Step Into the Swell

Did you worship with us on Sunday? If not, watch the service on our website. Then, check out the art and reflection for this week’s scripture story below from the amazing folks at A Sanctified Art.

Artist Statement – Lisle Gwynn Garrity

At the start of this chapter, John the Baptist is brutally beheaded. Jesus withdraws from the crowds to a deserted place, yet is followed by the masses—perhaps many of them former followers of John the Baptist. Moved with compassion, he heals the sick and miraculously generates bounty from a meal of five loaves and two fish.

Then, he “immediately” rushes the disciples into a boat, dismisses the crowds, and retreats to a mountain by himself. Perhaps he needs space to grieve John and to grapple with the gravity of his calling. The crowds and demands of his ministry were surging; in the same way, the waves and the wind begin to batter the boat that had drifted far from shore. If you’ve ever been in open water during a storm or even high winds, you know the shockwave of fear that pulses through your veins. Yet, as dawn breaks, a mirage beckons to them, casting out words to buoy them up: “Do not fear.”

What I find in Peter’s response is not a challenge or a profession of doubt, but a willingness to step into the swell, like a trust fall into the unknown. Perhaps in seasons when our sense of certainty and security unravels, our desperation is more likely to convert into courage. Is there something about unraveling that makes us a bit less risk-averse, a bit more willing to try what we wouldn’t have dared when everything felt predictable and sure?

Imagine this same scene with no storm, no raging seas, no ghostly glimpse of Jesus skimming the surface. Would Peter have stepped in then? Would he have expanded his definition of what’s possible? Would he have experienced the divine so surprisingly, so surely? Would you step in?

This week at Hood

• Wednesday, August 19th, 12 noon Prayer & Inspiration in the Fellowship Hall or on Free Conference Call 563-999-1222 or join.freeconferencecall.com/hoodchurch
• Thursday, August 20th, 10:00 am Ladles of Love Meal Delivery
• Friday, August 21st, 12 noon Prayer Call, Free Conference Call 563-999-1222 or join.freeconferencecall.com/hoodchurch
• Saturday, August 22nd, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm Drive-thru Job Fair, in the parking lot of Hood Memorial, sponsored by Atwork Personnel Knightdale
• Sunday, August 23rd, 9:30 am Worship: “Unraveled”

Upcoming Events

• Monday, August 24th, 7:00 pm Disciples Women on Mission (DWM) meeting, join in person in the Fellowship Hall or on Free Conference Call 563-999-1222 or join.freeconferencecall.com/hoodchurch
• Tuesday, August 25th, Hood Memorial volunteers at DUMA Food Pantry 9:00 am – 2:00 pm, Mark your calendar: we need lots of volunteers.