Mt. Airy Schools Art Show, “Increase the Peace,” at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Honoring the spirit of the holiday season and the inspiration of Martin Luther King, Mt. Airy Public Elementary School students were asked to create artwork that symbolized Peace – in their lives, homes, community or the world. Twenty-four students submitted drawings, which will be on display on the first floor of the Brossman Center at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP), 7301 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA (www.Ltsp.edu).

The Mt. Airy Schools Art Show and Contest will run from Mt. Airy First Friday on January 5, 2007 until Martin Luther King Day, January 16, 2007. The community is invited to attend the show and vote on the artwork. Ballots will be tabulated on January 17, 2007, and prizes will be awarded to the students at their schools, shortly thereafter.

The idea for the art show grew out of the escalating violence, and gun violence in particular, in Philadelphia. “With the murder rate at almost 400 dead and the year not yet over, it’s important for community groups, schools, government agencies and religious institutions to breathe life into the situation and help ease neighborhood tensions by acting with a tactical focus toward creating a safe community,” said LTSP organizer and Community Relations Coordinator, Terri Youngblut. “As citizens, we are called to stand up for justice and peace and to teach our children that they too can make a difference. This focus is especially important to help children avoid risky behaviors and crime such as illegal drug use, in order to become healthy, well-adjusted adults.”

The art show and contest idea was initiated by The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP) in conjunction with the Neighborhood Interfaith Movement (NIM) Congregation and Community Council Peace Initiative and the Mt. Airy Schools Committee (MASC). It is anticipated to be a yearly event.

LTSP (www.Ltsp.edu), one of eight schools of its kind in the 5-million-member Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (www.ELCA.org), is committed to preparing ordained and lay ministers of the Word as leaders for the mission of the Church in the world. LTSP awards first professional and advanced-level degrees to present and future church leaders. Almost 500 students study at the seminary. The student body is comprised mostly of Lutherans, but more than 35 percent are from 16 other faith backgrounds, including Episcopalian, Baptist, Presbyterian, United Methodist, United Church of Christ, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and the Church of God in Christ.