The Wood Grills

At the front of the sanctuary are four beautiful wood pieces that were conceived, designed and produced by people in our church, a scallop shell, a fish, an anchor cross, and wine, branches and fruit.

The symbols represent some of the ways the church has communicated the changeless message of and about Jesus through the centuries. We intentionally picked Christian symbols that tie in with our location on Cape Cod and our proximity to the ocean.

Read more about these symbols:

• Scallop shell
• Fish
• Anchor cross
• Boat
• Wine, branches and fruit

The Scallop Shell is a symbol of baptism, discipleship, evangelism, and martyrdom and it is associated with James the son of Zebedee.

James was one three companions in the inner circle around Jesus. He was privileged to be present at the raising of Jairus’ daughter, at the transfiguration of Jesus, and in the garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus had asked James and his brother John, “Are you able to drink the cup that I am going to drink?” Mark 10:38-39 The two said they were ready. James demonstrated his commitment through his zeal for evangelism and powerful witness that may have led to his being the first of the apostles to be martyred (Acts 12:1-2). Like John the Baptist, James was also beheaded.

Jesus had called James away from his father’s fishing boat and nets to fish for souls rather than fish (Mark 1:19-20).

The Scallop Shell is the symbol of James the fisherman who gave his life for Christ. Many pilgrims to religious sites wear the sign of the scallop shell as an indication of their willingness to follow Jesus even to death.

The shape of the scallop shell makes it useful for pouring liquid and so it became a symbol of baptism.

There is also a sense in which the scallop looks like a sunrise signifying the dawn of a new day, just as we rise from the waters of baptism to walk with Jesus in new life.

Links: scallop shell, fish, anchor cross, boat, and wine, branches and fruit.