Author: Editor

March 2025 Writing

Threads

Who has known us since the beginning of time?

God has known us while we were in the womb and while we were conceived, the thread of our parents’ DNA and their two bodies as one made into an unknown cord with God

Family ties us in shared relationships. We can choose our friends, but not our family so how do we love them and support them and most importantly help them to know God as he has children but no grandchildren.

What do we love doing?

Singing, sewing, writing, working, praying, looking at creation, with friends, threads of shared experience.

Marriage: the thread of a shared love and life lived together through ups and downs, joys and sorrows.

Old age. Hanging on to old memories of once new experiences and friendships, long gone relationships and the loneliness of being alone and yet who is there with us?

Death: are we finally reeled in by God by the thread that has always held us together.

With the warp and weft of all our threads suddenly we can see the big picture.

Is it good?

© Julia Holdsworth         Kingdom Arts March 2025

Pieces of me

Threads…

The shuttle of my life rattles its way back and forth…
Spelling out threads of colour – squares, pieces of me…
A bottle of sorrow tears shed. Raining down upon the stitching.
My fabric of Present life –
Pulled taut – stretching too far –
Splitting – fraying at the edges…
The shuttle of life never stops.

Sadness .. Joy.. Ashes .. beauty.. tears.. laughter.. Disappointment .. Anger .. Faith ..

The Pictures of the Pieces of me woven on the loom of life ..
Crimson, Red, Black, Purple.. threads spelling out the truth that hold my stories together.
Until the shuttles stop, and threads tied up-

Pieces of me.

© Shefali             Kingdom Arts March 2025

Colour

Colour all around us.
Do we feel it see it, bear it?
Is it there for us all?
Help us to be alive to
Vibrations, feelings, tones.
A sun that fills our soul
Scents wafting through the air
Whispering, swirling winds.
Dreams and echoes through life
To move us onwards
Clasping moments of every emotion.
Transmitted into dots, swirls and lines.
Colours beyond description
Souls moved to touch and love
And be nearer to God.

© Helen McNicholl          Kingdom Arts March 2023

His Hand Guides the Thread

There is a thread that weaves through our lives.

How we use it is within His gift.

Rivers of creativity flowing from a wellspring of ideas.

Evolving into a sort of creation; ever evolving through images and experiences.

Always involving God somewhere in our thinking about where to move on.

Developing faith throughout, learning from others all the while until

Stillness shapes the final scene.

© Barbara Rolison          Kingdom Arts March 2025

(Not so much doing as being)

Cast on 3 stitches
——-Father
————–Son
———————Holy spirit

I am the beginning.
Running the stitches through history ‘His song’
Through creation a happy thought, brooding over the chaos.

‘I am the word’
Spoken release
Let these be…

A freedom of will, handed over to created order, to people, your choice.

‘I am the truth’
A redemptive act of being with us entering our realm, being torn to reconcile the irreconcilable.
Being broken

To identify with the broken hearted.

‘I am the way’
A liberty from failure, frustration and a fudge. Words that should shield from accusation…

‘I am the truth’
I realise I am seen and known through and through
A vision of all that has been, is, and could be;
Inspiration, revelation, restoration.

Breath of life to resuscitate, to bring strength, to identify.
Standing in such grace, I plant my feet upon the earth and dare my eyes to seek heaven.
Heavens throne,
A throne of grace,
A mercy seat;
Where judgement is infinitely compassionate and knowing.
So I dare to face myself and ask the question
‘Who shall I say sent me?’
As I wonder how to express the inexpressible, with a heart choked with gratitude.
The answer comes;
‘I am who I am, say I am sent me.’

The alpha, the omega, beginning and end and the never ending one.

© Chris Graham               Kingdom Arts March 2025

 

March 2025 Gathering

After a time of worship, Sue gave us a short history of Jacqui’s career and how her work has developed to huge presentations of biblical events in many cathedrals around our country. We recalled the exhibition in Worcester Cathedral.

Clicking the link below will take you to Jacqui’s own website, where you can see many photographs from the exhibition “Threads Through Creation”

https://www.jacqui-textile.com/creation/

Shefali followed this with her touching personal testimony of correspondence with Jacqui and how inspired she was by her work.

This morning’s activities

Coloured pens, plain handkerchief squares, brushes and ink blocks for blending colour so that a picture using an outline template could be created and coloured in.

