January 3, 2024 Weekly Update
What was it like the moment Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River? Was he cold? Did his cousin John the Baptist fumble him in the water?! How long did he wait in line with others to be baptized that day?
The question, “What was it like?” brought curiosity and creativity to Rev. Lauren Wright Pittman when she prepared to create a piece of art for the theme of belovedness. This Sunday we will wrap up our series “How Does a Weary World Rejoice?” by remembering the baptism of Jesus and trusting our belovedness. Lauren’s art can be seen above. She reflected on her art here:
“I began to meditate on what was unspoken and implied in Luke’s account, and one moment that stuck out in my imagination was the moment Jesus was underwater. How did Jesus feel when he held his breath and descended into the river?
This image offers a snapshot of Jesus right before he steps into his calling, on the threshold of spectacular affirmation. He is completely suspended, embraced, and upheld by the waters of baptism. The water’s surface is choppy. The future is unknown and precarious. His path is a lonely and formidable one, eventually leading to his suffering and death.
Despite what is to come, Jesus reaches toward the surface. Two fish are drawn to the light of his halo, foreshadowing his companionship with fishers and his miraculous feeding of the five thousand. All of creation is leaning into his call.
This is what trusting your belovedness feels like—muscles and bones relieved of gravity’s burden, serenity, weightlessness, oneness with creation, and the warmth of God’s love permeating every cell of your body and every corner of your soul.”
I invite you to ponder this image in prayer and join us in worship this Sunday!
New Year Blessings,
Pastor Jared
