Cloister
As we walk round the Cloister, the Water Garden
is to our right. This is one of four
small garden areas between the circular Worship
Area and Cloister and the square of the four
surrounding blocks. Here also is the Fiona Smith
Memorial Window which commemorates the wife of
the Reverend Paul Smith of St Frideswide's Church
in Water Eaton. Fiona, a talented calligrapher,
produced many of the notices, posters and other
documents for this church after it first opened
in January 1992 until her sudden death, at the age
of 31, in 1994.
The engraved glass is the work of David Peace
(of Cambridge) and Sally Scott (of London) and
incorporates, in the trunk of the willow tree,
a piece of Fiona's own calligraphy. The words,
written by Mahatma Gandhi, were chosen by the
artist to reflect her own search for integrity
in her work.
Retracing our steps, we follow the Cloister
around to the North Lobby, which gives access
to the Administration Block. On the wall to your
right, before the double doors which lead to the
lobby, is a painting (oil on hardboard) of the
Crucifixion. The painting is by Mary Everett,
mother of the Reverend David Everett who was an
Industrial Chaplain in Milton Keynes between 1977
and 1983. The painting has been on loan to the
church since 1981.
Balcony
The double door next to the painting leads via
the north lobby and stairs to the Balcony. A
lift (on our right, after the first set of double
doors) also gives access to the Balcony. From the
front of the Balcony, look down at the altar table
and you will see that it is shaped like the
keystone of a bridge or an arch. If you now look
upwards to the glass collar beneath the dome you
will see the New Testament canvas. This is part
of Alexander Beleschenko's stained glass masterpiece
which encircles the whole church.
Beleschenko, who trained at the Swansea School of Art,
designed the glass collar in three main parts:
-
Above the front of the church, where the altar table
and pulpit are situated, is a theme from the New
Testament. Through its depiction of the cross, it
speaks of Jesus Christ as a beacon of hope
and calm in a storm-tossed sea. The pink rectangle
above the cross represents the morning sky and
emphasizes the idea of new beginnings.
-
Opposite the sanctuary is an impression of the
burning bush of Exodus, which is also the tree of life.
A stave turning into a snake can also be seen.
-
Between the two main pieces are many pieces of
coloured glass joining the two main images.
We very much regret that, for reasons of safety,
there is no access to the Gallery on the next level.
Returning to the Cloister via the stairs and the
north lobby, we turn left and follow the Cloister
round to reception.
On the north side of the reception area is the
Chapel
which is open daily for private prayer and meditation.
Last updated 2 February 2003
© 2003 The Church of Christ the Cornerstone. All Rights Reserved
As we walk round the Cloister, the Water Garden
is to our right. This is one of four
small garden areas between the circular Worship
Area and Cloister and the square of the four
surrounding blocks. Here also is the Fiona Smith
Memorial Window which commemorates the wife of
the Reverend Paul Smith of St Frideswide's Church
in Water Eaton. Fiona, a talented calligrapher,
produced many of the notices, posters and other
documents for this church after it first opened
in January 1992 until her sudden death, at the age
of 31, in 1994.
