New Green Altar Cloths
The images in the strolling gallery above are new green altar cloths (or “paraments”) that grace Zion’s worship space this Pentecost Season. Thanks be to God! for the generous donations of many and the skill and artistry of Ecclesiastical Sewing.
Pentecost is a time in which the Church preaches the new and growing life of Christ, bestowed on the Church at Baptism in the Name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These themes are found throughout the green paraments.
On the altar cloth, the symbols of the Father, Son, and Spirit appear in the exact same order that they appear above Zion’s front doors. On the chasuble, they appear in an order that recalls Christ’s baptism: the Father (a hand from heaven) pours out the Spirit (a dove) on the Son (pictured in portrait fashion). The pastors’ stoles, as well as the altar cloth, are also marked with symbols of the life-giving sacraments (Baptismal shell and Communion chalice).
On the lectern, the words of the Creed are embroidered on two intertwined symbols of the Trinity (a triangle for three; a circle for one). On the pulpit, a budded cross (for it is our Tree of Life!) is framed by similar symbols. The chapel parament contains symbols of the twelve apostles, and the communion veil is embroidered with the Word of Institution.
The green banner portrays the Church, symbolized as a ship, traveling across life’s choppy waters, guided by the providential hand of God.
