revisiting Christian imagination

One of the classes I took this past term was "The Christian Imagination," which seeks to be an exploration of the arts, theology, and what the two have to say to each other. While reading through some old journal entries last night, I found the following insight, which struck me again as important for both artists and theologians.

"It's not about you, the artist, but the creation itself and the people whom it is serving."
This became a growing conviction of mine throughout the course--that art should not be the work of one autonomous individual but must exist in the context of a community's life.
"It's not about Marja, but the act of teaching and her students."
Marja, the founder of the school where I worked last year, is indeed a saint, for the very reason that she deflects all attention from herself to the more important work of teaching, and students.
"It's not about Father Dunstan but his art and its service to the abbey."
One of the artists we visited as part of the course was Father Dunstan--who "gave up" a career as a professional artist to become a monk--and has continued to be an artist in the service of his community.
"So my own project shouldn't be about me, the artist, but the work and who I'm trying to serve."
I didn't consciously remember this when I formulated my final project for the class, but as it turned out, the bulk of my project was teaching people to dance--serving the art and the class community.
"Pastor's sermons, then, first and foremost, should be an act of Christian imagination."
Serving the word, the congregation.