artists and pastors

I haven't had much time to write lately, as I have been busy with my work. Did I mention that I am a clergy person? The fall is a busy time in the life of a congregation, and encouraging the renewal of programming at this time of year is a monumental and satisfying and frustrating task. In any case. In my functional pottery class, we have been reading a book called ART AND FEAR. The authors of this text argue for that artists are unique in the world because they pour their being into something they have created, and the world around them can reject that creation or embrace it. In other words, no other work besides an artist's (whether that art is visual or musical or .....) is loaded with oneself. Therefore, the artist, in what she offers to the world is exceptionally vulnerable, and needs to discover inner strength and resolve and esteem no matter how her art is received. This is an interesting thought to me, because I really don't think this phenomenon is singular to the work of an artist. Or perhaps, more people are artists than we know. For example, my ministry as pastor is fraught with my being...I offer myself to a congregation, to a work, to a sermon, a project, and it is out there, to be received or rejected by a group of people. Especially this is true for a sermon, or a specific ritual action. The sermon offered, hopefully is inspired by wisdom from the universe, God, the Holy, (whatever you want to call it....but again, aren't their muses for artists? ) but the fact is, the sermon is a work from my heart, my creativity, my connections to people and to the Divine, and if people are mad at you because you didn't tell them about Bessie's upcoming surgery, or didn't include them on the birthday list, or whatever, they can and do and will reject your ability to create a sermon, a word that might offer some hope or healing. (wow, that's a run on sentence for you!) I guess what I am trying to say is that yes, making art is risky (according to Art and Fear) and so are other "works" as well.