From the Sanctuary mmoravianoravian understanding of love) carries with it conditionality, abuse of JANUARY 2018 mmessengeressenger trust, and danger, no wonder we struggle to find the love of God easy to accept. It is difficult to trust the unconditionality of God's transforming love, because that is outside of our experiencing of love. I feel a great sadness in this, as I experience profoundly the transforming love of God most days of my life, and so know how it has enriched my life in a very real and As I write this, it's snowing! I love snow (!) having grown up in sincere way. But I have also known its absence in my life too, the West Indies where there is no snow. It still engenders a and that 'I' (or my lack of acceptance) have been the cause of sense of boyish excitement for me. its absence - not God. However, I appreciate that snow engenders a sense of fear and However, we always have a new chance to work on the things Mary dread in many, and I want to be mindful of, and empathic with, that prevent us from being in a place to receive this free, that sense of danger. For me, I love its ability to transform - to unconditional, gift - yes, I do keep stressing that word Gillick turn the mundane into something of beauty. Yet, snow doesn't 'unconditional'. Sin (i.e. the failure to become fully your divine fundamentally change what's already there. Instead, it enables potential) is all that's stopping you receiving that free us to gain a changed perspective on what is already present transformational gift, and all you need to do is to forgive yourself (née Tutin) around us. to begin anew (i.e. to be redeemed). You are already forgiven by God. It's your own forgiveness that you need now. I make God's love is like that too. Accepting that we are loved it sound so simple, but I know it isn't. It's like trying to take in Chelsea unconditionally - yes, unconditionally - by God, means that we away the fear of snow and enable it's exciting and are loveable, that we matter, and that we are of worth. This transformational quality to endure - it needs to be worked acceptance can transform how we think and feel about our through over time in order to release us into a new and Mary Gillick working on the portrait of Sir John Crosby © The Estate of Ernest and Mary Gillick sense of 'self'. It doesn't change what is already there, but it transformed way of looking at the world and at our 'self'. does change our perspective on what is already present within The Fetter Lane Moravian Mary Gaskell Tutin first came to London around and a commemorative water feature in Bury 1902 to further her art education after St Edmunds brought public recognition for us, and on who we are. It has the ability to release the divine So, I wish for you a transformational year - one that becomes Congregation that meets at achieving first class honours in all art subjects, Ernest. The couple often collaborated on potential within each of us, and to see and experience the world gradually filled with an awareness of God's love and a closely- the Moravian Close, Chelsea felt sense of God's loving presence in your life, as you journey including sculpture, at the Nottingham School projects and despite Ernest's moderate success, in a new and more meaningful way. Yet sadly, love - like snow has always had a keen interest of Art at the close of the 19th century. Mary they lived simply and joined with other artists forth. What a gift to yourself that would be! - can engender fear and dread. If 'love' (or rather a distorted in the life of the sculptor Mary had secured a place at the prestigious Royal in leasing a communal artists' studio in Chelsea Br Peter Gubi, Dukinfield Gillick who, with her husband College of Art in Kensington and came to live close to the River Thames. lived in the Close for many with her brother Frank, who had embarked on In 1911, Mary exhibited for the first time at a promising career as a biochemist and had years. Last year a project by the Royal Academy. Her designs for a portrait earlier come to live in Kew close to the Royal medal of former Prime Minister Robert Arthur the Congregation to restore Botanic Gardens. While at Nottingham, Mary Talbot, and a bas-relief portrait of barrister A Trip to Celebrate John Cennick - Moravian Evangelist: the oak and stone bench and had formed a close relationship with a fellow Douglas Illingworth, were an early indication sculptures that she and her student, Ernest Gillick, who had also made the of her talent. Ernest continued in his rise to husband had created journey to London to study at the RCA and fame and after he suffered a bout of ill health, In Cennick's Footsteps was living in Chelsea soon after the turn of the honouring Sir Thomas More the couple were informed by a friend that there century. was a nearby property available for lease. was completed. Coincidentally When: 6th-8th April 2018 Mary and Ernest announced their engagement Moravian Close at 381 Kings Road, Chelsea, the Henry Moore Institute in had been vacant for a number of years and Where: Based in Bristol, staying at the Haymarket Premier Inn. in 1903 and they were married at Richmond Leeds held an exhibition about Free Church on 24th August 1905. Ernest was was in need of attention. The tranquil calm of The trip includes: a visit to John Wesley's New Room in Bristol, with her work from September 2017 a rising star in the art world and was awarded the almost two acre property offered the Gillicks an ideal creative environment and they lectures by Gary Best (biographer on Cennick), visits to sites associated to January 2018. We asked Ian a travelling scholarship in 1902, which brought entered into a 50 year lease arrangement with with Cennick in Bristol and Wiltshire, learning about John England prints Foster, a local historian in the couple to Paris and Rome. In 1904, Ernest was commissioned to create a medal to the Moravian Church at the end of 1913. Soon Chelsea to tell us more about from the 1880's; enjoying good company and Christian worship. commemorate the successful Scott expedition after their arrival, the Gillicks began the task Mary, her time at Moravian of converting Moravian Close into a Costs include your stay at the Haymarket, meals, your own transport to the Antarctic. Commissions to create statues Close and her work. for the newly built Victoria and Albert Museum comfortable home. They busied themselves costs and a contribution to the New Room for our visit and speaker. continued on page 16 Photo of John Cennick taken by More information can be obtained from Sarah Groves on 028 25653141 David Ewart from the portrait in the or [email protected]. Gracehill Study The Moravian Messenger Advertisements and Editorial Team, Church House, Design & Artwork Psalm all communications 5 Muswell Hill, London N10 3TJ David Bull 23 Official Journal of the Moravian concerning [email protected] [email protected] Church in the British Province. distribution and supply should Contributions for the Messenger Printed & Distribution More than number 23 All God's creation What I learnt: Christingle at Fetter Published monthly by the be sent to the should reach the editorial team by G. R. Walkden is very good! The Irish Council of Church Lane authority of the Provincial Synod. (ICC) Delegation to the EU Editorial Team. the 7th day of the preceding month. Tel 01931 716703 Parliament and Commission (page 15) (page 17) (page 18) (page 21) Editorial More than number The Moravian Church is a Fairtrade Church: at our Synod in 2006 Movement and Commitment for Life 23 we stated that we believe in the principles of Fairtrade so that have all spoken against this change growers and producers get a fair return for their labour, raw by Sainsbury's. Is this subtle move If you ask most people about the Psalms from an arts therapy centre, Birmingham be a predominance of people working in materials and produce. We stated that we saw this as a practical from independent Fairtrade they will say they only know Psalm 23, it Children's hospital chaplaincy team, and larger churches but with varying application of Christ's teaching to love your neighbour. We certification being replicated in other is almost part of popular culture, sung or a community sports consultant, as well churchmanship. Loud worship committed the British Province to earn Fairtrade denomination supermarkets - please let me know. read at funerals and memorial services, as time together. So what has the Psalms predominated and it was faintly chaotic. status and that was achieved the following year. Those were Sr Sarah Groves How we use our money is a matter Gracehill and Ballinderry the words seem to have so much to do with this? One of our worships A range of topics were covered of variable the heady days when the campaign was just getting public for Christian reflection and action. meaning. However I have become consisted of a Godly Play style support and gaining traction with the supermarkets. But now, quality. But the Psalms were again What to give, what to save and what to spend is the first part increasingly aware of the range of topics presentation of Psalm 88.