Church creates permanent white ribbon memorial wall
Everyone received a white ribbon on which they wrote the name of a deceased loved one.
White ribbons with the names of departed loved ones were tied to the fence at the West View Methodist church in Wierda Park as part of a permanent wall of remembrance on Friday.
This was part of the church’s special service focusing on grief.
“Good Friday’s Remembrance service was a little different this year due to Covid-19. We wrote the names of our departed loved ones on white ribbons and tied them on the West View fence,” said Jane Zara, one of the congregation members who attended the service.
“This was a very moving gesture and very poignant at this time. It is comforting to see all the ribbons when riding past. Many thanks to Linda Taylor and her team for this awesome idea.”
Nicola Atherton, communications and worship coordinator, said reverends Siphiwe Madi and Ian France conducted the service.
“Most people I spoke to said that it is was a healing service where they could grieve and remember and celebrate their departed ones’ lives also.”
Madi said due to Covid-19, people in their community are mourning and have much grief to process.
“We would like to reach out to people within West View, as well as to the community around us. We used the Remembrance Service on Friday as an opportunity to create a White Ribbon Memorial Wall,” Madi said.
The Wall of Remembrance is a church member’s (Linda Taylor) initiative.
Taylor tragically lost her beloved daughter, Yvonne, in 1995 when she was only 18 years old. She joined the church and in co-operation with Reverend Emmet Athol, initiated the Garden of Remembrance at the church, 12 years ago.
“It used to be a wall of remembrance, but we enclosed the area and changed it into an indoor garden. The lead glass windows depicts the sun, which is symbolic of life, and the moon, which is symbolic of death,” she explained.
“The floor is decorated with a mosaic. We started with clay objects on Good Friday services through the years, on which church members wrote names and messages to deceased loved ones. All of those objects have been tiled as mosaic onto the floor of the garden.”
She said the garden is used as an area where names of deceased loved ones engraved onto golden plates are attached to the wall. There are pots for flowers and benches where people can sit.
“It serves as a sanctuary, where people can deal with the grief caused by losing a loved one in silence, away from the everyday hustle of life.”
Taylor also assists lovingly with the church’s funeral teas.
Atherton said the service was held outdoors on the lawn.
“Everyone received a white ribbon on which they wrote the name of a deceased loved one. There was an opportunity to tie the ribbon to the memorial fence.”
Atherton said as attendance for outdoor services is capped at 250 people, the church did not anticipate space to be a problem.
“If you were unable to attend the service, you can tie your ribbon to the memorial fence at any time thereafter. The wall will remain a space of prayer and remembrance. Ribbons will be available from the church office after the Easter weekend.”
Anyone can collect a ribbon that will be available at reception.
The wall of remembrance filled with white ribbons will be a permanent feature at the church.
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