Air dry, coloured clay for free creativity and model making.

Alison brought fabric squares to sew using a machine and cutting strips through layers. Alternatively, there were templates to chalk through leaving a symbol or outline to embroider in running stitch.

David once again led a small but motivated group of singers, to teach us a new song.

The writing focus was to ponder on the theme of the morning and the concentration was very intense as creative ideas went on paper. See the Creative Writing section.

Alex enthusiastically encouraged us the join her table! to plat together 3 strips of cloth symbolising the Trinity. [You needed strong wrists for tearing them]

By the end  of the morning many lengths in lovely colour combinations had been joined to encircle the entire gathering and to show teamwork, unity and strength.

The conversations continued around the tables and we were kept refreshed with coffee, tea and biscuits.

At the end of the morning was the opportunity to share our work and express our thoughts and feelings.

We ended the morning by singing again the new song from last month with the chorus “Jesus I believe in you”. This was only the second time many of us had sung this song – we did well this time!

We hope you will come next month when we meet in on 8th Tuesday April.

Coffee from 10.00, followed by worship and activities, with lunch around 12.30.

 

February 2025 Writing

Sacrifice

Would you give your life for someone else?
Who do soldiers give their life for: country, family, community or for their deeply held cause?
Why do lifeboat men put to sea? Is it their desire to save a human life or because they see it as their duty?
Why does a man jump into a river to save a boy and yet they both drown?
Only God knows our hearts and why we are motivated to do things sometimes without thinking.
Courage comes into play when we look death in the eye, and do it anyway because it is right and we look to God for our life.
Jesus took all our sins upon him and with his scourge, double agony was His.
Yet may we never forget the resurrection and the eternal life that we are born into.
May love be the victor and not hate. Is this an act of will? Do we choose life or death?
What is your sacrifice?

© Julia Holdsworth          Kingdom Arts, 11th February 2025

 

Introduction

Shefali feels strongly that Kingdom Arts reaches out and is an inspiration even when you are not there!

The following piece was written after the February meeting; when Shefali, who was not able to come, was inspired by a conversation with someone who had been there, and told her the story of Maximillian Kolbe. This inspired her thoughtful and reflective creative writing.

Take me

I am but one, and yet I am 1000,
one million, one billion, one trillion.
Take me.

I am but four.
Three who depend on me.
Please, please don’t take me.
Please spare me.

I am.
Do not take me.
I give myself.
Take me.

And therein lies the answer to our deepest hearts cry.
Do we not all have hidden ways and live in dark as well as light?
Do we not have the blood of the innocent on our hearts, minds and tongues?

I am, but four.
Children…
Spare me.

I am.
Do not take me.
I give myself.
Take me.
And with that with arms outstretched
For the million, billion and trillion,
He hung his head and died.

© Shefali        Kingdom Arts February 2025

February 2025 Gathering

So, another new year! Another modern martyr to learn about.

The aisle was decorated with a photograph of Maximillian Kolbe and an assortment of Polish items, some of which we ate at lunch!

Alex welcomed everyone to the gathering, both familiar and new people, including our new priest in charge Rev. Sarah, and a special visitor from Magdeburg, which is linked with the Worcester Diocese. We began by singing “Here is love vast as the ocean” and “What love is this?”, followed by prayers.

Jan K related the story [much abridged] of the Polish priest Maximillian Kolbe, a most interesting and principled man. He is one of the modern martyrs on the front of Westminster Cathedral. His death in 1941 in the concentration camp of Auschwitz was slow and terrible. He had taken the place of another Polish prisoner.

The morning’s activities were based on Maximillian’s story of sacrifice, faith, hope, and forgiveness.

Watercolour paint, brusho, and masking tape were used to create pictures based on a single, meaningful word.

There was a table of chalks and pastels for free creative painting, as inspired by the story.

Alison G brought white and green cloth and some straws, to sew into a symbolic white tulip.  They were described later as symbolising strength when gathered together, but when separated, some strength went away with each and every flower.

David led a small but motivated group of singers, to teach us a new song. It was slightly more complex than usual, with both a chorus and a bridge, but we tried hard and all want to sing it again, so we plant it in our worship repertoire.

The writing focus was to ponder the meaning of “Sacrifice” and there was very intense discussion.

