B.V. Creative.
“I’m not very creative” is something a lot of people say but we know it’s just not true... Everyone is creative in one way or another so we decided to get people together to enjoy some creative activities and conversation.
B.V. Creative meets on Thursdays from 7-8pm. It’s a drop-in ‘Craft and Chatter’ which means you can grab a cuppa and enjoy a chat (and if you feel like it you can also work on your own project or a collective project while enjoying a catch up for an hour). Lots of laughs ensue and collective projects, such as rainbow displays and Christmas and Easter displays have already started to bloom. If you’d like to join us please contact us using the email form near the bottom of the page or email creative@barclayviewforth.org.uk.
COP26 Railing Display.
Our Creative Group have been beavering away creating the first layer of our COP26 railing display for our church building. Each week another theme will be introduced to the display, each one highlighting one of the effects of the climate crisis, learn about each week’s theme below.
If you would like to get involved, please email creative@barclayviewforth.org.uk
Week 1: Endangered Trees
The first layer is made up of hand embroidered fabric leaves which represent some of the trees which are in danger of becoming extinct, such as Horse Chestnut and members of the Rowan family, among others. Each of the large leaves features a message written by members of the congregation about climate change and the beautiful world God made, some of the most poignant of them written by the children.
Week 2: Cactus
The second theme was the scarcity of water represented by knitted and crocheted cactuses, which can conserve water so it lasts. An embroidered sign prompts passersby to ask what they can do to save water.
Week 3: Save the Bees
The third theme is bees, which may be tiny creatures but they make a huge impact. We need them to pollinate our crops so that we have plenty to eat. Climate change has had widespread terrible affects for the humble bee. ‘A new analysis shows the likelihood of a bee being found in any given place in Europe and North America has declined by a third since the 1970s.’ If we can help protect bees, we can help protect our future.
Week 4: Birds
The fourth theme is birds and how our habits are affecting their habitats. While there are sadly many ways birds are being affected including the loss of the trees they would normally call home and the insects they would normally eat the most visually shocking is the changes to their nesting materials. Birds normally use a variety of natural materials to make their nests but recently birds, especially sea birds have been using the plastic we throw away.
Week 5: Fashion
It is estimated that the fashion industry accounts for 10% of global emissions. It also takes a huge amount of water and some nasty chemicals to create the clothes we like. Unfortunately, many of these clothes also end up in landfill. So, what can we do? Could we reduce how much we buy, recycle our clothes by giving them to charity shops or maybe buy pre-loved? Swap shops are also a great way to find something ‘new-to-you’.
For week five we created flowers by recycling old clothes and using other old scraps of fabric that might have gone to waste. Many flowers had a washing instruction label sewn to them, helping to make the connection. One label even recommended helping the planet by washing at 30 degrees which is another great way to tackle climate change.
Pentecost Display.
The BV Creative Group invited the congregation to help with the Pentecost display and the result was fantastic!
The Ministry team asked the Creative Group to create a display for the railings, using imagery of Holy Spirit as wind and fire, to celebrate Pentecost. To find out more about what Pentecost is, please see the church blog (button at the end of this article). This is possibly the most collaborative project the group have done yet as some members knitted the smaller flames, some sewed flames together, some sewed the small flames to the giant felt flames while others created the ‘Wind Twirls’ or helped put up the display. There was a real sense of community as the collaboration didn’t end there! The group invited the congregation to create the ‘Wind Twirls’ too and, thanks to all the contributions, they were featured in the sanctuary too meaning that those at home could see them in the live stream of the service.
So, what is a ‘Wind Twirl’? Great question! A Wind twirl is a circle of card cut into a spiral and pulled out to dangle in a long coil, so they move in the breeze. They were made out of blue and grey card, then beautifully decorated with words and images relating to God and Holy Spirit. Thank you to everyone who got involved and all those who gave encouragement. The Creative Group is a drop-in group so even if you don’t have much time, we’d love you to join us at our Craft and Chatter zoom call on a Thursday. We have some on-going projects if you’d like something to pick up once in a while and we have a new craftivism project to raise awareness of a cause close to our hearts. To find out more contact creative@barclayviewforth.org.uk.
Use the button below to read the article, “Pentecost Explained“.
On-Going Projects.
We have a number of on-going projects that we have started so we can pick them up as and when we feel like it. If you would like to give any of them a go, please contact us and we will send you the patterns and will organise materials for you.
Poppies.
Last year some members of the group created a beautiful display of poppies for Remembrance Sunday. This year we would love to create a bigger display. We have two poppy patterns to choose from. Contact us at creative@barclayviewforth.org.uk if you would like a copy of the patterns.
Angels.
The angels on the church railings went down so well last Christmas that we are hoping to do it again, creating even more to give away. Some of the angels will be fixed to the railings as a display for everyone to see (often all the angels were gone within a few days of us putting them up) while most will be attached so passers-by can easily remove them to take home as a gift from the church. Contact us at creative@barclayviewforth.org.uk if you would like a copy of the pattern.
If you’d like to learn more or join our next project please contact us by emailing creative@barclayviewforth.org.uk.