Page 9 - Moravian Messenger Nov 2020

Baildon Flower Power
© Sr Caroline Mitchell
Following on from the Blue
Flowers which adorned our church
gates, as a Thank You to the NHS and Key Workers, we continued our floral theme but in rainbow colours. Yes, I know we need to get out more but as that's tricky at the moment we knit, crochet and make pom-poms. As you do!
Once we'd started making flowers it became like a cottage industry. (Who knew you could buy flower looms on Amazon?) No one wanted to stop and so 'Phase Two' began. Children asked to contribute so we included pom-poms and brightly painted stones along the steps
below the gates. The scene was a joy to behold.
The response from the community has been amazing. More and more items were fastened to the netting on the gates, including our own nurse and paramedic. Someone took a fancy to our nurse and she vanished. However, a swift 999 alert on Facebook and a replacement appeared within days!
The display has now been dismantled and over 1,000 flowers have been
washed, dried and are looking as good as new. We are mulling over ideas of where next to put them and show for the community to enjoy.
Having taken photographs beforehand we decided to have them made into postcards and a former Baildon man, who fondly remembered his time at our Sunday School many years ago, has printed them for us free of charge. They are selling well for church and charities and there have been orders from as far afield as Devon. The wonders of Facebook!
So, is that the end of it? Not really. We are starting 'Phase Three'; red poppies for Remembrance Day in conjunction with the other churches in Baildon. It seems there is no stopping the Baildonian Crafters. Well, not until the day when we can actually get out more!
Sr Maria Hanson
Baildon
Fetter Lane
Exploring our Heritage at Moravian Close
Preparing for this year's Open House London weekend (19th and 20th September) required a focus on national Covid-19 guidelines as
they changed over the
preceding weeks. The
restrictions made us think hard
about the best way to
communicate the whole story
of the Close from Sir Thomas
More to the present-day Fetter
Lane Congregation in a way
that encouraged
thoughtfulness and individual
discovery. Luckily this year, the
weather was definitely on our
side - sunny and warm all
weekend, so our outdoors-only venue was perfect.
All the national guidelines were followed including hygiene, social distancing and a 'Track and Trace' register. To prevent visitors from bunching up around signs and detailed storyboards, Sr Naomi Hancock devised an attractive and informative 20-page booklet given to each visiting group. As well as human history, the booklet also included references to the unique biodiversity found in our Close.
© Sr Cynthia Dize
To bring the stories to life, Sr Naomi and local historian Ian Foster gave impromptu 'walk and talk' presentations, recounting Count Zinzendorf's purchase of the property in 1750, its
place in the Chelsea art scene thanks to Mary and Ernest Gillick, and Christian the Lion who romped around in the 1970s. Members of the congregation told the story of the current use of the Close for worship and as a space to welcome our neighbours for peace and quiet. Thanks to congregation members and volunteers who made the day a success.
As a congregation and the stewards of the Close, we plan to set up a Heritage and Ecology Working Group so that we can preserve and promote biodiversity and learn more about the history of some of the individuals who found a home among Moravians in London.
Sr Cynthia Dize
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