Widows & Orphans by Michael Arditti

Author:Michael Arditti [Michael Arditti]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781910050514
Publisher: Arcadia Books Limited
Published: 2014-05-01T04:00:00+00:00

Six

‘Notes from the Pulpit’

by the Reverend Henry Grainger

Thursday, 28 November 2013

‘And God said, Let there be light.’ And with light came colour. And with colour came art. And through art mankind reaches closer to God.

Over the past few months we at St Edward’s have watched with mounting excitement as a vision of paradise has filled the church hall. Ever since I came to the parish six years ago I have dreamt of refurbishing the hall but, as regular readers of this column will know, we have struggled to fund the essential repairs to the church itself without turning our attention to the outbuildings.

But God moves in a mysterious way. In July, nineteen-year-old Jordan Maplin was convicted of spraying graffiti on three seafront shelters. He was given a six-month suspended prison sentence, a 150-hour Community Order and required to pay £500 towards the cost of the damage.

Jordan claimed that he was protesting against the drabness of the shelters (which have been criticised in many quarters, including this newspaper). This is not the place to argue the merits of street art in general or Jordan’s work in particular, but it is worth noting that, in his character witness statement, Jordan’s former art master described him as a highly gifted pupil who, in happier circumstances, would have won a scholarship to art school.

Meanwhile, the Probation Service had approved my request to make the renovation of the church hall a Community Payback project. By a stroke of providence, Joel Lincoln, one of our churchwardens, had been in court for Jordan’s trial. Recognising Jordan among the team, he proposed that we ask him to paint a mural.

Despite an initial reluctance to be singled out, Jordan accepted that this was the perfect opportunity to demonstrate his talents. His probation officer granted permission for him to work alone under the supervision of Joel, who gave me a private assurance that if the painting were a disaster he would cover it over himself.

Fortunately, no such redress was necessary. Jordan’s insistence on working in secret provoked some misgivings within the parish, but when the mural – a highly charged depiction of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden – was revealed, the doubting Thomases were confounded.

The mural is to be unveiled by the Bishop of Lewes at 3 p.m. on Thursday, 5 December. Everyone is welcome to attend, and there will be further opportunities to view it over the coming months when our popular weekend teas are served in the hall.

‘As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.’ 1 Peter 4:10

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