Throughout the history of humankind symbols have been employed to lend clarity to abstract concepts. A symbol reaches beyond language and is a characteristic of great art: painting, music, sculpture, tapestry, dance, poetry and prose. The arts exist from a primal awareness of things greater than humans can explain or understand. Organized religions and societies around the world have highly developed rituals, symbols and customs intended to assist followers toward a greater conceptual understanding of esoteric principles. St. Stephen Presbyterian Church is rich with the symbols from the Christian/Reformed tradition.
From the earliest days of the Christian Church, symbols have served many purposes including a secret code to identify like-minded people at a time of persecution, and to help guide and teach the “Mighty Acts of God” – our story.
Cloth is mentioned nearly 200 times in the Bible: white, purple, blue, violet, crimson, scarlet; fine linen, burial cloths, swaddling cloths, priestly robes and on and on. It is understandable that the artistic use of cloth and fine needlework constitute a very important place in symbolic Christian portrayals.
When you enter a worship service here, you will see a parament(s)–ornamental cloths covering a table, lectern, pulpit, serving a purpose beyond decorative–a symbolic proclamation of our faith engaging our sense of sight as an active part of worship.
The specific fabric, color and design of the paraments tell a story. Generally, you will see one of four liturgical colors: White, Green, Purple and Red, each representing different aspects of Christian doctrine. In most churches, the year is structured based on the life of Jesus Christ. There is a logical rhythm to worship designed around events of his Annunciation, Incarnation, Birth, Flight out of Egypt, Baptism, Presentation in the Temple, Life and Ministry, Miracles, Parables, Transfiguration, Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, His Passion, Death, Entombment, Resurrection, and Ascension. The story is made more complete by observance of many church feast days (“festivals”) such as Pentecost, Trinity, Christ the King, Reformation, All Saints’, Good Shepherd, various saints’ days, and many more depending on the denomination. The Liturgical Year also called the Ecclesiastical or Church Year and begins with Advent (4 Sundays before Christmas).
Since the inception of the 8:30 a.m. worship service, we have used the pulpit paraments that were made around 1950 when worship took place in the Parish Hall. These are high quality Silk Damask and beautifully made evidenced by the fact that we are using them 60+ years later. However, they are thread-bare and have earned their retirement to the Archives Room.
This gift to St. Stephen Presbyterian Church has been made possible through memorial funds given for four individuals: Norah Ann Little Green; Ethel Louise Binyon Hunnicutt; Sue Smith Norris; and Dana St. John Plette. Norah Green was a long-time member and one of the founders of the St. Stephen Chancel Guild. Ethel Hunnicutt was a long-time member who along with her husband, raised her family here. Her son, Jack Hunnicutt and his wife, Val are members who regularly attend the 8:30 a.m. service. Sue Norris was a faithful choir member who joined in the mid 1970s and was actively involved in the Presbyterian Women. Dana St. John Plette was the daughter of Dorothy St. John. Although not a member of St. Stephen, Dana grew up in St. Giles Presbyterian in Ft. Worth and was confirmed there, where the pulpit we now use at the 8:30 service was originally located, having been custom-designed and constructed for St. Giles by Fred Kelly and another man. The symbolism is multi-faceted with the religious meaning and the memory of the four women for whom these tapestries have been lovingly given.
This project has been streamlined through the efforts of the “Tuesday Men,” without which many seemingly mundane and some less mundane chores would not get done. Ernesto Jimenez, Jerry Moody and the late Tom Vaden designed, built and installed the storage system that will protect and preserve these tapestries. Mary Lou Wright has assisted with ironing and preparing them for use.
The new paraments were custom made by the C. M. Almy Company in Greeenwich, Connecticut. Purveyors of fine church plate, vestments, tapestries, including communion ware and anything artistic relating to liturgical worship, Almy has long supplied St. Stephen with liturgical plate, crosses and various items. Although the showroom and storefront are located in Greenwich, all custom designed commissions are manufactured in Pittsfield, Maine, a small, New England village. Four of the paraments are made from fine Damask Silk lined with Satin and have a hand embroidered symbol. One is woven in Coronation Tapestry with gold and silver metallic thread. The fringe for each one is chosen in colors complimentary to the parament. The specific symbols were chosen to represent a broad overview of important events in the life of Christ.
