Family of God Lutheran Church     ELCA

The Body, Nourished and Sent is a six-panel fiber artwork created by Marjorie Ford of Cantraip Studio, Minneapolis, MN.

Inspired by two Bible Verses:

Exodus 16:15:  "When the Israelites saw him they said to one another "What is it?"  For they did not know what it was.  Moses said to them, "It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat."  

There are seven streams of light to signify that the Israelites would receive sufficient for each day; two streams are paired because they would receive sufficient for two days on the day before the Sabbath.

John 6:32-35:  "Then Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.” They said to him. “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and who ever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

The first panel lays the foundation for the succeeding panels, where Christ is seen as the Bread of Life.

Inspired by Matthew 14:19-21

Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves, and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. And all ate and were filled.

Inspired by Matthew 26:26-28 

While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Judas is at the far right with his bag of silver; at the far left is the basin and towel, which Jesus used to bathe the feet of the twelve. The figure of Christ is designed to show the pouring out of his body and blood into the chalice and bread for all to share.

Inspired by Luke 24: 13-15, 28-31

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus . . . While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him . . . As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight.

Inspired by Martin Luther, The Small Catechism: 

Our Lord Jesus, on the night when he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying “Drink of it, all of you. This cup is the covenant in my blood, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Inspired by Mark 16:14-15, and also the Lutheran Book of Worship and With One Voice: 

“Go in peace, serve the Lord" 

“Thanks be to God”

"And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.' ”

People leave the worship space carrying the gift of Christ’s nourishment into the world.