Plymouth Magazine-Winter24-DIGITAL - Flipbook - Page 21
What’s Hiding on Our Reredos? Part 1
Last week we took a fresh look at the reredos. (Remember? It’s “rer’- däs” from the Middle French arrere “behind” + dos “back”.) Our reredos
is the elaborately carved screen in the back of the chancel, at the front of the church. From the pews, you can see seven spots on either side of the
central cross. Each one of these “shields” reminds us of Christ’s journey through Holy Week. The
artisans who created our reredos did not put the shields in any particular order. To give you a closer look,
let’s move from the cross outward—this week to the left, then next week to the right. Each drawing by
long-time Plymouth member and architect Scott Stouffer is described by a Scriptural reference. Use the
key to help you locate each shield. And feel welcome to get a better view any time the sanctuary is open
and worship or another event is not in progress!
L1—Mace and Reed
Matthew 27:29b
They put a reed in his right hand and knelt before him
and mocked him, saying “Hail, King of the Jews!”
Jay Eaton puts finishing touches on the
original restored wood Chi Rho for a future
display at Plymouth.
looking for other pieces. “After much
diligent searching, Dan located half the
symbol at the bottom of a drawer in the
Deacon’s closet in the Narthex,” says Eaton.
That left just one of the Chi legs missing.
“Those two remaining pieces were so
delicate that restoring the symbol for reuse
seemed troublesome,” says Eaton. As a
woodworker, Eaton had previously made
repairs for the church, including working
on the church’s wooden pew candelabras
that, that hold candles for Christmas Eve
and other candlelight services.
L4—Chalice and Wafer
L2—Crown of Thorns
Matthew 27:28-29a
They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him
and after twisting some thorns into a crown, they
put it on his head.
L5—Whipping Post
Matthew 27:24-26
So he (Pilate) released Barabbas for them; and after
flogging Jesus, he handed him over to be crucified.
L3—Crossed Keys
Matthew 16:18-19
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven,
and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in
heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be
loosed in heaven.”
L6—Rooster
Matthew 26:33-34
Peter said to him, “Though all become deserters
because of you, I will never desert you.” Jesus said
to him, “Truly I tell you, this very night, before the
cock crows, you will deny me three times.”
Matthew 26:26-28
While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread,
and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the
disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”
Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave
it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this
is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for
many for the forgiveness of sins.”
L7—Bag of Coins
Matthew 26:14-15
Then one of the twelve, who was called Judas
Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will
you give me if I betray him to you?” They paid him
thirty pieces of silver.
Plymouth Magazine 21
