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Resurrection Day -A painting by Peter Rolfe 2006 2004 The Aardvarks' New CD -Christian Band from St Thomas' 2004 St Thomas' New Banner -by Karen Herrick See also: 2003 St Peter's Altar Fronts 2003 St Peter's Art and Craft Exhibition 2004 St Peter's New Altar Frontal Picture of the Cross by Ray Hearn (June 1995 edition of magazine) It can be found on the left (i.e. North) wall of the Church as you enter through the Main door. The four pictures are in the shape of a cross for practical and symbolic reasons. Several verses of Scripture provide the inspiration. 1. John 15:1-2 - "1 am the true vine and My Father is the Gardener. He cuts off every branch of vine that does not produce. And he trims and cleans every branch that produces ,fruit so that it will produce even more fruit." The picture portrays that love can be painful to the one who is loved. In the same way the cross shape reminds us of the price God paid to show His love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). 2. John 1:4 John says: "In Him there was Life. That life was Light for the people of the world." Jesus is the Light who brings perfect order, light, purpose and fullness of life to the world which was described as follows in Genesis 1:2 "The earth was empty and had no form. Darkness covered the ocean and the Spirit of God was moving over the water." In Genesis, the Spirit of God hovers over the waters. In the picture, God, the Holy Spirit, in the shape of a blue dove, is hovering over the cross and the Light of Christ crucified lights every corner of the Creation. John writes: "The Light shines in the darkness. And the darkness has not overpowered the Light." John 1:5 3. A white dove is moving with great power in the picture on the other arm of the Cross. A dove has been the symbol of God's peace since the days of Noah: "And that evening the dove returned to him with a fresh olive leaf in its mouth. Then Noah knew that the ground was almost dry." Genesis 8:11 White depicts the purity of God, blue, His love, red and gold the consuming flame of His holiness. Peace, Love, Purity and Holiness make up the Power of God, the Holy Spirit. Jesus said to them: "But the Holy Spirit will come to you. Then you will receive power; You will be My witnesses - in Jerusalem, in all of Judea in Samaria and in every part of the world." Acts 1:8. 4. Over all is a shadowy picture of God. The crown He wears is a crown of thorns for, as yet, we still see but a poor reflection of Him as in a mirror (1 Corinthians 13:12). Nonetheless, He is saying: "Behold, I am making everything new." Revelation 21:5a. Ray Hearn Christ in the Peak, 3 paintings by Ray Hearn 'On Curbar Edge' (February 1997 edition of magazine)  Jesus said: Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. (Matthew 7:24) The silhouette of a man and a woman standing on a rock on Curbar Edge against a background of Light is a symbol of the complete oneness of the Christian with Christ. Jesus is the Christian's Rock. His teaching, like a fortress, protects and shields us even though we are exposed to the storms of' life. His Cross and Resurrection rescue us from darkness and transport us into the Light of His glorious Life. Our Life is hidden in Christ. Christians live but the life they have is Christ's. We have no other life than the Rock from which we were hewn, just as a house has no existence when separated from its foundation. The house is individual and distinctive, having its own features, just as we all are, but rooted and founded in our foundation rock. The light in the picture is a combination of memory and photographs of sunrises taken from the balcony of our apartment in Roquetas da Mar, Almeria in February, 1996. Jesus, our Rock, is a living stone and we are living stones. The rock symbolises our stability and identity but the light portrays the promise of Jesus that He came to bring abundant life to all who will receive Him and trust Him with their lives. All other ground is sinking sand" 'On Millstone Edge' (April 1997 edition of magazine)  Jesus said: "I am the Alpha and the Omega the first and the Last, the Beginning and the End." Revelation 22:13 The picture of Millstone Edge was strongly influenced by a photograph in a calendar of Derbyshire photos. I also took my own photographs from the side opposite to the one in the calendar. The sky is original, stemming from heart and mind. It is a picture of life, wild and vigorous, dark and foreboding but holding brilliant colours. The beauty, peace and order of the landscape with some wild untended areas is also a picture of life as a foretaste of heaven. The man made rock edge dominates the picture. It represents Christ, the Truth, the cornerstone made by God who anchors us to God, giving shape and purpose to our lives, not only the beginning and the end but also the Way and our Companion on the Way. The Cross on the corner is an Eternal reminder of the love and the judgement of God. It can be seen from all angles by all people. