Bicentennial Quilt

In 1982, members of the North Stamford Congregational Church made a quilt to celebrate the Church's bicentennial. Each square was created by a member of the Church. Today, the quilt can be found hanging in the Sanctuary.

Description of Each Square

(Starting at the upper left and reading across)

The 1782 square symbolizes the date that the North Stamford Congregational Church was formed - Edward Thoma, designer; Virginia Thoma, quilter

The next square (and the fourth square) shows the original 22 members - Florence Butler, designer and quilter 

The woodpecker is symbolic of the name of the area at the time, Woodpecker Ridge - David Carswell, designer; Sue Ellen Carswell, quilter

Alpha and Omega convey an idea that would be difficult to present by an object from the world of nature, of the One in whom creation began and by whom it will end.  Christ is the beginning and the ending of all things - Edward Thoma, designer; Joanne Tewksbury, quilter

The Jerusalem Cross is equally well known as the Crusader's Cross and signifies the five wounds of Christ - Edward Thoma, designer; Virginia Thoma, quilter

The fish is a symbol of Christ which had its origin in the acrostic formed by the letters in the Greek word for fish (Ichthus), which stood for "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior" - Edward Thoma, designer; Harriet Barker, quilter

The banner-bearing Lamb, signifying the Resurrection, holds the cross-emblazoned banner as the sign of triumph - Edward Thoma, designer; Virginia Thoma, quilter

The ship is a symbol of the church: "The world is a sea, in which the church, like a ship, is beaten by the waves but not submerged" - Edward Thoma, designer; Judith Vars, quilter

These last three squares (fish, lamb and ship) could also symbolize three professions of early members

The next square symbolizes the Trinity--Father, Son and Holy Spirit - Edward Thoma, designer; Mary Alice Gottfried, quilter

The Ten Commandment tablets figure as an attribute of the Old Dispensation (the Synagogue) compared with the new (the Church). The division accepted by the Reformed churches at the Reformation is four commandments on one tablet and six on the other - Edward Thoma, designer; Alice B. Booth, quilter

The next square depicts The Covenant - Fred Bartscht, designer; Susan Sexton, quilter

Following this is a square depicting the Church - Fred Bartscht, designer; Virginia Thoma, quilter

The Christmas Rose is symbolic of the incarnation of our Lord. It refers to the prophecy in Isaiah where it is stated that the desert shall bloom as the rose at the coming of the Kingdom of Righteousness - Edward Thoma, designer; Alfreda Fago, quilter

The Celtic Cross, known as the "mission cross", is a sixth century symbol which combines the cross and the world. The world is represented by a circle - Florence Butler, designer and quilter

The next square, IHS, shows the first three letters of the name "Jesus" in Greek - Edward Thoma, designer; Marilyn Penfield, quilter

The next four squares (in a row) depict church property:

• The Cemetery: replica of the headstone of one of the 22 founding members - Edward Thoma, designer; Virginia Thoma, quilter
• The School House: original one-room school house moved in 1925 to present location behind church and dedicated in 1952 as "Margaret D. Givens Guild House" - Mary Margaret Telep, designer and quilter
• The Church Parsonage: Beth Mizelle, designer; Virginia Thoma, quilter
• The Stone Community House: a gift established by Judge Charles D. Lockwood in memory of his parents, Henry and Helen M. Davenport Lockwood (cornerstone laid on November 28, 1925) - Beth Mizelle, designer; Virginia Thoma, quilter

The Dove descending from Heaven is the most widely used symbol of the Holy Spirit - Barbara Denick, designer; Virginia Fant and Barbara Denick, quilters

Chi Rho is a symbolic monogram incorporating the first two letters of the messianic title "Christ" in Greek characters - Edward Thoma, designer; Karen Marone and Georgianna Decoster, quilters

In the next square is the Seal of the United Church of Christ--the Lordship (crown) of the crucified and risen Christ (empty cross) over all the world (orb) - Edward Thoma, designer; Georgianna Decoster, quilter

Squares follow depicting the Communion symbols--the bread (body of Christ) and the wine (blood of Christ) - Edward Thoma, designer; Ella Kamp and Edna Morris, quilters, and Lawrence Trowbridge, designer; Eleanor Trowbridge, quilter

The last square, 1982, stands for the year the quilt was completed - just 200 years after the formation of the church - Edward Thoma, designer; Virginia Thoma, quilter