Liturgical Series

I've been working on a series of quilts inspired by the style of illuminated manuscripts featuring the parts of the Episcopal liturgy, and in particular the service of Holy Eucharist since about 2012.  I'm a cradle Episcopalian, and the rites of the church are a source of great strength and meaning for me.  I'm nowhere near finished with the series, but I think I'm about halfway through so it seemed like a good time for a formal post and stock taking.The service of Holy Eucharist has lots of parts, and of course you can always keep adding, but this is my current vision.

The order for Celebrating the Holy Eucharist has the following main parts with lots of subparts in the traditional rites we commonly use.

Gather in the Lord's Name
There is an opening acclamation and then a song of praise or Gloria.  My piece for this section features the text of the Gloria Patri (Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever).  That text isn't actual in the typical Sunday Eucharist celebration, but is in all of the daily offices (e.g. morning prayer, evening prayer, compline) and fits the theme.

Gloria Patri, 2015, 31" x 35"

Proclaim and Respond to the Word of God
This usually involves an Old Testament reading, a reading from the Psalms, a New Testament reading and a Gospel reading.

So far I have a piece depicting one of my favorite passages from Psalms (Psalm 121) as well as a common acclamation that often preceded prayers or Bible passages in illuminated manuscripts.

in Nomine Patris, 2013, 29" x 24"

This next piece isn't technically part of the series, it's just a Christmas quilt I made.  I included it since it is in fact from the Gospel.  However, I'll likely do at least one more here for the Gospel,  probably based on the first part of the Gospel of John (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.)

Rejoice, Rejoice, 2012, 39" x 39"

Following the sermon, the congregation recites the Nicene Creed, a statement of faith highlighting the holy trinity.  I just finished this quilt most recently.

I Believe, 2020, 61" x 40"

Pray for the World and the Church
The Universal Church, its members, and its mission, the Nation and all in authority, the welfare of the world, the concerns of the local community, those who suffer and those in any trouble, and the departed.  I still need to do a piece for this section.

This section is followed by the confession of sin.  The piece I made for this section was a little different than the others, I wanted to incorporate my own handwriting as it was such a personal prayer.  Unfortunately, I later sold this piece.  It sold to an Episcopal Cathedral in California so I know it has a good home, but I regret not having kept it so the series could live together.  I may make another one for the confession and I may not.

Confession, 2017, 38" x 38"

Exchange the Peace
This is such an important part of the service.  In practice it feels just like a time to greet everyone, shake hands or hug (or not anymore), but I think it's an overall representation of the breadth of our community throughout the world.  I made this piece which says "Peace be with you (the greeting) And also with you (the response)".  This design was inspired by some beautiful Arabic calligraphy.

Peace Be With You, 2015, 50" x 48"

Offertory
This is the time when the collection basket is passed, but also a time to meditate on other ways to serve the community.  It's also the time in the service when the choir sings a choral anthem, and music is such an important part of worship for me that I'll definitely make a piece here.

Prepare the Table and Make the Eucharist
The Eucharistic prayers and the Great Thanksgiving are the prayers that are involved in preparing for Holy Communion.  There are several different versions, and my favorite is the "sci-fi" version,  "At your command all things came to be: the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home."  My piece for this section was inspired by evolution, beginning with the galaxies and suns and planets and working around the borders through the evolution of life on earth, and ending with Darwin's finches in my own garden of Eden with favorite scientists in the initials.

Eucharistic Prayer C: Convergence, 2016, 45" x 60"

The Great Thanksgiving is followed by the Lord's Prayer, and my piece for this section features a musical setting composed by my beloved friend Linda Kelly.

Our Father, 2019, 73" x 53"

Break Bread
I still need to make a piece for this section of Communion.


The service ends with a post-communion prayer, blessing, and dismissal.  I'm in the process of designing a quilt based on the prayer of St. Chrysostom which will probably be the closing piece here.