Description of the 5 Pulpit Paraments
WHITE
White Represents: purity; cleanliness; renewal; joy; perfection; victory; holiness; virtue; respect; resurrection; reverence; often combined with gold
Liturgical Use: Major Feast Days; Christmas; Easter; Weddings; Funerals; Dedications
Specific Symbols: Pattern in the Silk Damask is called Agnus Dei (Lamb of God) and
includes the vine and the grapes, the Lamb, the rose, IHS (Christogram of the first three letters of Jesus in Greek) and the Fleur-De-Lis (symbol of the Virgin Mary).
The embroidered symbol is the Chi Rho, a Christogram incorporating the first two letters of the word, Christ in Greek). It is adorned with gold metallic thread embellished by flosses in rich vibrant colors. It is lined with white Satin. The fringe is white and gold.
GREEN
Green represents renewal; new life; hope; covenant; growth; knowledge; mission of
the Church; spreading the Word; stability
Liturgical Use: Ordinary Time (the longest period in the Liturgical Calendar)
Specific Symbols: Pattern in the Silk Damask is a stylized Tudor Rose. It is lined with green Satin. The embroidered symbol is a Cross encircled by a Crown representing the Sovereignty or Kingship of Jesus Christ, a basic tenet of Reformed Theology. It is adorned with gold metallic thread embellished by colored rondelles representing precious gemstones. The fringe is light green and gold.
PURPLE
Purple represents penitence; preparation; suffering; mourning; royal color; waiting; introspection; preparation for the Parousia (Christ’s return); Passion of the Lord; spiritual discipline
Liturgical Use: Advent; Lent
Specific Symbols: The pattern in the Silk Damask is Normandy: large rondelles with stylized vines and Fleur-De-Lis. It is lined with purple Satin. The embroidered symbols are the Alpha and Omega (representing the first and last) in gold metallic thread. The fringe is light purple and gold.
RED
Red is the main color representing the Church universal; fire; the presence of God; blood of martyrs; tongues of fire; burning zeal of the Christian Church; birthday feasts of apostles and evangelists; Holy Spirit; Confirmation
Liturgical Use: Day of Pentecost; Appropriate on many high feast days; can be used during Ordinary Time, alternating with green Specific Symbols: Pattern in the Silk Damask is Ely Crown. It is lined with red Satin. The embroidered cross encircled by grape vines and wheat tares representing the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper in gold metallic thread accented by purple for grapes and green for leaves. The fringe is red and gold.
TAPESTRY PARAMENT
The Tapestry Parament is Red Coronation pattern, a multi-color brocade woven with metallic yarns lined with gold satin. The four principal liturgical colors (white, green, purple and red) are all woven into this parament including gold and silver metallic thread.
Liturgical Use: Any festival occasion or celebration
Specific Symbols: Ewer with elaborately stylized flora springing forth, intertwining vines with green grapes and Fleur-De-Lis
. . .compiled by Mark Scott
St. Stephen Presbyterian Church
Fort Worth, Texas
DEDICATION LITURGY
Leader: Lord, we dedicate these beautiful pulpit paraments to your glory and to the glory of your Son, Jesus Christ.
People: We give you thanks for the power of symbolism in our lives, symbolism that directs us away from ourselves and towards the way the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus shapes our lives.
Leader: We are grateful for the generosity of those who have provided these paraments, and we give you thanks for the lives of those in whose memory they were given.
People: Thank you, Lord, for your saints, whose lives are memorialized by these gifts: Norah Ann Little Green; Ethel Louise Binyon Hunnicutt; Sue Smith Norris; and Dana St. John Plette. We thank you that they now live forever in the embrace of your love. We pray that the examples of their faithfulness may continue to inspire us; and that as we celebrate the seasons of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection with these paraments, we may also find our own lives shaped by our hope in Him. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord we pray, Amen.