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ Jesus, he/she is a new creation. The old has gone. The new has come. All this is from God, Who reconciled Himself to us through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto Himself, not counting men's sins against them" -(Corinthians 5:18-19) Jesus the Life, stands at the top of the path to welcome His saints, those who put their trust in Him and did not stumble. They are dressed in the white robes He has provided for them. White is a symbol of holiness - being set aside by God to fulfil His purpose. The Ministry of reconciliation proclaims · Jesus is Lord · Jesus was crucified for our sins · God raised Jesus from the dead · Whoever believes these truths in their hearts and who calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:8-13 and 1 Corinthians 1:23) Two men are climbing the face of the rock, seeking to achieve God's purpose for them by their own efforts. This is Man's way, full of danger from falling rocks, and missed footholds. The two ways are summed up in the following scripture: ....Israel, who pursued a law of righteousness has not attained it... because they pursued it not by faith but as if it were by works. They stumbled over a stumbling stone, "See I lay in Zion a stone that causes you to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame." (Romans 9:31-33) God gives us the choice (Genesis 2:16) to follow His way or our own way. His way leads to Life. It is the way of trust in God. Our way chooses eternal separation from the Life in God through Jesus. God has no place in our lives. It is a mystery. God gives us the choice to live according to His, "the Maker's instructions" or to ignore them. 'The White Peak' (June 1997 edition of magazine)  The capstone is the wedge shaped stone at the centre of an arch. It is the final stone to be put in place and is a fearsome image: The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone. The Lord has done this and it is marvellous in His eyes... He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces but he on whom it falls will be crushed. (Matthew 22:42 and 44) In the Authorised Version the word "Capstone" is not used. "Cornerstone" is used, but the original word is literally "head of the corner" or "keystone" of the arch (Zecariah 4:7, 10:4) of God's new creation in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17). Each stone depends on the capstone, leans on the capstone, has its identity and function determined by the capstone. The arch collapses without a capstone and crushes those beneath. I looked for a clear example in good light but could not find one that would give a good photo. Then I discovered an undeveloped roll of film containing photos taken by Simon, my son, on his holiday in Turkey a year previously. These pictures were a "Godsend". Two were of an arch at Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22) which had been held together by a capstone for at least two thousand years. Young men and girls were standing on top! These arches were common in the time of Jesus in the Eastern Mediterranean. The arch had stood for thousands of years but there was no cement holding the stones. The love of God in Christ Jesus holds us and all creation together! People would know exactly what was meant by the image of "capstone" After I had painted the picture I discovered the clearest example of arches with capstone I have seen in Britain: surrounding the courtyard in the stables at Chatsworth House, the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. They were held together by cement but the relationship of the stones to each other was the same as in the arch at Laodicea. Christ and His Church The arch is a graphic picture of Christ and His Church of "living stories" and a vivid illustration of the meaning of the words: "God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself" (holding everything together in a right relationship) (2 Corinthians 5:19) The painting portrays Christ enduring the Cross for the world He loves, providing significance and purpose for each "stone" by becoming at one with the world, at the same time as atoning or paying, for the sins of the world by becoming God's own offering for sin: "not counting men's sin's against them" (2 Corinthians 5:19) Jesus is in the Peak District and in His Church in the Peak. If not, He has nothing to say to us. We would not be able to trust Him to hold our lives together for he would not be worthy of our trust. God is still in Christ in the world (Matthew 2:23) because: "Jesus is the same, yesterday, today, forever, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the Author and Perfecter of our faith" (Hebrews 13:8, Revelation 22:13, Hebrews 13:2) "And He has committed to us the ministry of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf. Be reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:19-20) The arch is the symbol of Christ's church with Christ as her capstone in the world, in the Peak; the gate through which we all must enter to enjoy (enter into the joy of) the Peak and God's world as God intended. Ray Hearn Crucifixion through Art (June 2002 edition of magazine) An artistic response to aspects of the Crucifix and the Crucifixion through the art of James Martin Exhibition at Thomas' Church during Holy Week 2002. We were told it was "controversial". Don't come "if you are easily offended" and don't bring children "because of the subject matter". If James Martin's work