Capturing spiritual moments

Hampton Roads Daily Press
The photos of mimes and steppers, a minister praying over a baby or a church member lifting their arms and shouting in praise all started as a search for God.

"How do you show somebody God? He's a spiritual being that we have not seen, but can you show the spirituality in the faces of the worshippers, in their body language and their movement," said Jason Miccolo Johnson, the photographer whose work is on display at the Chrysler Museum of Art in Norfolk. "That was my personal challenge ... I wanted to see if I could show it in pictures so I could show it to others."

Over the last decade, Johnson has traveled to black churches across the country taking thousands of pictures, which have culminated in his book, "Soul Sanctuary: Images of the African American Worship Experience." The exhibit of the same name in Norfolk features Hampton Roads churches, though some of them aren't in the book.
His goal was to capture the familiar images he remembers from the church of his childhood in Memphis, Tenn., he said in his book. Things like Sunday school in the sanctuary, the men's shiny shoes or the fancy hats the church ladies wear. He also wanted to document what he considers one of the most important institutions of the black community - the church."

Our early schools began in churches, our early politicians came out of the churches, the Civil Rights movement was organized in the churches," said Johnson, who now lives in Washington, D.C.On a flurry-filled afternoon late last week, the second floor space for the exhibit at the museum was nearly empty and almost quiet. Gospel artists like Fred Hammond were praising the Lord on CD. Track lighting shone on black-and-white photos of elements of Sunday services. In one photo, Bishop Samuel L. Green Jr. of St. Johns Church of God in Christ in Newport News is praying over a curly-haired baby. In another photo, a group of praise mimes at Gethsemane Baptist Church in Newport News are performing. Peggy Horn and her son, Travis, stopped by the exhibit to take a look. He's into photography."

I like the fact that the shots are candid and that it's getting people in the everyday worship experience. There are things that you wouldn't necessarily see in a white church, like the mimes or the dancers," said Peggy Horn, who is white and lives in Virginia Beach.That's what Johnson, who is black, figured he'd find when he set out to do this. That most black churches - from small to large, coast to coast or in different denominations - would operate with a universality of worship that remains from their African roots."

The rhythms in the music and the body language is reflective of the same rhythm and movement that was brought over from Africa," he said.Of course, Johnson also said that not every black church has people running in place or jumping up and down. That there are some black churches that are more subdued.
"But overall, I think we can classify the black church experience as one that is about movement and song and call-and-response," he said.Back at the museum, the Horns found elements in the exhibit that they didn't see as necessarily specific to black churches." The idea of getting together with friends and the power of prayer, focusing energies on God's name," said Travis."The tradition is so tied up in African-American history, and everything centered around the church," his mother cut in. "And with white churches, too. I'd say a lot of them."
"If not all of them," said Travis."Maybe in the African-American community the church did provide a whole lot for people. Socially, educationally, politically," said Peggy. "But in the country and smaller towns the church is also the focal point, so it's not necessarily unique (to black churches)."
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