Multiple members of the church were asked to reflect on the meaning of communion and create something to share with the congregation for each Sunday in Lent. Each week a new work was displayed with hopes of inspiring thought or causing us to ponder communion in a new way. What resulted was a varied array of work including digital art, sculpture, painting, photography, film and an open table experience.
Beloved - Digital Art Print
Alyssa Lentsch
Inspired by the historic Jewish custom of betrothal. A potential groom would meet the woman at the city gate. In front of all the elders, family and friends the man would offer the woman a cup of wine to drink from. If she accepted and drank, they were from that moment on promised to each other, they were betrothed.
The man would go away for roughly a years time and prepare a room for him and is bride onto his fathers house. When the room was ready and the father gave his blessing, the groom would come in a joyous procession to receive his bride.
When we take the cup in communion, we are not only thanking our savior and remembering His sacrifice, but are promising ourselves to Jesus, promising we will wait eagerly for they day we are together again.
We are His beloved.
Alyssa can be found teaching art at www.effiesartbox.com/.
Gospel Communion Series - Three Acrylic Paintings
Cassandra Roltgen
Communion is intended to remind us of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for our salvation. It also causes us to reflect on our sin, of our need for a savior, and in turn lead our heart towards repentance. At the same time, it should fill us with praise for our God who demonstrated sacrificial love and deepen our longing for the future wedding feast with Jesus. Communion should spark more than just a remembrance, but spur us on to active participation with the body in repentance and praise.
Separate: Darkness Entraps can be interpreted to represent the sin that we are all born into as a part of the fall of mankind as well as the sin we may choose to walk in. The small glimmer of hope, represented by the lighter stripe of blue, is foreshadowing to an atonement or restoration. It also depicts a longing that all of us have in us for something more than what this world offers.
Atone: Blood Poured Out was the first piece painted in this series which sparked the creation of the other two to complete this Gospel Communion series. This piece represents the sacrifice, power, beauty and love that demonstrated through Jesus’ death on the cross. The dripping of the blood demonstrates the sacrifice infiltrating the fallen world.
The final piece in the series is Restore: A Place Prepared. This piece was created with the intention of capturing the beauty of light, heaven, future hope of a new heaven and earth, restoration being completed, and being reunited with God. In the light of communion, its focus is on the hope we have in the future communion that will be experienced to fullest when we are reunited with our Savior.
Cassandra can be found teaching art @artfullycda on Instagram.
United In The Vine - Photography, Wooden Sculpture
Jerica Thomason
Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” We, as followers of Christ, are in Him and He in us.
As you look through these photos, you may see people you don’t recognize from our church. Whether we are visitors here, members, or a fellow believer who attends elsewhere, what matters is that each and every member of the body of Christ belongs together and should be united. Communion is something that brings us back to Jesus and His disciples in the upper room. Uniting us and them in a beautiful act of remembrance of the blood that was shed and the body that was broken for us. Not only looking back and giving thanks for the sacrifice He gave, but looking forward to the day when we can all be united with Him again for eternity.
Take This Cup - Steel Wire Sculpture
Spencer Lambas
The cup is always given; it is a gift. Received with desperate hands, we know the gift is never deserved, but often forsaken.
Man Is A Hungry Being - Short Film
Jessica Lambas
A short film reflecting on the Eucharist through the words of Alexander Schmemann.
A Eucharist Supper - Open Table Experience
Kira Lambas
An engaging display meant to bring community back to communion.
The bread: encouraging the act of sharing; not just physical needs, but emotional needs as well. The grapes: a nod not only to the actual wine shared at the Last Supper, but also to the way we have been grafted into the family of God, and in turn to the people around us.