OUR MISSION
The Lord called us away from a very comfortable life in West Chester and said “Go”. Although we, Victor and Diana Atkins, have only been walking with the Lord for four years, we answered His call and He led us to Kensington, Philadelphia’s center of the arts. We have been artists our entire lives and have lived amongst artists and the darkness that pervades that culture. God the Father, in His mercy and grace, has delivered us from that darkness and, as children of light, we have begun to minister to the artists here in Kensington.
History shows that the arts; music, film, visual and prophetic arts, are agents of cultural change. Imagine for a moment: what would it look like to have God-breathed creativity in the arts? What would the impact of such a movement have? Imagine it!! It’s going to happen. Works that glorify the creator, that are birthed through His presence and carry an anointing will touch all who experience them. Imagine God-breathed art infiltrating the lives of millions thru film, music, painting, and graphic design. Imagine a ministry of artists, bringing other artists to the Father to spread the Good News thru their work. That is the mission we’ve come to accomplish! However, Father God had bigger plans.
While Kensington is a creative center it’s also the hub of the heroin trade, prostitution, poverty, alcoholism and homelessness. Everywhere we go there is a spirit of oppression and hopelessness. But the Spirit of God is also here and He’s sending His soldiers to speak into the hearts of all who would be His. This too is our ministry: to love, to encourage, fanning the fire of people’s dreams, to spread His word wherever we go. We believe that, as His hands and feet in this place and through His living Word, we will instill true HOPE. It is through hope that we experience God’s good news.
WHAT’S BEEN HAPPENING SO FAR
- We’ve begun building relationships:
- with artists; visiting studios, fellowship dinners, one-to-one meetings
- with a young church
- the homeless; praying for them, donating funds and linking them to area resources
- our neighbors; laying on hands and praying for people in distress, fellowship dinners, by walking thru the neighborhood making contact and sharing His love.
- with drug dealers and users in the park; through conversation and the presence the Holy Spirit
- with gallery owners and local business owners; also through conversation and the presence the Holy Spirit
- we prayed for God’s presence and blessings to rest on a new local business and it’s owners
- prayed on the street for God’s grace and healing for a premature baby and her family
- Victor has been commissioned to do two paintings for a local church
- Diana has started researching and building connections to work with infants and children in need
- We’ve held Home Church and worship nights here at the loft
- We’ve begun changing the culture of this building of 100 studios from one of isolation to one of community thru conversation and guidance by the Holy Spirit
- God has begun an entirely new work in Victor’s art
- After a 20 year hiatus, Diana has begun painting again.
AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER WITH US
Our desire is to have a self-sustaining ministry supported by the sale of our art.
Diana is a graphic designer whose packaging designs appear in homes across the United States and around the world carrying God’s anointing.
You can see Diana’s portfolio at: www.creativehotlist.com/profile/dfikusatkins
Victor is a Fine Artist who’s paintings have shown around the country and been purchased by museums and individual collectors throughout the states. Currently, Victor has been commissioned for two paintings by a local church, he has been asked to show in a group show, and has been invited to show his portfolio of work to two Philadelphia galleries. His paintings are driven by his faith and carry a message that glorify the Lord.
You can see Victor’s website at: www.victor-atkins.com
As visual artists, our financial needs are met through the sale of our art and services. As a new work of God and new artists in Kensington, we have significant start-up costs to establish ourselves and our businesses. As a result, we need your support.
As ambassadors of Christ here in Kensington, we need two things to fulfill our mandate:
- Prayer support. Nothing in God’s Kingdom work can be accomplished without your prayer involvement. Please find key ways you can pray on last page of
this statement. - Resource support. We are in need of $18,000 to develop a sustainable ministry and business. This can take a variety of forms:
- One-time gifts
- Monthly support for a period of two years. This can be as simple as 16 people committing to donating $50/ month for two years
- Cover two months of upcoming financial obligations which will enable us to:
- Pay the one-time cost of moving and housing expenses
- Relieve existing financial obligations
- Afford us time to work with Robb Holman, a Kingdom Business Consultant
- to build our business visions and develop strategic implementation plans
Continue the ministries that God has already begun.
Bring us current with our financial needs.
Our businesses will:
- Enable our ministries to be financially self-sustaining
- Enable us to give back to the Kingdom
- Help us spread the seeds of His love through our art
- Enable us to expand our ministries to include:
- Enable us to expand our ministries to include:
- host worship nights here at the loft
- co-partner with children’s ministries
- plant a faith-based art center that glorifies God through the arts
- create cultural and spiritual bridges within the community through relationships
- continue Friday night fellowship dinners
- hold smaller dinners and meetings to encourage and share the gospel
Spread the gospel of the Kingdom here, at the epicenter of the Arts in Philadelphia
Heal communities broken by division.
Have an opportunity to co-partner with you in spreading God’s mighty voice and life through the arts and ministry in a broken and extremely dark city.
Many of God’s leaders have prophetically spoken of Philadelphia as a key city in His plan to establish His Kingdom. We are humbled that He has called us here to partner with Him and we prayerfully invite you to join us.
"Then the Lord showed me four craftsmen. I asked, “What are these coming to do?” He answered, “These are the horns that scattered Judah so that no one could raise their head, but the craftsmen have come to terrify them and throw down these horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people". - Zechariah 1:20-2
We welcome your support in prayer as well as financially.
Monies can be sent to:
Victor & Diana Atkins
2059 East Hagert Street
Philadelphia, PA 19125
WAYS YOU CAN PRAY:
- for the lost in the area to be found and for the hopeless to find their hope in Christ
- against the spirit of oppression in Kensington
- against the spirit of poverty in Kensington
- against the spirit of addiction in Kensington
- for the Lord to continue to bless this mission
- for God to keep our hearts uplifted as we walk amidst the enemy
- for continued health
- for financial provision for our ministry
- for protection against attacks in the spiritual and physical realms
- for divine appointments
- for many to come to the fellowship dinners and that we would bear His character and likeness as we develop relationships
- for God’s continued guidance in our ministry
- for bold obedience to go where God leads us
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