SMART board covers

SMART board covers

 At the beginning of this year we installed two SMART boards at CCS.  (If you’ve never seen one, a SMART board is like a large touch-sensitive computer monitor that you can use like a whiteboard to write notes, show slideshow presentations, etc.)  They’re a lot of fun and they’re inspiring us to think about how we can get the most educational mileage out of them.  … But when they’re not in use they’re kind of big and white and blah.

So we put the word out to our community, inviting anyone who felt so moved to create a quilt or “smartboard cosy” for us.  Here are some of the fine creations.

Kimberly Roy's colourful cover

Kimberly Roy says: “The colorful abstract cover was birthed out of a journey I am currently on. It was to have a border, but with the changes to the size and dimensions, its identity changed a bit. Enjoy!”

Kimberly Roy's diaconal identity cover

Kim says: “I created two covers.  With the history we have been covering this past academic year I felt called to display bits and pieces of what I see as my diaconal identity. It is more plain and not “completed” but that is what I also see as part of my identity – further learning, and added experiences to life’s journey”

Laura Richardson's provincial flowers cover

Laura Richardson says: For the past twenty-seven years, my husband Jim and I have been part of the Glebe-St. James United Church congregation in Ottawa. In the early nineties, I was honored with the title of Minister in Association (precursor of ‘Volunteer Associate Minister’) there. In my response to receiving that, I told the story of how I was named the ‘official paper cutter’ when I was working at Wesley Memorial UC in Moncton in the late sixties. (The title stemmed partly from making friendship chains of paper people.) I went on to say that my interests were music, sewing and other related crafts, and people, and that it was not just cutting paper but the important element was to share in the fabric of people’s lives.
More recently, I have been involved in quilting and embroidery and, having these embroidery blocks already done, I was happy for an opportunity to share my passion for the Provincial and Territorial flowers which I felt would represent the Centre’s national identity. We have strong quilting and craft groups at Glebe-St. James whose members help each other with various projects. I would particularly like to mention Judy Wolanski who also supplied me with the light blue and dark blue fabrics for the quilt.
So enjoy! I hope this can be tangible evidence of the strengthening of the bonds of CCS grads who have come from all parts of the country over the 120 years of the Centre’s existence.”

Jo-Anne Muldrew's weaving cover

Jo-Anne Muldrew says, ““the pattern for this quilt is called ‘Weave It To Me’ and was designed by Judy Dohrman and published by Black Cat Creations. I must confess that no deep thought went into the choosing of the pattern. It was one I have had for some time, but never had the occasion to use, although I liked it and wanted to make it. The fabrics I used were also just ones that I had in my cupboard. Blue and yellow always seems a cheerful and hopeful color combination to me and as I had an idea of where the quilt was going to go I thought they would suit the room. Making a quilts is often a solitary activity and this allows lots of time to think as I work and sometimes my mind goes on a journey of its own..The colors began to represent the many different groups of people that are connected to the centre as well and how through time the individual pieces can work as one unit. It was as I worked on the quilt that the symbolism of the weaving of the fabrics seemed to be similar to what happens at the Centre for Christian Studies with the many different groups, lives, and activities that are interconnected in the building. Making mistakes and having to correct them ( I had trouble getting the size right) also seemed symbolic of troubles that individuals and groups that use the centre might have and how with persistence and patience a whole cloth, a strong group or a better life can be the result.”

Finally, another one from Kim Roy.  This one’s not a Smart board cover, but a banner she made as a gift to CCS.

Kim and Clement Roy's colourful banner

Kim says, The banner is a special gift from my partner and me. It is made up of some of the same materials as the one cover…It however, has its own journey of growing, stretching and faith for both my partner and me. The dowelling the banner hangs from was hand made by my partner out of an old willow bush not far from home. He set out to find that special piece of God’s world to be a part of this creation. He arrived home with this perfect piece of wood and went to work on the lathe, knowing that his caring nature and love went into this piece of art… These special pieces of art and the time they afforded me to deeply reflect upon my personal theology and growing edges. Who would have thought that making SMART board covers could come to mean so much to one’s faith journey.”