St Ninian;s Church Banners by 'Agnes Tait'

A church member asked me if I could make a banner for church in patchwork. I was willing to help her make one or do one myself once I knew what was wanted. I had never done patchwork but was willing to try.

Time Passed.

During this time, my husband died and I found life very hard to endure. Still felling down, I went to the east cost for a few days.

The weather was good and I would rise early and walk along the cliffs where I had often been with my husband and grandchildren. One beautiful morning whilst walking, I stopped to take in the scenery. In front of me was a broad stretch of wild flowers bordering a field of corn, moving like the sea. Larks were rising and falling, siging as they alternately rose from ground to blue sky, the sound was heavenly.

I scanned to the right and saw the sand, and blue sea rolling in below. There was nobody else in sight – standing in awe, so moved, I had to pray and thank God for giving me the sense to enjoy His creation.

Next morning I decided to walk along the beach. The only one on the sand, I paddled in the sea for about a mile towards the town. There I saw a church.

When on holiday I always visit a church, so I went in, there on the pillars up the aisle were about ten banners in shapes made from felt. One in particular caught my eye it boldly declared "Our God Reigns."

I was possessed by the urge to sew one like that for St.Ninian's church now that I knew what was wanted.

On my return home, in the early hours of Sunday morning I woke with the thought that a second banner should be done to accompany "OUR GOD REIGNS".

The passage that came in to my head was, "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet that bringeth good news�" In the morning when I got up, I drew the mountains, put feet on the path and went to church.

One of the hymns selected for that morning was Mission Praise 79. "How beautiful upon the mountains�" almost in confirmation of my earlier decision.

Sewing I have no problem with, but I am no artist. I had never worked with felt before – where was I to get the materials?

I was shortly to go on holiday to Scotland where these problems would be solved – a relative was an artist and would draw the scene, a local shop had all the materials in the colours I wanted, and the Bible provided all the illustrations.

On my return home I couldn't wait to begin work. I was addicted! I ate drank and slept the banners' for a month.

I would wake at night and couldn't wait till daylight to start, all the while praying for God to put the skill in my hands, to sew them for his Glory to make them worthy to hang in his Church. I wanted everyone who looked on them to feel his presence – spirit to spirit – and make them want to get to know him better.

I thanked God every night for what he had enables me to accomplish that day and also prayed for him to guide my hands the next day.

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St Ninian;s Church Banners by 'Agnes Tait'