OUR HISTORY

Sometime in the spring of 1998, a small group from our choir wanted to learn to do needlepoint. I had done needlepoint design and taught technique before, so we decided that we would meet before choir rehearsal. The class went well and continued throughout the summer. Everyone was working on individual projects, pictures, pillows, ornaments - that sort of thing. In the fall, I mentioned that we might do a project for the Gloria Dei. When I suggested doing kneeling cushions for the altar, a chord was struck. Pastor Kemp and the Council approved our project and work began.

As it seemed more practical to allow everyone to have a portion of the altar rail which they could take home to work on, we decided to create nineteen individual kneelers to replace the three existing ones. The number nineteen was arrived at because that is the number of communicants which fit comfortably around the altar rail for each table of Holy Communion. There would be six cushions each on the right and left sides, and seven across the front. The number seven played an important part in the design process.

The seven kneelers across the front, I thought, should represent the seven last words of Christ spoken from the cross as set forth in the four Gospels. The Old Testament would be seen on the left using a paraphrase of Psalm 1. And on the right, a summation of our journey of faith through the church year. The only problem left was the nature of the individual designs. I felt that random renditions of common Christian symbols would not be appropriate. From the first day I entered the sanctuary, I was struck by the beauty and symbolism of the birds in the stained-glass windows. The eagle which of all birds could soar the highest, the pelican who would pluck life-giving blood from her own breast to save her young from starvation, and the others - all strong symbols of dedication, strength and sacrifice. In keeping with nature, I started to remember many of the trees and flowers which held meaning as strong of that of the birds.

And so the drawing ended, ending in what you see around the alter. Most of the symbolism dates back to the Renaissance and the masters, greater and lesser, who used the symbols in their paintings, frescoes, tapestries, vestments, paraments - any place where beauty would enlarge their visual prayer.

So much for the design work. On to the ladies and, yes, gentlemen who did the actual stitching. None of the canvasses were charted or painted. The entire design consisted of a line drawing to be interpreted by the stitcher using a variety of colored tapestry wool. Each stitcher had to make the canvas come to life using the varied shades of yarn. And they had to use diagonal tent stitch throughout so that the canvas would be covered equally on the front (right) and back (wrong) sides in order to insure that the cushions will last for decade after decade. When you consider that each cushion contains well over 100,000 stitches, you must realize how dedicated each of these artists were. And a special note of thanks here goes to Johnson Cleaners of Leesburg who did preliminary blocking of each piece, and to Lucille and Herman Graf of Mid-State Upholstery, Eustis, who did the final blocking, constructing and stuffing, all at a nominal fee.

Each kneeling cushion will now be described in turn, setting forth the symbolism, those who did the stitching, and the appropriate memorial.