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Liturgical Art

For some years, I served on the liturgical arts team at church. It was our role to “set the stage” for worship, which was no small task considering we met in the cafeteria of a local middle school. Banners and displays went a long way toward creating a sense of "place" in an otherwise  austere setting.

Even so, our focus was more , I longed to add something more elaborate to the liturgical art rotation, something bigger, bolder, and more engaging, something made specifically with young church families in mind -- a baptismal banner!

"a visual sermon, a parable in pictures, a catechism for the eyes!" 

With I chose the theme of baptism, based on the following scripture:

And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from Heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”    Matthew 3:16-17 

        

Wow, talk about dramatic imagery, Bargello patchwork, with its gradient colors and flamelike designs was the perfect technique for depicting this scene! Green, yellow, and blue represent the water of baptism, the fire of the Holy Spirit, and the turbulent heavens. Of course, the bright colors and eye-catching design are equally suitable for other church events, such as first communion, confirmation, weddings, funerals, or any other time "the Spirit moves!"

I approached construction like making a quilt, layering the Bargello top with thin batting and backing, then sewing around it pillowcase style to avoid binding. Machine quilting helped stabilize the seams and encouraged the banner to hang straight. Surprisingly, the dove required the most work in the form of interfacing, hand beading, satin stitch appliqué, and a flourish of silver braid, all finished at the last minute.

Our son William was the first child baptized with the banner. Here he is, a proud six year old, with Pastor Dan Poffenberger (1998). 

I can't fathom the number of children welcomed into faith with this banner as a backdrop! It's gratifying to know that what grounded us in our early years as a congregation continues to inspire all these years later. 

Rejoice Lutheran Church, Geneva, Illinois