at Christ Church Woodley
Christ Church's Millennium Banner is made from two thousand small fabric squares, each one marked with a cross - the symbol of Christ's death for all. These squares are arranged in twenty rows of one hundred in order to show the twenty centuries since the birth of Jesus, with some years being picked out as especially important in our Christian heritage.
The whole piece is nearly seven metres long and more than one metre high. It was made over a period of ten months between September 1999 and July 2000 by more than six hundred and fifty people from all over Woodley and beyond. The oldest participant was nearly ninety and the youngest was two.
A wide range of textile techniques was used. These include buttons, canvaswork, crochet, cross-stitch, embroidery, goldwork, iron-on applique, knitting, lace, modelling with Fimo, printing, ribbon-weaving and tatting. Each cross was individually designed by the person who made it, so each one has its own story and is unique.
The image on the banner is of rays of light streaming out, as the light of Christ streams across space and beyond two thousand years, Its rainbow colours speak of God's faithfulness to His people, of the splendour of His creation and of the rich variety and creativity of the human family. It also reminds us of the importance of each one of us, just as each square makes its special contribution to the whole.