we had to work with…so it was back to the literal drawing board. I am always amazed at how God puts just the right people on the path for the creation of these illustrations. Just when I left to lead a team to Guatemala, Ryan Callahan showed up to get us rolling on Acts. We pow-wowed about a strategy, tested adhesives and patterns and I left it in his capable hands
Ryan painted 20 4′ x 8′ panels with flat white wall paint and started printing out our collection of Acts of the Apostles paintings, drawings and location photos in shades of gray, black and white and color. Upon my return from Guatemala, thank you Jesus not sick, we went to work with spray adhesive on the sidewalk outside the sanctuary. Kenya Gaede joined us and we started working on the panels in 8′ x 8′ sections. As each section finished we would bring out a new one and line up the centers, then keep on moving. Midweek Erin Wychopen joined us and things picked up with the extra hands. It was a process of blending the shades of dark and light, finding the right combinations of patterns and not repeating the pictures in a certain range. Each picture had to be lined up exactly making a complete border around the edges. Ryan was a great job foreman overseeing all the workers.
One thing I’ve learned about these art projects is that a fringe benefit is that relationships are formed as we work side by side to illustrate God’s word. Art is such a powerful communicator and creating art projects brings us together in a unique way. Lesli Bothel and Taye Morgan joined us on Thursday afternoon and evening for the final production push. We were bound and determined to finish the adhesion job that night and pulled out of the church parking lot at 12:30 AM! Whew, no more gluing! 
Scot had picked a different font for the lettering and we projected the letters on to foam boards to sketch then cut. Once again the Romain’s came to the rescue by finding us a hot knife to borrow, that really made cutting out letters so much easier. Shelley Chalas came on board to help paint the letters black on Friday and we were ready to hang on Saturday.
Getting that monster up in the air took more than 80 lb test line we discovered! First try hit the floor as Scot, Ryan, Greg Hillegeist and I manuevered the 8 x 8 foot sections into place, adhered them on the back and sealed the fronts with glue, then watched it drop! We discovered that wire is the best hanging solution and the rest went up like clock work, slow clock work, but clock work none the less.
It was all worth it when we saw the final product hanging on the stage and knew that we were about to start the life changing study of the book of Acts of the Apostles and learn about reaching out to others for Christ…after all, that’s what it’s all about, right?