The usual opportunities for colouring had returned with a twist. Bright Polish colour patterns used in Polish crafts were available to look at and then colour in, before mounting them on a card with space for a prayer on the reverse.

As usual, the atmosphere was friendly and warm (which was more than could be said for St George’s Church on this crisp morning!) Conversations abounded around the tables and we were kept refreshed by Pam with coffee, tea and biscuits.

We ended the morning’s activities by gathering to share our morning’s labours and to learn the new song, with the chorus “Jesus, I believe in you”.

A lunch followed with soup by Jan K – “tomato and apple”, or “chicken and vegetable”; together with bread, cheese, grapes, fruit, home-made cakes, and Polish biscuits.

We hope you will come next month when we meet on Tuesday 11th March.

Coffee will be served from 10.00, followed by worship and activities, with lunch around 12.30.

December 2024 Writing

Christmas Angel

Mary was afraid
Angel appeared suddenly
Messenger from God

Joseph was dreaming
Angel appeared silently
Be Mary’s husband

Jesus was sleeping
Lying in a trough of hay
Angel watching them

Image of a child
Christmas Spirit promises
Angels everywhere.

© Barbara Rolison Kingdom Arts December 2024

Mary and Elisabeth

Elisabeth waits…Looking heavenward…
Silence deafens, it’s piercing, unsettling.
She is in God’s waiting room.
Silence echoes in her home; hubby cannot speak!

Mary enters into keeping a silence
She has had a message, an angel, it’s piercing her dreams her life, her hopes;
It’s unsettling yet it offers hope.
A baby, two babies; conceived in the heart of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
One born to prepare the way out of darkness,
One to be born in the darkness of a stable.
A box for a bed straw for warmth.

The world waits
I need hope…I lie in my own crib, one of many cribs, nameless, a pregnancy unwanted.
No future, no identity, no belonging, no light.
Are you really a king, Jesus?
Who am I?
Can you tell?
Nobody’s child.
Can I lie with you in your crib for a while?
We see the star, we hear the angels,
All is calm and all is bright, baby Jesus, Son of God’s light,
You radiate pure light.
You give me peace and love, unspoken acceptance
And your presence changes everything!

No longer waiting,
I hold onto you;
You enlighten my darkness
And silence is pierced with the cry of my heart.
Come Emmanuel!

© Shefali Kingdom Arts December 2024

 

December 2024 Gathering

As we had reached December, and the end of another year we celebrated Christmas and the coming of Jesus. The aisle was decorated with a number of wonderful and different Nativity sets and Sparkling Christmas fabric and a magically lit display . . . .

. . . . setting the scene for the unfolding of the Nativity Icon by Andrei Rublev.

Alex then explained the painting dating from Russia in the 15th century and painted by one of the best iconographers. The different images within the picture were identified and described in detail.

The morning’s festive activities all focused on symbols of the season.

Alison brought paper to fold into tall and majestic angels, all the participants were delighted with the result. The conversation included a discussion on angels and who had felt their presence!

There was also a second paper folding table led by Maggie and involved folding paper from books into a circle to make a candle. [although one participant caused merriment and havoc by reading aloud from a book.] The candles were impressive and patience was needed.

Cherry led a sewing activity using cross stitch which was delicate and once again concentration was needed.

Circles of wood were made available by Sue to turn into a hanging decoration with a Christmas scene drawn painted or made as a collage.

The writing focus was very open; to write about Christmas and the thought-provoking results are available on our Creative Writing page.

The usual opportunities for colouring were not available this morning, causing someone to exclaim they had to do some work!

There was a tree to decorate.

You will find samples of some of the morning’s creations in this month’s Gallery.

The conversations abounded around the tables and we were kept refreshed by Pam with coffee, tea and mince pies.

We ended the mornings activities by gathering to share our efforts and we sat with lighted candles in a darkened church to sing “Like a candle flame”
It was a moving ending.

A lunch followed with soup, made by Jan K, this month it was “purple” soup(!), or carrot and coriander. There was bread, cheese, fruit, home-made cakes, and more mince pies.

We wish you all a Very Merry Christmas.

We hope you will come and after a month’s break we meet in 2025 on Tuesday, 11th February. Coffee from 10.00, followed by worship and activities, with lunch around 12.30.