I decided to break this post into two parts: this one, about the banners themselves and a second one, about the my sewing process.

The following three banners were a collaboration between Ann, Cindy, Alison, Joanna, and me.  It was really wonderful to be part of a collaborative creative process as we brainstormed ways to represent our ideas in fabric.

Our banners together, as a triptych, are meant to convey the local, regional, and global outreach vision of our church, as commissioned in Acts 1:8:

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (ESV)

Here they are, together, on Palm Sunday:

Pen Lucy (our neighborhood) (sewn by me):

Baltimore (sewn by Cindy):

and the world (sewn by Ann):

Ann did an amazing job of using fabric from around the world to convey the beauty of God’s people, in all our diversity:

I love the baby on her mama’s back!

Cindy and Alison managed to convey all of Baltimore’s skyline and the Inner Harbor, in just a few feet – amazing!

Joanna and I tried to represent rowhouses that looked like they came from Pen Lucy (i.e. only two stories, with brick porches, etc.)

It was my honor to participate in beautifying our sanctuary and helping the congregation more fully contemplate our church’s vision regarding,

“the transformation of people into a community of grace-filled followers of Jesus for a greater Pen Lucy, Baltimore, and the world.”