Passersby and the Party
Recently, our church left the old school building it had been renting every Sunday for the last few years. The church that has been homeless for the last decade finally has a home, even one with signs that you can read as you pass by on Burnside Avenue. You can read the story behind the move at Imago’s website, or Pastor Rick’s crazy/amazing story on his blog. It’s been a sentimental departure from Franklin High, the place where Imago grew in community, even where it dreamed up and began crazy new ideas like the Advent Conspiracy movement. But we’ve also looked forward to our new building, one we can call our own, one where we can continue to dream big…right here in the heart of the city.
Today, as I was driving home from the carwash I passed through the Buckman neighborhood–the community where Imago’s new building is located. I parked near this large mural for a moment to get out and take a closer look. I had passed by the large painting several times, but I’d never stopped and gotten out of my car until today. I’d also never noticed all the different time periods represented. ”You know they’re not finished with that yet…” an aged voice called out to me. A woman, whose name I can’t remember (we’ll call her Irene) began to tell me the story behind the intriguing and colorful mural. She said an elderly man, 60 or 61, is the artist. Irene pointed out an area where there were only outlines that have yet to be filled in by the man’s brush, she said he’s apparently had a rough time finishing with all the rain this year. I would have said the delay’s probably due to the fact he’s in his sixties. Irene, who is probably a touch older than the artist began to explain how the painting represents all the buildings and people of the Buckman neighborhood. As she explained to me how the “OWL” written on the side of one of the buildings was the old Owl Pharmacy from when she was a kid, it was as if she was looking at the city through the same pair of eyes as the artist.
I find it interesting how the picture depicts many travellers passing through the neighborhood, even some gathering near the old cable cars next to the modern day blue and white bus stop like the one Irene and I were standing next to. Travellers just passing through. Even Irene no longer lives in the Buckman neighborhood. She lives on the west side not far from our house but travels back to her old neighborhood because she likes shopping at the stores there. She says our stores [on the westside, in our mutual neighborhood] are dirty. As she waited for the next bus, she stood and enjoyed the mural and the memories in brought back for her and she was quick to share them with me.
My favorite part of the painting, however, was the scene playing out in the center of the street. Right in the intersection where the travellers were coming and going was this group of people. And they were having a party. People, it seemed, from all classes and backgrounds. Even people from different times. All sharing time and space with one another, celebrating the day, celebrating the city and eachother. In the midst of a city like Portland, it’s so easy to just pass through a neighborhood and never stop–never give thought or recognition to what and whom has come before. It’s surprisingly easy to forget to throw a party and celebrate once in a while, and it’s almost impossible to celebrate life like this on a daily basis! Why is this?
May we not just pass through. But may we instead stop, and see, and listen, and enjoy, and share, and celebrate. May we not leave the artist’s outlines unfinished, but may we bring our own color and richness to the painting. May we take notice of the city around us, and may the city notice us in return.
