The church exists to glorify god, to take the good news of Jesus Christ to others and to grow together in faith and love towards fulfilment in Jesus Christ.
HE IS RISEN! JESUS IS ALIVE TODAY
The design of the third banner was entrusted to me. The Easter scene of the "green hill for away" the cross, with the rays of the rising sun behind it came to mind.
I had realised on God to guide my hands when working with the other banners, particularly when doing the lettering because my writing was poor, and so far he hadn't let me down. Until Now!
Whatever I did I could not get the letters of "Jesus Is alive today" to stay straight – I had them stitched and unpicked so many times until it dawned on me that just as Jesus was alive today, so were the letters that carried the message!! I just has to allow them go the way they wanted to go!
When I had finished this banner, it, like the others, was hung up in my living room waiting to be taken to the church on Easter Sunday morning.
As you read what follows, you may wonder at first what this has to do with the banner at St.Ninians but please take your time because it is relevant.
One night I was out later that usual and returned home just as it was getting dark. I had locked my front door before leaving but on my return I found it unlocked with something wedged behind it preventing me form entering. I knew instantly that someone was in the house. I called my husband's name to make the person inside think that I was not alone, and at that moment saw the security light at the rear of my house light up. Neighbours saw a young man leave through the back of the house and leap the garden wall.
When I went inside I saw my video recorder in the middle of the room; the person was obviously trying to steal it, Nothing was taken apart form the controllers for the television and video recorder.
I was safe. No damage was done and to my great relief, the banner was still intact. I thanked God that no harm was done and said a prayer for the young man who felt the need to steal and hoped that the cross, so prominent on the banner would have such an effect on him, that he would mend his ways.
The police were called and came and took finger prints. My remote controls were never found, BUT the burglar was caught! I was surprised when some weeks later the police rand me if I would make a statement as the case was coming to court.
I expressed my relief to the policeman that nothing has been damaged and more importantly that the banner was safe. I told him I did not want to press any charges and said that I had prayed that the young man would change his ways and go straight.
The policeman seemed somewhat taken aback and told me that a young man of seventeen had walked into the police station the night after the burglary and said,
"I have just burgled 13 Howe Crescent, !'m on drugs and I want to give myself up and go straight, will you help me?"
He admitted to ten other crimes, but it was my house that he mentioned. The policeman said that I was to tell my church friends that, "He was impressed", and that my prayers were answered.
When I first looked at this banner in the church I used to think – this banner was witnessed a burglary. Now when I look at the Easter banner I think to myself, "that cross saved someone".
©Corby: St. Ninian's Church of Scotland