“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
The art gallery displayed beneath the trees at Mariners Church on Easter Sunday was the culmination of weeks of work by Mariners artists, staff and volunteers. But first Kathy Corcoran had to trust the picture God had painted in her mind. Kathy and her 40 Days LifeGroup were immersed in learning the “picture it” method of devotional Bible study – the process of imagining yourself in scripture – when she found herself picturing the project.
“I was journaling and started drawing different things when I thought, ‘We should do Easter art,’” Kathy said. “It came from God, I know. At first, I said ‘no,’ I can’t do that. So, I waited a week and it kept nagging at me. I thought, ‘Maybe the pastor will squash the idea.’ So, I went to Pastor Paul and he said, ‘Yes! Let’s do it.’” Energized by pastor’s affirmation and the theme of his Easter message – “From imperfect to I’m perfect in his eyes” — she sought artists in the Mariners community to pray and organize.
“What I loved about the project was that we could share the story of Jesus and the resurrection in a picture, where people new to the church can capture the message in a moment,” Kathy said. “I asked God to breathe into us, to have us breathe into our art and to have our art breathe out to the congregation on Easter Sunday.”
Kathy’s mixed media contribution began with an image of a fingerprint from the internet. On one side she installed a lock and a screen with dirt to illustrate selfish imperfection. On the other side, where the finger print morphs into a flock of birds in flight, she installed mirrors to reflect that imagery of transformational freedom.
She enjoyed the creative process but the most special moments came on Easter as she spent quiet time to the side of the gallery watching God at work through the art. “I sat with God and watched the whole thing come to life,” she said. “I had a blast.”
Does she want to do it again next year? Yes! Interest in a second gallery has already emerged and God’s larger lesson for her is clear. “When you feel a movement in your heart. Don’t sit on it. Don’t close the door,” she said. “Your gut reaction of ‘maybe God is doing this’ is probably right. Particularly if you’ve been in prayer.”
By Dan Page, Volunteer Storyteller
