RUMFORD — Marsha McKenna is known by many for her work with McKennel’s Animal Adoption Agency. Creating a large mural at her church was the furthest thing from her mind — until the past few weeks.

But there she was recently, by herself inside the Praise Assembly of God Church putting the finishing touches on a mural that was 12-15 feet long and eight feet high. This large mural sends a powerful message for the 140-plus church goers at this church.

McKenna never expected to be doing something like this. She said in goes back to when she was preparing for a talent night at the church. She had been working a children’s story series and wanted to be able to do her own illustrations.

To that end, McKenna took a beginner’s drawing class over six weeks in April and May through adult education in Farmington.

It was shortly after completing the drawing class that Paston Justin Thacker asked her to create the mural.

“He had faith in me to do this,” she said, adding that she didn’t have a lot of confidence. But after several tries to come up with the proper skin tone, she did a good job with the clouds, then began work on the picture of Jesus.

McKenna saved the face and hands for last, which required more than four hours work.

“Marsha did a terrific job! We are very pleased,” noted Thacker, who told the story that goes with the mural.

“The story of the Shofar comes from the Holy Land of Israel. A Shofar is a Jewish horn (typically a Ram’s horn) that Jews blow for calls of worship. When the Shofar is blown Jews know it is time to worship God. As far as the Christian perspective, Messianic Jews (Jews that have converted to Christianity or faith in the Messiah Jesus Christ as their savior) also blow the Shofar as a call to worship,” he said.

“However, Messianic Jews blow the Shofar three times consecutively as a call to worship. The reason Messianic Jews blow the Shofar three times is because Jesus was resurrected on the third day. Messianic Jews also blow the Shofar (while they are blowing it three times) to the eastern sky because that it the sky that is going to part when Jesus Christ returns for his children,” said Thacker.

“Now the Shofar relates to Marsha’s mural because from the pulpit in the sanctuary, the mural is to the east. At Praise Assembly, we love to bring a piece of the Holy Land to 89 Congress St. Therefore, we (Christians and we do have some Messianic Jews that attend Praise Assembly) blow our Shofar three times facing the east (mural) believing that Jesus’ return is imminent (soon, at any time), he said, noting, “The mural is a representation of Jesus Christ returning in the clouds as the Bible declares in Matthew Chapter 24 and I. Thessalonians Chapter 4.”

Thacker said, “As a result, when you put all three parts together, we have the mural Marsha painted of Jesus returning in the clouds for his children, the Shofar being blown three times honoring the resurrection of Christ after he had been dead for three days from a Roman Crucifixion, and the Shofar has it is blown is always facing the east.”

He said, “Since Israel’s rebirth as a nation in 1948, all prophecy pertaining to the return of Christ has been fulfilled. Therefore, the reason for the mural, the Shofar, and a great and blessed hope that Jesus is returning soon.”

Thacker said the church, which also has a school, officially gained ownership of the building at 89 Congress St. on Jan. 29.

Since that time, masonry work has been done to the outside, while inside work includes three new walls, a new foyer and there will be a new floor as well.

bfarrin@sunmediagroup.net