Your additions, corrections, and other memories for St. George’s history

I recognized the initials immediately: Nancy Graham, of NAG license plate fame. The number 11 made me count the kneeler sections and, sure enough, there are 11 of them. As I noticed and admired the intricate stitches, it suddenly occurred to me that, come the new year, the kneelers would be 20 years old. “How many knees,” I wondered idly, “have rested on these altar kneelers in 20 years?” I guessed 416,000 (200 people a week, presumably each with two knees, for 20 years).

Little did I know that I’d be able to answer that question definitively: 486,352, give or take a hundred or so. That’s the actual number, as recorded in St. George’s official, historical record—an average of 246 people per week receiving communion in the church since early 1980, when the kneelers were put into general use. I know because I came in very early one morning and toted them up on an adding machine. And I can say that, at St. George’s annual rate, it will be about a half-million knees by next year.

That’s impressive. Intrigued, I went to the attic, found the church’s archives so lovingly stored by Betsy Agrios, and read John and Rachel Martin’s Banners for 1979 and 1980.

The announcements began small in early 1979: “Needlepoint classes begin this week. Come to the Rhodes Room at 10 AM on Thursday. See you there! Willow Davis.” I happened to know that Willow was fresh from being St. George’s senior warden in 1979, so the initial announcement was a a bit funny in view of the 75 or so square yards of finished project—gotta watch those wardens!

By February 1979, the needlepoint classes had become a “workshop” and the group picked a project: pads for the collection plates and alms bason. By March, the class had found a designer (“a lady in Baltimore who designed the National Cathedral kneelers,” who used Esther Logten’s design suggestion), had canvasses painted, had formed a committee, and was selecting colors to match the wood in the church. The design had vines, branches, wheat sheaves, and ripening grapes, all moving toward the center section: the lamb of God.

There was much enthusiasm, as noted by a whole new set of classes about to begin, and a waiting list. By September the co-chairs of the Needlepoint Committee announced that they would be showing the work in the parish hall. to show the work in progress and to RAISE FUNDS. They pointed out that each of the eleven kneelers is 4-5 feet long and 18 inches wide, so at 14 stitches to the inch… that’s a lot of stitching!

A lot of care was taken in executing the design. Each person who participated had to attend at least one workshop at month and submit to “peer review” of their work, redoing work that wasn’t quite up to par.

The last three sections were finished in 1980, including the crucial center section. This section has a lamb in it but the initial design had a lamb that resembled a pony more than a sheep. The designer was stumped until the committee suggested using a lamb similar to the one in St. George’s Trinity window

Willow was happy to reminisce about the year of needlepointing kneelers. She said that in addition to Nancy Graham’s section 11, Lucile McGriff did section 10, Karen Rea section 9, Willow Davis section 8, Susan Smith section 6, Jane Warwick section 5, Anita Cooper section 4, Laura Cosby section 3, Marion Malone section 2, and Dixie Davies section 1. JSL did section 7 but her identity has temporarily escaped documentation—if you know, please call me (525-8286). [Turns out, JSL was Jeanne Logtens.]

Next time you kneel at St. George’s altar, remember these stitchers, and pray for another half-million knees to grace their work.