One of my little sadnesses is that I was not able to meet John Stott after I moved across to work in the ministry which he founded, Langham Partnership. In those early years, however, he was always present on the agenda of our meetings — with a quiet, mysterious little entry: the snowy owl project. John Stott was known and loved, far and wide, and this was Langham’s way to be fully prepared and clear with their communications when he eventually died — in July 2011.
John Stott’s passion for the snowy owl is well known. It graces the cover of his book on ornitheology, The Birds, Our Teachers. It is also the subject of a Stott-narrated video in which he speaks of his 23 year quest to find a snowy owl, and his eventual success (see here). It is well worth watching.
This morning I went back to the YouTube channel to find this link. It was there, but next to it was another one I had not seen previously: “How to Draw a Realistic Snowy Owl”.
About Me
the art of unpacking
After a childhood in India, a theological training in the USA and a pastoral ministry in Southland (New Zealand), I spent twenty years in theological education in New Zealand — first at Laidlaw College and then at Carey Baptist College, where I served as principal. In 2009 I began working with Langham Partnership and since 2013 I have been the Programme Director (Langham Preaching). Through it all I've cherished the experience of the 'gracious hand of God upon me' and I've relished the opportunity to 'unpack', or exegete, all that I encounter in my walk through life with Jesus.
Recent Posts
Football helps me train preachers. See, when you speak to me about football—or, ‘footie’—I need to know where your feet are before I can understand what you mean. Are your feet in Ireland, or Brazil, or the USA, or NZ—or in crazy Australia? It must be the most fanatical sporting nation in the world. Within…
Having been born in 1959, I don’t remember much about the 1960s. But I have heard a lot. Hippies. Drugs. Rock ‘n Roll. Assassinations. Moon-walking. A quick trip across to ChatGPT informs me immediately that it was ‘a transformative decade across the world’—marked by the civil rights and feminist movements, Cold War tensions, consumerism and…
During our Auckland lock in, our daughter Ashley sent the Auckland dwellers of our family a painting set each to releive our monotony. Three of the four have painted their master pieces with the help of Bob Ross https://www.twoinchbrush.com/painting/mountain-retreat
I've yet to do mine! (though Raewyn's did make a good sermon illustration!)
So let me get this straight, Ken …
Are some of those paintings on Bob Ross' site the work of the 'Auckland dwellers' of your family?
That is definitely a step-up from snowy owls on ArtHub. Not sure I have the courage to do that, but it sounds like neither do you 🙂
Look forward to seeing your work.
Paul
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Hey Paul – nice post! I was about to stage an intervention (or something) to work on your adversion toward drawing/painting. Delighted to see you "giving it a go" – well done! And a delightful aside. Year 7 is the youngest class I teach and in my intro to them a couple of weeks back something happened that every teacher lives for. While I was drawing on the whiteboard an annonymous voice burst out from the middle of the class… "WOW! This is the best class ever. I'm going to really enjoy art!" I'm looking forward to more masterpieces!
And here I was hoping that you wouldn't see this post… 🙂
Hope you are doing OK