Writings and Christian Artwork by Ray and Gail Keffer

Writings and Christian Artwork
by
Ray and Gail Keffer

11. TEN COMMANDMENTS

The Ten Commandments are found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. We believe they are fundamental to the teaching of the Bible.

Continental Stitch in white and gold with the crosstich done in gold and bound in bold. We also show it in a diagram with a variation of the Algerian Eye stitch and a row of Continental down the center. We have also used the same form made into a Bible, God’s Word to us. We show it with an Alpha and Omega in the diagram and the ribbon on the Bible in the color of your choice. We have also shown this same form with I. N. R. I. on it. “And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, ‘What I have written I have written.’” John 18: 19-22. The letters are initials for the Latin title that Pilate had written over the head of Jesus Christ on the cross.

©Copyright Gail Kennedy Keffer

12. DOVE

“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him.” Matthew 3:16 (NIV)

The descending dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. It is taken from the story of Jesus' baptism, where the Spirit descended on him in the form of a dove. The three-rayed nimbus around its head identifies the Spirit as a member of the Trinity.

We have shown the dove done in the basic Continental stitch with gold used to represent accent marks on the dove and around the nimbus. We have used a liturgical color inside the nimbus which immediately takes it away from the true Chrismon which must be in gold and white only. We have bound the dove in white and the nimbus in gold. You may want to do another stitch for the background to give it a nice texture. The “T” stitch would be very nice on this. It should be done after you have done the accent marks. In art, the nimbus, or crown, is often placed behind the head of religious figures. The nimbus is sometimes a simple circle, which represents eternity or eternal life. A nimbus with three rays is symbolic of the Trinity, and is reserved especially for Christ. (/) is for the shading on the Lamb which you may do in a very light gold or off white; (×) is for the nimbus and the three-rays of the Nimbus to be done in gold; and the (• ) is to fill in the Nimbus. However, we have also discovered a metallic yarn in the yarn section of most craft stores which is gold and another one is gold and white intertwined. This is also nice to use instead of going to a color if you want to keep with the gold and white as required for a true Chrismon.

©Copyright Gail Kennedy Keffer

13. TREFOIL

A combination of a triangle and three circles, the trefoil is a stylized shamrock that was used by St. Patrick to illustrate the Trinity. Both are symbols of the Trinity, three persons united in One. We are showing the trefoil done in one shade of gold and the triangle in the other shade of gold. We have filled the background with the Continental stitch in white yarn. You can do your own color choice. The triangle is shown with one symbol on the chart and the trefoil with another. We have not put a symbol in for the white. You can bind it with which ever color you feel looks best. We are also showing a small cruciform or a variation of the Jerusalem cross in the center which is included on your extra chart of designs. There are several options of designs to put in the middle as desired or not.

©Copyright Gail Kennedy Keffer

14. THE SHELL

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19

The shell (usually a scallop or cockle shell) often shown with three water drops is a symbol of the baptism of Christ. The shell may also be used as a symbol for pilgrimage.

We have used two different shapes of shells. We are showing the marks on the one with gold, and binding it with the other gold. The choice is yours. If you want to center one of the small designs shown on the graphs given to you, please feel free to do so. The insert should probably be done in gold to make sure it stands out. We have also included three drops of water as one of the small symbols if you want to show them on the shell. They are to indicate the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, or the Trinity. The models are shown in the basic Continental Stitch, but you could use another stitch for the background if you desire.

15. THE BIBLE

The Bible is shown here with the Alpha and Omega. It can also have the I. N. R. I. on it, or it can be shown just as an open Bible with a bookmark. The choice is yours.

16. THE BIBLE

“And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, ‘What I have written I have written.’” John 18: 19-22.

The Bible is shown here with the I. N. R. I. on it, or it can be shown just as an open Bible with a bookmark. The choice is yours.