Altar Hangings Unitarian Society of Hartford

Altar Hangings

If you come to UUism from a more traditional Christian church, you're probably familiar with the seasonal changes in altar hangings. Blue for Advent, flax with oxblood stripes for Lent, white for Christmas, Easter, Marriages and Burials, and red, green or yellow (or any favorite color not used elsewhere) for “Ordinary Time” ... the ANYTHING GOES filler between the two cycles of significance, Advent and Lent, which makes up most of the year. In these seasonal colors are also made up vestments, stoles, altar pieces, clerical robes, etc. The significance of the changing colors of these hangings is to honor the cycle of time ... seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and often significant secular events ... England's Michaelmas (September 29) marks the beginning of English court and school terms ... sort of like our Labor Day.

In our Unitarian Society, you could say we spend our whole year in “Ordinary Time”, and that the significance of our altar hangings is far more personal and specific to our particular congregation than it is a significant element of Unitarian Universalism. (The main worship symbol found throughout UU churches is the flaming chalice, designed as a gift by a homeless World War II refugee in grateful thanks for help received from the Unitarian Service Committee.)

In fact, most of our altar hangings were made as gifts to our ministers, and most were designed and made by Louise Schmoll.

GLOBAL REFLECTION

The most often used altar hanging is white, with two cut out circles which appear to be two worlds, two globes reflected in each other. Though it appears to be loaded with UU significance, it was actually acquired by Bill and Louise Willett's daughter Jan while an art student. She gave it to Louise, who realized how perfect it would be for our altar at church. Another facet of its perfection is that it is a cut-out design with a transparent backing which allows the wood organ pipes housed behind it to ring through unmuffled.

DOVE & RAINBOW

This colorful hanging was made for Jon Luopa's installation in 1986. Diagonal rainbow stripes with a small white dove symbolizing peace and hope. Louise Schmoll made sketches and discussed several ideas with Jon. She had used a similar design on a Christmas card which was adapted into the banner.

MUSIC BANNER

The blue music hanging ...notes, combined with the UU chalice symbol Louise Schmoll made for a specific Music Sunday over 25 years ago, and was so well liked that it has been brought out for all of our subsequent special music concerts.

150th ANNIVERSARY BANNER

This colorful abstract hanging has not been used since our 150th anniversary in 1994. It was designed by Marilyn Stockton, and made by Louise Schmoll. It would be appropriate to use during a Sunday service with a historical theme.

WORLD'S RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS

This banner, done in earth colors on a taupe background, was made to celebrate Jon Luopa's 10th anniversary with us. The symbols represent many different religions and ideas, worked into a pattern of the double rings of the UU chalice symbol. If the banner is viewed from the back of the church, when first entering, only the rings and the center of the lotus blossom (which also serves as the chalice flame) are seen. As you draw closer, other elements come into sight, including the cross and other symbols. The handshake has hands in two colors, and the ying/yang is also two colors. The entire banner is meant to show that our beliefs are drawn from many sources.

CHALICE BANNER

This hanging, a contemporary UU chalice with a striped border, was designed by Rosie Rindfleisch for Reverend Terasa Cooley's installation. Many hands helped to sew together the colorful silk strips. The chalice design was borrowed from Terasa's pendant, a design which was also used on the installation programs and invitations.

FUTURE HANGING CREATION PLANS

Louise Schmoll has ideas for a special Christmas banner, but has not yet finalized her plans. It would probably have a peace theme. Perhaps a co-ordinating new minister's stole could be part of the package.

Let us know of any comments, errors and corrections - thanks (revised 2/21/05)