About the North Stamford
Congregational Church
Bicentennial Quilt
Scroll over the different areas of the
Quilt to view the background and the
names of the quilters and designers.
1782
Edward Thoma, designer
Virginia Thoma, quilter
Twenty-two men and
women covenanted and
formed the North Stamford
Ecclesiastical Society
on June 4, 1782.
Founders Scroll
Florence Butler,
designer and quilter
The 22 founders
represented 10 families.
Woodpecker Ridge
David Carswell, designer
Sue Ellen Carswell, quilter
The northerly part of
the colonial parish-town
of Stamford.
Founders Scroll
Florence Butler,
designer and quilter
Of the 22 founders,
7 were Weeds. Many of the
founders bore names of
Bible origin.
Alpha Omega
Edward Thoma, designer
Joanne Tewksbury, quilter
Signifies that Christ is
the beginning and ending
of all things.
Jerusalem Cross
Edward Thoma, designer
Virginia Thoma, quilter
This cross is known as
the Crusader’s Cross
and signifies the five
wounds of Christ.
Fish
Edward Thoma, designer
Harriet Barker, quilter
A symbol of Christ,
originating in acrostic
formed by the letters
in the Greek word for
fish, ichthus, meaning
"Jesus Christ, Son of God,
Savior."
Lamb
Edward Thoma, designer
Virginia Thoma, quilter
Banner-bearing Lamb
signifies the Resurrection.
The cross-emblazoned
banner is the sign
of triumph.
Ship
Edward Thoma, designer
Judith Vars, quilter
This symbol signifies the
Church—that the world
is a sea in which the
church, like a ship, is
beaten by the waves
but not submerged.
Trinity
Edward Thoma, designer
Mary Alice Gottfried, quilter
Symbol of the Trinity,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Ten Commandments
Edward Thoma, designer
Alice B. Booth, quilter
The tablets signify that
keeping the Commandments
leads to a fulfilling
relationship with God and
one another.
Christmas Rose
Edward Thoma, designer
Alfreda Fago, quilter
Symbolic of the incarnation
of our Lord and of the
garden which will result
from trusting God. It
represents the prophesy
of Isaiah: "the desert
shall rejoice and bloom
as a rose. And they who
believe shall see the glory
of God, and the greatness
of His works."
Covenant
Fred Bartscht, designer
Susan Sexton, quilter
Preamble to the full
covenant, entered into by
the church founders,
June 4, 1782.
Church
Fred Bartscht, designer
Virginia Thoma, quilter
Third meeting
house, dedicated
February 23, 1874.
Celtic Cross
Florence Butler,
designer and quilter
Known as the
"mission cross," this
6th century symbol
combines the cross
and world,
represented by a
circle.
IHS
Edward Thoma, designer
Marilyn Penfield, quilter
The first three letters of the
name Jesus in Greek.
Cemetery Headstone
Edward Thoma, designer
Virginia Thoma, quilter
Replica of the headstone
of one of the 22 founding
members.
Schoolhouse
Mary Margaret Telep,
designer and quilter
The one-room school house,
moved in 1925, to present
location behind the church.
Dedicated in 1952 as the
Margaret D. Givens
Guild House.
Parsonage
Beth Mizelle, designer
Virginia Thoma, quilter
Built in 1905 to replace
the previous parsonage,
destroyed in a 1904 fire.
Razed in 1990.
Dove and Cross
Barbara Denick, designer
Virginia Fant and
Barbara Denick, quilters
The dove descending
from Heaven symbolizes
the Holy Spirit.
Chi-Rho
Edward Thoma, designer
Karen Marone and
Georgianna Decoster,
quilters
The symbol of the
Chi-Rho represents the
first two letters of the
word Christ in Greek. This
Chi-Rho (with the Alpha
and Omega) suggests that
Jesus Christ is the
beginning and ending,
the first and last.
Seal of United Church
of Christ
Edward Thoma, designer
Georgianna Decoster, quilter
Depicts the sovereignty
(crown) of the crucified
and risen Christ (empty
cross) over all the world
(orb). Our church joined
the UCC in 1959.
Bread
Edward Thoma, designer
Ella Kamp and
Edna Morris, quilters
A communion symbol
(body of Christ)
Wine
Lawrence Trowbridge,
designer
Eleanor Trowbridge, quilter
A communion symbol
(blood of Christ)
1982
Edward Thoma, designer
Virginia Thoma, quilter
The Bicentennial Year
of North Stamford
Congregational Church.
