Christian Performing Artists' Fellowship

The Christian Performing Artists' Fellowship (CPAF) is a non-profit, trans-denominational Christian ministry, dedicated to the classical performing arts world. CPAF is based in

Winona Lake, Indiana, home of evangelist Billy Sunday, Youth for Christ and was the location of many early Billy Graham crusades. Co-founded in 1979 in the D.C. Area by former Artistic Director and author of Spiritual Lives of the Great Composers, Dr. Patrick Kavanaugh

and his wife Barbara, and by trombonist James Kraft and his wife Mary Jeane, it is one of only two organizations in the United States dedicated to this particular mission field.

History

CPAF publicly debuted in 1984 with a series of evangelistic concerts, performed by their group

Handel's Messiah

, which they performed for fourteen consecutive years. In 1996, the Asaph Ensemble was invited to Israel to perform on Christmas Eve in Bethlehem Square. Coverage on their presentation was shown around the world on CNN and other television networks.

CPAF was solely a volunteer organization from 1984 until Dr. Kavanaugh and his wife began CPAF as a full-time ministry in 1988. As CPAF increased, so did its vision and the

Grace College

in Winona Lake, Indiana. After two successful summer festivals there, MWF and CPAF permanently relocated their headquarters to Winona Lake. In 2004 MasterWorks Europe was established and took place in London, England. Since then, non-USA MasterWorks Festivals have also taken place at Winchester, England and Zhengzhou, China. Plans for MasterWorks Festivals around the globe are currently in the process of development.

Ministry

The three unique characteristics of CPAF's ministry are Evangelism, a very high standard of Excellence, and work within the Classical Performing Arts.

In addition to the MasterWorks Festival, CPAF sponsors the Second Sunday Series, a series of once monthly, community concerts in which performers share their faith through classical music, drama and dance. CPAF has begun numerous Bible Studies and prayer groups throughout colleges and performing arts arenas around the United States.

Arts Administration

In 2004, CPAF established an intern teaching program. The year-long program is designed for young performing artists to train, both spiritually and artistically, in arts administration.

Training and Production

CPAF also trains young performers and theatre technicians through a number of technical internship programs held in the summer including,

Production, Orchestra Management, Photography, Piano maintenance

, Recording and the supporting areas of General Production. The internships assist in the productions that appear in the MasterWorks Festival.

Leadership

A Bible Study Leadership Training Program is held during the MasterWorks Festival. This program trains performing artists to start Bible studies in their academic and artistic organizations.

References

The Christian Performing Artists' Fellowship - Mission at the Wayback Machine (archived December 21, 2016)
www.christianperformingart.org/Bibleframe.html^{[permanent dead link]}
www.christianperformingart.org/Opportunities.html^{[permanent dead link]}
MasterWorks Festival Homepage
Kavanaugh, Patrick. The Story of the Christin Performing Artists' Fellowship. Winona Lake, IN. Christian Performing Artists' Fellowship.
The Christian Performing Artists' Fellowship. (2006) MasterWorks Festival Brochure. Winona Lake, IN. Christian Performing Artists' Fellowship.
Cook, Jane, G., and Heckman, Paul. (2001). Winona Lake Summers. North Manchester, Indiana. ICanPublish.