was in film format I would have given it a "U" certificate. My children would have been untouched. And here lies the rub. James Martin's major theme is that we have become so used to seeing the crucifix, that the pain, the blood, the torn flesh, the death, the degradation, the loss of hope, the emergence of hope and love has been lost to us. How do you depict this in static art? The print entitled "Lord what must you think of me to wear your death as jewelry" displays a cross and chain. To wear a cross? To pierce your ears with crosses? To wear trendy gothic crosses? To wear God's Son's death as a statement of faith or a statement of fashion? ,lames Martin writes in the brochure "what must He think?" "Jesus in the Sand" is a photograph of Christ on the cross sculpted in sand on Swanage beach. Artistically it was beautiful. Jesus had serenity. The public responded to the art positively. When the Artist asked the public what their reaction would be if he had sculpted a knife attack they said it would be unsuitable for a public beach. It appears that crucifixion has become suitable. The pieces "Why?" (a collage on wood), "Barbie on the cross" (Barbie doll and wood) and "Aunty Christ" (ink on cotton) all explore replacing Christ on the crossed beams because "the little man on the cross" has become anonymous. The collage "Why?" was created after James Martin had asked many people who they believed did not deserve to be crucified. People gave reasons why Ghandi, Mother Theresa and Princess Diana should be crucified. However people felt that Nelson Mandela, closely followed by Cliff Richard,. did not deserve crucifixion. Hence Nelson Mandela's face appears on the crucified body. So why did Jesus deserve to be crucified? I have only given a thumb nail review of part of the "Crucifixation" exhibition. If you have a chance to see James Martin's work, don't pass it by. Controversial? Maybe. A thought and faith provoking preparation for Easter? Definitely. Thank you to the Rector and the Church Wardens for being brave enough to hold this stimulating exhibition. Tim Wheeler 'Resurrection Day', painted by Peter Rolfe (Easter 2006 edition of Spotlight)  I know that Jesus is alive 2000 years after his execution! Why didn't his life and teaching, brilliant as they are, get forgotten with time? For me the answer lies in the first Easter Day, changing the world for ever, as Jesus showed us that he is both human like us and - in an incredibly mysterious way - God himself. In this painting I try to capture the amazement we feel at Jesus' victory over death. He bursts back to life in an explosion of light and colour that promises an end to misery and evil, (shown by the grey margin of news headlines). We can scarcely see Jesus through the dazzle but we know he is there changing the grimness. Should I trust him or not? For me there is no choice - a life lived with Jesus has light and joy even in its bleak-est moments. I know that in time we, and this world that we know, will be transformed for good. Surely in our hearts we recognise that this is how life is meant to be. Peter Rolfe The Aardvarks' new CD (February 2004 edition of the magazine) A is for Aardvark Aardvarks are African mammals with long ears and snouts. They are also Ian Hoare, Hannah Willis and Chris Witham, teenage members of St Thomas who make up the Christian band They describe themselves as Christians with attitude who want to spread the word of God. Soft Rock with variations probably best characterises their music. The CD Ian, Hannah and Chris formed the band in summer 2003 and have recorded and released their first CD entitled The style of the thirteen tracks on the CD is varied but the influence of the band members favourite groups, including The Beatles and Delirious, does show through. Each track is a song in its own right but they all complement each other to make a complete album, arguably in the style of Sergeant Pepper. The enthusiasm of the band is evident and there a few interesting little asides captured on the recording (and listen out for the hidden track at the end of the CD). The recording was made at Route 48 Studios in Brampton and was mixed and produced with a lot of help from Stephen Willis. The words and music to all the thirteen tracks on are written and performed by the band but inspired by, as they put it, our bezzie mate Jesus. It was standing room only at St Thomas in January when the Aardvarks performed their first live gig. Ian, Hannah and Chris, supported by Stephen Willis, performed some twenty songs, seventeen of their own and three covers. Of their own songs, six were from and eight were new. Catherine Witham made a guest appearance, playing violin for one song. From the opening chords of the first number My God to the final chords of the encore I believe in a thing called love the band struck up a rapport with the audience. They danced, swayed, sang along and clapped. It was certainly an evening to remember. By Pan (St Thomas music critic) The band now have 3 CDs out and have played at numerous events. St Thomas' New Banner (February 2004 edition of the magazine) 'Exalt the Lord our God'
Overall the design is intended to facilitate our praise, in the glory of Jesus' death and resurrection. Karen Herrick |
