Category: Danger God and Art at Work

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Pride Chair

God is love.  Love is Love.

As we rejoice and celebrate June as Pride month you are invited to take time to pray for, or sit in solidarity, with those who can be arrested or worse just for being who they are. The chair and prayer desk were made out of old pallets by Revd Les Ireland, Rector of St Cyprian’s, Lenzie.

This chair and prayer desk is decorated with:

66 feathers to represent joy The joy of living life to the full. 

There are 66 jurisdictions who criminalise private, consensual, same-sex sexual activity.

41 ribbons represent belonging In God’s eyes and heart all belong. 

There are 41 countries who criminalise private, consensual sexual activity between women.

12 doves to represent peace The peace which everyone deserves when going about their every day lives, being the best them they can be.

There are 12 countries in which the death penalty is imposed, or at least a possibility for private, consensual same-sex sexual activity.

14 hearts to represent love God is love, there is no fear in love, we love because God loved us first.

There are 14 countries who criminalise the gender identity and/or expression of transgender people.

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All Are Welcome

For June – Pride month – rainbow ribbon is woven along our railings to show our support and solidarity for all those who count themselves among the LGBTIQ+ community.

God is love and love is love.

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On the 8th Day

This installation art in the church garden is called On the 8th Day, was inspired by Carol Marples of Soul Mark Trust pieces for COP26 – 7 DAYS, link below. My thanks to Carol for agreeing to my rather cheeky title suggestion.

7 DAYS – Soul Marks Trust

Carols art work tells the story of creation with one panel for each day. Jesus in his resurrection made all creation new, gave new life to all that was, and so On the 8th Day was born.

The grave wrapping now redundant can blow freely in the wind, across 8 of them in gold are the letters to spell ALLELUIA. The work will remain in the garden until 26th of May, if you are in the area please feel free to come into our garden and explore around and through it. Remember the freedom of childhood and running through the sheets drying on the washing line, come feel that freedom again.

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2022 Paschal Candle

The transfer for our Paschal Candle this year was designed and created by *S*. It has the traditional elements with her own artistic twist on them. Including the addition of a butterfly in the colours of the Ukrainian flag so that they too may know new life in all its fullness.

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Mary’s Love, Mary’s Hair

On Lent 5 the Gospel reading was of Jesus revisiting the home of Lazarus, newly called out from death’s tomb, Martha and Mary. While on this occasion we don’t know what Martha was up to. (Was she busy making the dinner again, or was this the occasion when she made the dinner that other Gospel writers tell us off and were too embarrassed to tell of Mary’s antics?) Regardless of that speculation, John tells us that Mary, not of Magdala but of Bethany, knelt at Jesus feet, and lavishly poured expensive perfume on his feet. Then she wiped it with her hair. *S* made a small piece of installation art of Mary’s hair, to remind us all of Mary’s love after which it was placed on the altar rail as a reminder that, whoever we are, we come to Jesus as we are, with love in our hearts.

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Breath

Currently in Church, until Lent, there is an art installation called Breath you can see it during any of the times the church is open for services, or by request at another time.

Echoing the rays from the dove in the East Window this installation is a commentary on preaching and the breath of Holy Spirit working through it. The strings that stretch out and over the congregation are in yellow, orange and red colours often used for the Holy Spirit.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, Yahew, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

The process of sermon construction involves distilling lots of information. The readings, illustrative stories, history, background, scene setting, biographies, current news, etc. We can not do that distillation without the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

We come with our human cacophony of ideas and understanding, and the Holy Spirit distils and hones them into God’s message for those gathered.

Most preachers can tell stories about the times they thought a sermon was totally awful, yet someone spoke with them after saying something akin to. This week has been bad, I wasn’t going to come to church but I am so glad I did, that sermon was just what I needed to hear. The Holy Spirit works through sermon preparation and also the words people hear.

Members of the congregation discussing and interacting with ‘Breath’