Completed commission: Altar frontal by Anne Creasey

commission4mission's 10th commission, an altar frontal by Anne Creasey, was installed today at Christ Church Thames View. The frontal has been created by Anne in time for Christ Church's Easter Day services.  

The all year round altar frontal features the colours of the Church calendar and incorporates a central cross in gold surmounted by the sun. The sun's rays also form pentecostal flames while the ball of the sun equates to the host raised above the chalice. Stunning from a distance, the frontal's design also repays closer inspection through the intricate details of Anne's embroidery and appliqué work, particularly on the ball of the sun and its rays.

Mark of the Cross

Jonathan Evens and Henry Shelton have published Mark of the Cross, a book of 20 poetic meditations on Christ’s journey to the cross and reactions to his resurrection and ascension. These meditations focus on the mark of the cross in his life and body and were originally written as part of a community arts project in Hertford. They are complemented by a set of semi-abstract watercolours of the Stations of the Cross and the Resurrection created by Henry Shelton.

These meditations and images are available via twelve baskets as a pdf book, a powerpoint presentation and as individual images. They are ideal for use within Lent, Passiontide, Holy Week and Easter services. The PowerPoint would work well with background music played whilst the viewers meditate on the imagery and words.

Jonathan Evens will be using these meditations and images in the three hour devotion at St Margaret's Barking from 12 noon on Good Friday.

Gillian Barritt

Gillian Barritt is a ceramics artist whose work is expressive and sculptural. Her work reflects her Christian faith as well as capturing a love of Cornwall where she lives and was born.

Gillian is also interested in writing and incorporates words with clay pieces which include scripture and also poetry.

She also has an interest in recycled media like sea china and glass and has incorporated these into recent work. She uses the form of the cross to create work with biblical imagery.

Development of a community art installation

We asked workshop participants to create a picture that said something about themselves before nailing that picture to the cross. Some ideas that we suggested included:

• an abstract using favourite colours;
• a collage of favourite things;
• a picture of themselves, families, friends or favourite places;
• an abstract with colours showing how they felt right then; and
• writing about themselves – a description, a poem, a short story.

People used several of these ideas, as well as doing their own thing. The first picture nailed to the cross was actually one straight from the heart describing how the person felt right then and there. Our thought was that on the cross all of what we are, difficult and joyous, is held and embraced by God.