Call: 0121 472 8000 • email: info@westhillendowment.org
Dear God...
“Hate leads to fights, Fights lead to war, War leads to beautiful world no more”
Kieran Hunt

Our Project:


Children's Festival
New building established as a centre for community activity



NEW BUILDING, NEW BANNERS -
BELLE ISLE IN BLOOM

The United Reformed Church in South Leeds now has a brand new building in Nesfield Road, Belle Isle, Leeds LS10 3LG. Over the weekend of JUNE 11-12 we held a RAINBOW FLOWER FESTIVAL and ART and CRAFTS EXHIBITION to celebrate this new phase in the life and ministry of our church and to invite members of our local community to visit us. Our first service in the new building was held on Easter Sunday. What a wonderful way in which to celebrate RESURRECTION !

banner

MUSIC AND FLOWERS
At a Rainbow Flower Festival and Art and Crafts Exhibition, music and flowers came together in a most harmonious way. The words of Alan Gaunt’s hymn on the rainbow ( No 76 in The Hymn Texts of Alan Gaunt, Stainer & Bell Limited, London , 1991.) were reproduced in the programme . They also provided the inspiration for some of the floral displays. The Reverend Tony Lee’s imagination was stimulated to produce a three dimensional depiction of the Genesis story of Noah, the ark and the rainbow, which included a floral rainbow and honesty seed raindrops. An arrangement of white flowers on a crystal organza cloth displayed on the communion table was based on words from the hymn:

God, let your light in Jesus,
love’s pure pure white light ablaze,
diffracted into rainbows
through faithfulness and praise,
shed faith, hope, love and mercy
--- the colours of your grace ---
with peace, delight and justice,
on all the human race.

Our organist, Michael Beard, created a ‘Music and Flowers’ display in front of the keyboard using rainbow coloured flowers to highlight some of the musical notation of another rainbow song, and during the course of the weekend he got together with Norma Middleton,
A.L.C.M. ( a former organist ) and Alan Hughes ( a former member and talented musician ) to play impromptu recitals of a variety of rainbow songs. This inspired me ( not noted for my ability to sing in tune ) to join in and attempt to ‘make a joyful noise unto the
the Lord ‘ !

piano dressing


The festival was organised to celebrate our new building and newly refurbished Over 55 Club premises, and to promote our church as a centre for community activity, Christian worship, service and care. At the closing Songs of Praise service at which another organist and friend of the church, John Tilbury, accompanied the singing, it was ‘standing room only’ and ‘please share with your neighbour’ when we ran out of chairs and hymn books.

The huge congregation nearly raised the roof as hearts and voices were lifted up in joyful praise. We are grateful to Stainer & Bell for permission to use Alan Gaunt’s hymn in this innovative way and for all the joy that our festival has given to church members, neighbours and friends.

For more details see our website at www.urcyorkshire.org.uk/qv.html


banners

NEW BANNERS
On display in the new church will be the first of a series of banners designed and stitched by members of the congregation, including some of our children. This work is part of an ongoing creative arts project generously sponsored by The Westhill Endowment.

We hope to produce banners to represent each of the church’s seasons, the seasons of the year and the worship and outreach of the church. These will be used at both formal and informal services.

FESTIVAL and EXHIBITION
Flower arrangements inspired by all the colours of the rainbow and the biblical story of the flood and the rainbow. Genesis 9. Members and friends will contribute to an exhibition of paintings, embroidery, ceramics and photography and all the entries in a children’s and young people’s art and craft competition will also be on display.


childrens paintings

BELLE ISLE IN BLOOM
After many years of hoping, fund raising, planning and prayer ( and some frustrating delays during last winter’s bad weather ) the seeds of a vision sown and nurtured by a faithful few, some of whom are now no longer with us, are coming to fruition. For this we will give thanks to God at a Songs of Praise service at the end of the festival. We hope to establish our new building as a centre for community activity and service as well as a place of prayer and praise. WATCH THIS WEBSITE for further news and pictures of BELLE ISLE IN BLOOM.

floral arrangement


Flowers on table

Copyright in the design and photographs of the banners : Jessica Isherwood. 2011.