Sacred Ally Quilt Tour June 2-4

On the weekend of June 2-4, a powerful quilt exhibition memorializing the words of George Floyd will be shown in Framingham. The quilts will be hung at Edwards House Meeting and Retreat Center, at 1 Badger Road. The exhibition is sponsored by the Southern New England Conference of the United Church of Christ and Edwards Church in Framingham.

The Sacred Ally Quilt Ministry was formed by nine New Hampshire United Church of Christ congregations, who came together in response to the senseless killing of George Floyd. The exhibition prayerfully, stitch by stitch, invites us to be more deeply present with his final words.

“George Floyd’s pain won’t go away. We respect it, walk gingerly around it as one would around a grave. We honor his pain with this stitching, these prayers in thread,” said the Rev. Mark Koyama, pastor of the United Church of Jaffrey, NH.   “These quilts are a distillation of four hundred years of oppression. They express the devastating pain of America’s racial wounds.”

Throughout the weekend, there are special events for experiencing the quilts, with opportunities for learning, reflection, creative expression and action.  All programs are free and open to the public. Registration is appreciated https://sneucc-reg.brtapp.com/SAQMTourRegistration to help with planning.

On Friday, June 2nd, from 5-7 pm, there will be an opening reception. Attendees are invited to enjoy refreshments, walk through the quilt exhibit, and view a film, Stitch, Breathe, Speak, which describes the transformative process of creating the quilts. At 6:30 pm, there will be a simple service of evening prayer, with gentle music, lighting of candles, and a reflection by Framingham resident Rev. Elizabeth Garrigan-Byerly.

On Saturday, June 3, there are two opportunities for viewing. From 10 am-12:30, there will be an Open Viewing time, for which no registration is needed.  From 1-4 pm, there is a special program entitled “Deepening our Understanding: Acting for Change.” Throughout that time, attendees can walk through the quilt exhibit and view the film, Stitch, Breathe, Speak. There will be an opportunity to take action through a letter-writing campaign. At 3:30 pm, there will be a worship service, featuring music by the Framingham-based Willie Sordillo ensemble, and reflections by Framingham resident Dr. Grace Gamez, Assistant Director for Advocacy at the Center for Anti-Racist Research and Rev. Darrell Goodwin, Minister and President of the Southern New England Conference of the UCC.

On Sunday, June 4, from 1-3 pm, there is a special event for youth and families: “A Mosaic of Hope: Stories, Quilts and Stepping Stones.” Indoor and outdoor activities include story telling and the creation of “stepping stones” to mark a path toward healing and transformation.

For more information, contact Rev. Dr. Debbie Clark at pastor@edwardschurch.org.