volunteer Recognition

1,300,000 stitches, 4333 volunteer hours

The next time you approach the altar, take a good look at the beautiful needlepoint work on those communion cushions.

Church architectural consultant Reginal Inwood custom designed the cushions for the new Mission Valley church back in 1963, but it wasn’t until July of 1979 that a committee was formed to complete the project. Nancy Fisher and Vera Christman were co-chairs of the committee. Thirty-three persons between the ages of twelve and eighty accomplished the task of making eleven cushions over a period of 35 months. In all, approximately one million, three hundred thousand stitches were required to make them. It is estimated they took a minimum of 4333 volunteer hours to complete.

Each of the eleven cushions is unique. The center cushion reads: In Remembrance of Me. Left and right of the center are three proclamations: Come Unto Me; I Am the Way; Go In Peace; Holy Spirit; Holy, Holy, Holy; Lord of Life; and Bread of Life. Each cushion design also includes four communion symbols: the empty cross, the crown, the sheaf of wheat, and the chalice. Borders framing the cushions carry the emblem of the grape and the vine, a traditional symbol of communion and reminiscent of Jesus’ words: “I am the true vine and my Father is the vinedresser.”(John 15:1-5)

Although many of those who worked on the altar’s communion kneeling cushions are no longer with us, we would like to recognize Nancy Fisher and the others below for their devoted work. Neil Larson helped design appropriate storage units. The presentation and dedication of this significant handiwork was made to the honor and glory of God on the Sunday observing World Day of Communion, the third day of October, 1982.

Part of an ongoing series by Lorraine Barnes and Margaret Shafer

From the Outlook, July 12, 2006

Return to the History Project Home Page