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50 south mississippi scene

art: f irst baptist church tapestry

Yet Not as I Will,But as You Will.

STORY CONTRIBUTED BY FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, BROOKHAVEN

PHOTOS BY JONATHON ALFORD

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south mississippi scene

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52 south mississippi scene

The magnificent tapestry of

Christ praying in the garden

was handmade in a small vil-

lage near Beijing, China. For

many years members of the

First Baptist Church in

Brookhaven, Mississippi, had

wanted something worshipful

and beautiful to be placed in

the baptistry area. This was

discussed with Mrs. Dawn

Brown, an interior decorator

from Covington, Louisiana,

who suggested using a tapes-

try.

Pastor Robert E. Self and

others decided to use Christs

experience in the Garden of

Gethsemene, as portrayed in

one of the stained glass win-

dows in the Fellowship Hall,

because it was Jesus obedience

to Gods will at this time that

led to His crucifixion and res-

urrection.

Asem Zeini, a local painting

contractor and talented artist,

rendered his interpretation of

the scene in an oil painting.

Mrs. Elay Doyle, owner of Peel

& Company in Covington,

Louisiana, took the painting to

China, where arrangements to

have the tapestry woven had

been made. Mrs. Brown and

Mrs. Doyle made several trips

to China to assist in color

selections to be used in dying

the wool and to oversee the

weaving of the tapestry.

The tapestry is 22 feet high

and 24 feet wide and, accord-

ing to the weavers, is the

largest ever made in their area.

There are 100 knots per square

inch, making a total of 7.6 mil-

lion hand tied knots in the tap-

estry. There were as many as

18 weavers working on the tap-

estry at one time, and it took

almost two years to complete

all phases of the work.

Initially, the Chinese were

reluctant to undertake the tap-

estry because of its size.

However, upon learning that

the man in the painting was a

spiritual leader and that the

tapestry would be used in a

place of worship, they felt hon-

ored and agreed to make the

tapestry. When the weavers

expressed a desire to know

Reverend Greg Warnock, pastor of First BaptistChurch, welcomes many visitors to Brookhaven who

are interested in viewing the magnificent tapestry ofJesus experience in the Garden of Gethsemene.

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more about this man Jesus, Mrs.

Doyle was given copies of a

Chinese Mandarin Bible and a

little red book entitled The

Sayings of Jesus Christ to take

to them on her next trip.

The tapestry was placed in the

church in September, 1996. It is

hoped that all who view it not

see dyed wool and millions of

knots, but a loving, caring

Savior, who, in HIs trial prayed,

My Father, if it is possible, may

this cup be taken from me. Yet

not as I will, but as you will.

(NIV)