The Christmas Pulpit Fall
The Christmas fall was the first of three by Mrs Heather Armitage, to be commissioned by the Kirk Session.
It was dedicated to the memory of the Misses Nan and Minnie Hogarth on Sunday 16 December 1984.
The exquisite work of art, patchwork and faith illustrates the traditional elements of the Christmas Story in a very beautiful and meaningful way.
The three panels in the design are arranged to suggest a three dimensional effect. The stable is recessed in the dark background and the light of the baby Jesus ”shone in the darkness and the darkness comprehended it not”
The elements which make up the picture convey the all encompassing nature of the “length and breadth and depth and height” of the love of God. They include the firmament with the Star of Bethlehem, the brown earth of the stable as the ground of our existence, humanity in the form of Mary and Joseph, the Wise men, the Shepherds and the children of the world, some of the creatures who share the earth with us the ox, the ass and the lambs which are penned in the enclosure which resembles the bow of a boat, thereby completing the All in All nature of the incarnation.
At the base of the design are the portents of Calvary and the symbols of the victory in the seven bells ringing out the triumph of Easter Day.
Easter Pulpit Fall
The Easter Fall conveys the Easter Gospel by the imaginative use of ancient symbols which are both local and universal, temporal and eternal. The central symbol is the unique 8th century sculptured cross of Crail, one of the great treasures of our ancient church. The arms of the cross are interlaced with the Celtic pattern of eternity and overreaching the arms is a hood of glory with the Greek key ornamentation. In the heart of the cross is the head of a bird which is either a dove of St Columba rising peacefully above the flames of conflict or a phoenix rising to new life from ashes of its own dissolution. In the fall the cross towers high in the blue sky and over the dark and sombre hill of Calvary and over the blue sea which sails a ship with sails closed furled, the symbol of the universal church and also a central symbol of the common seal of the Royal Burgh of Crail.
The message of the Easter message shines out in this work of art to chase away the mists of doubt and darkness and to proclaim from a bare cross set in blue sky that Christ is Lord of all.
Harvest Pulpit Fall
The Harvest Pulpit Fall was dedicated on Sunday 12 October 1986.
It was gifted by Mrs Heather Armitage
It has three panels, Seed Time, Harvest and the cross in the place of honour.
The primordial rotation of bare, furrowed fields under the spring sun, to the harvest moon and the golden corn of autumn is beautifully portrayed.
The patterns of the “silver darlings” of ages past firmly anchor the fall in Crail and the cross reminds us of the words of Jesus.
“Except a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone, but if it dies it brings forth much fruit.”
The Communion Fall
The Communion Fall was embroidered by the late Janet Ness of 46 High Street