Wrapped in God’s Love

St. John’s has a long standing practice of gifting individuals receiving baptism, graduates of high school and university, and others going through life transitions.  It began with the baptism of infants.  They were given a receiving blanket embroidered with their name and date of birth with the assurance they were, are and will always be ‘wrapped in God’s love.’  In the past recipients were typically children, but since my call to the congregation it has expanded a little.  The recently widowed, widower-ed, moving away or into assisted living were given a prayer shawl or quilt, because in my mind, we are all ‘wrapped in God’s love.’

Recently in the presbytery there was an ordination of a young woman as a Minister of Word and Sacrament.  It was a month short of my tenth anniversary of my own ordination.  I was reminded of the prayer shawl a congregation in the presbytery gifted me on the night of my ordination.  I had just finished a quilt intended for a congregation member recently entering a nursing home.  Sadly, they only lived a few days beyond the transition.  It is a quilt drenched in prayer and who needs it more than someone newly ordained.

This was intended to be a simple Trip Around the World quilt.  Once I began placing the blocks on the design wall I decided I had to line up the strip blocks as much as possible.  Durn OCD.  Solving the puzzle was worth it, I think it turned out awesome!

Exodus 29:29  The sacred vestments of Aaron shall be passed on to his sons after him; they shall be anointed in them and ordained in them.

Christmas/Easter/Communion/All Saints’/Transfiguration/Baptism Banners

48″ x60″

This is how far behind I am.  We did manage to get ten banners completed in time for Christmas.  We hung and dedicated them the first Sunday following the celebration of Christ’s birth.  That would be January 29th!  They have been hanging in the sanctuary up until last Sunday when they were replaced with the Lent banners.  I know it was a week past the beginning of Lent but we celebrated Holy Communion on March 9th, white and gold being appropriate in that case.

They were all a variation of log cabin blocks done in yellow and set in white.

 

Eight of them were 36″ x 48″ and two were 48″x 60″.  Each quilter could place the star and quilt their banner as they pleased.  When it came time to switch them out I finally got out the camera to take and post the pictures as I promised I would.

Of course for at least one of my banners I had to do something entirely different.  I wanted a project with more of a modern feel.  I absolutely love it.  There are a few people in the congregation that aren’t as impressed with it as I am.  After all, breaking with tradition is a difficult thing to do in the church. 😉  Resistance to change seems to be a defining characteristic of Christians.  There are lots of jokes about it.

How many Christians does it take to change a light bulb? — We don’t change!

Although, my favourite is, because I am — How many Calvinists does it take to change a lightbulb? — None, the lights will go on and off at predestined times.

And my second favourite, because I am — How many Presbyterians does it take to change a lightbulb? — Well, it requires a least five committees to study and review the need and procedure behind changing the lightbulb, each committee represented by at least half a dozen people, so — 30?

I wonder when the Christ returns and there is a new heaven and a new earth if any one will want to be part of it because they have never ‘done’ it that way before …

The ‘modern’ banner is still my favourite.

Isaiah 43:19  I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

Something Old – Something New

April 28, 2013 my grand-daughter was baptised at Notre Dame in my hometown.  She was a vision in an heirloom baptism gown handed down from my son’s paternal great-great-aunt.  It is beautifully and intricately embroidered linen.  I don’t think it is hand done, it is quite uniform and symmetrical.  She looked beautiful and didn’t squawk once during the entire mystery.

Ezekiel 16:13     You were adorned with gold and silver, while your clothing was of fine linen, rich fabric, and embroidered cloth. You had choice flour and honey and oil for food. You grew exceedingly beautiful, fit to be a queen.

Christmas Stole

This was a difficult project.  A dear mentor and colleague had mentioned quite some time ago that she wanted a white stole.  I promised her I would make her one, and promptly ran into all sorts of difficulties.  I had an over all vision of the finished product, but wasn’t sure how to get there.  I searched the web for block patterns.  I knew I didn’t want to do applique, but would if there were no other options.  Of course the cross had to be included, that was easy.  The star was fairly straight forward as well, the challenge was not blunting the points.  The goblet block came together well for the first attempt at one.  The challenge was the companion for the goblet.  I had some lovely brown and gold batik with a wheat print that I intended to make a loaf of bread from.  But the colour was much too dark and would over power the rest of the symbols.  I thought to bleach it, should work, right?  Not.  It turned, PINK!  Frustrated I put the project aside two months ago.  I pulled it back out, determined to finish it in time for Christmas.

The solution was to hand stitch wheat heads and stalks opposite the goblet, using yellow wooden beads for the grains of wheat.

I’m satisfied with the finished stole.  I learned a few things that will improve the next should I try a quilt block process again, a stiffer backing is needed to keep it flatter, and more generous excess fabric beyond the symbols are needed to trim the entire projected to a uniform width.

My friend was pleased with her new vestment.  She’s looking forward to wearing it when celebrating Holy Communion, baptisms, Christmas, Easter, All Saints Day, Transfiguration, Christ the King Sunday.

John 6:33
“For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”