The Needlepoint Kneelers of St. Columba’s Episcopal Church

 

 

Row 1 – Acorns and Thistles This design is copied from the carvings of oak leaves and thistles on the organ and the parclose behind the altar. The oak tree was the most sacred tree of the Celtics. Oak trees live for hundreds of years and thus the oak leaves are a symbol of strength while the acorns represent new life, immortality and fertility. Thistles are a Celtic symbol that stands for loyalty and courage – especially in the face of hardship.

Row 2 – Creation This design is based on the creation story in the Book of Genesis in the Bible. According to Genesis, on the first day God created the light and divided the light from the darkness, creating day and night; on the second day God created the heavens and the earth; on the third day He separated the water from the dry land and grass and plants began to grow; and on the fourth day God created the sun, the moon and the stars. The four-part Creation design goes from night into day when the mountains and the green fields had just been formed.

Row 3 – Fish and Birds In this design the creation story from the Book of Genesis continues. According to Genesis, on the fifth day God created the fish of the oceans, including “great whales”, and the birds of the air. Many creatures of the ocean and the air are represented in this four-part Fish and Birds design.

Row 4 – Celtic Design This Celtic design is derived from the stained-glass window in the back of the nave depicting our patron saint, St. Columba. The design appears on the collar of St. Columba’s cloak and on the cloak’s clasp. The interlacing pattern of lines and curves, typically Celtic, were adapted by early Christians as a representation of running water and the idea of the continuity of life. The central medallion representing the cross of Jesus Christ within an all-embracing circle can also be found in ancient Celtic symbols for the union of Heaven and Earth.

Row 5 – Morning Glories The morning glories with their interweaving vines and bright blue flowers bloom in the early morning symbolizing both new life and a new day. The central cushion of the design contains a group of bright and colorful roses. Both the color blue and the rose are often associated with the Virgin Mary.

Row 6 – Celtic Knot The Celtic knot or endless knot is an ancient Celtic design which expresses infinity through the pattern of a line that can always be traced back to its starting point. For Christians, the Celtic knot has become a symbol for interconnectedness, the repeated crossing of the physical and spiritual paths in life, the continuum of life, love and faith.

Row 7 – Singing Sheep The whimsical sheep depicted by these kneelers are singing some of the music from verses 1, 3 and 6 of Hymn #645 in the 1982 Hymnal. This hymn, beloved by the congregation of this church, is known to us as the St. Columba hymn, and is set to the tune St. Columba, an old Irish melody. The words, attributed to Henry Williams Baker, paraphrase the 23rd Psalm.

Row 8 – Apple Tree This light-hearted design is derived from Chapter 3 of the Book of Genesis in which the serpent deceives Adam and Eve into eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge in the Garden of Eden. The apple tree represents the Tree of Knowledge, the apples represent the forbidden fruit and the serpent represents evil and temptation. This three-part design also depicts a few other creatures in the Garden, including a bunny rabbit, a hungry turtle and some curious birds.

Row 9 – Noah’s Ark The story of Noah and his ark appears in Chapters 6 through 10 of the Book of Genesis. This story is depicted in three cushions: the animals coming onto the ark, two by two, male and female; then the ark floating on the flood waters; and finally, as the waters recede, the dove sent to Noah with the olive leaf, the animals leaving the ark and the rainbow signifying God’s covenant with all creation.

Row 10 – Christmas Rose The Christmas Rose, one of the family of hellebores, blooms in the darkest months of the year from a ground frozen in winter. The Christmas Rose honors the birth of the Christ Child and stands for purity and everlasting strength. The rich red background represents a new year and new life.

Row 11 – Christmas Story The story of the birth of Jesus Christ appears in the New Testament of the Bible primarily in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Scenes from this story are depicted on each of the three cushions: the angel of the Lord announcing the birth of the Christ Child and the shepherds on their way to Bethlehem to see the Child; then the city of Bethlehem, and the stable in which Christ was born, marked by the shining star; and finally, the Three Wise Men journeying to Bethlehem with their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Row 12 – Lenten Rose The Lenten Rose, another member of the hellebore family, which blooms before Easter, symbolizes the time when Christians prepare for Good Friday and Easter. The pink of the Lenten Rose represents

faithfulness, love and communion. The red of the Lenten Rose represents the blood of Christ, sacrifice, love and forgiveness. The pale green background represents hope and new life.

Row 13 – Easter Lily The Easter Lily has become the traditional Easter flower. Its beautiful white blossom symbolizes the spiritual values of Easter: purity, life and rebirth. The flower’s trumpet shape is a reminder of the heralding of Christ’s triumphant return to Jerusalem. The vibrant blue background stands for wisdom and consistency.

Row 14 – Pomegranates The fruit of the pomegranate tree, depicted in the kneelers, is thick skinned with numerous cells of reddish berries in a crimson pulp. Pomegranate trees were widely cultivated in the Middle East at the time of Christ and became a symbol for fertility, resurrection, and hope of eternal life.

Row 15 – Cranes St. Columba, our patron saint, was said to be a giant of a man with a grand voice and a loving heart. One legend has it that St. Columba had a pet crane that was his beloved companion on his travels throughout Ireland and to the island of Iona in Scotland. This design, divided into three cushions shows a mated pair of cranes in three settings: courting, with necks intertwined and representing a loving union; minding their nest of eggs, representing fertility and hope; and finally, proudly watching their chicks which have hatched, representing life and rebirth.

Row 16 – Wheat and Grapes The wheat and grapes design represents the sacrament of the Eucharist in which Christians reaffirm their faith by partaking of the bread or the “body of Christ, the bread of life” symbolized by sheaths of golden wheat; and by partaking of the wine or the “blood of Christ, the cup of salvation” symbolized by bunches of purple grapes.